Downplaying fright, this book is a fine introduction to the holiday for smaller participants.
Counting up from one to 10, a child joyously lists their favorite things about Halloween.
A small child jumps excitedly on a chair to watch Dad at the sewing machine, happily helping to make a “spooktacular” vampire costume. “Making my costume” is No. 1, and the narrator’s light-skinned little sister, dressed as a pumpkin, cheerfully applauds the “terrifically terrifying” look. Riding on a tractor-drawn trailer to go pumpkin picking with both parents is No. 2, while carving the gourd is third. No. 4 is decorating a haunted house, while No. 5 is a “mummy race,” with kids wrapped in toilet paper. No. 6 is getting the house decked out for Halloween. For No. 7, telling spooky stories, the siblings are joined by a friend inside a blanket tent. The counting draws to a close with apple bobbing and dangling doughnuts; a Halloween parade; and, of course, trick-or-treating. And the sadness of day’s end is dispelled by the reassurance of more fun next year. This upbeat tale leans heavily on the sweet rather than the scary side of Halloween, Lively, colorful, slightly simplified illustrations with changing background color washes offer many details for young viewers to spot, including lots of lights and the family’s black cat. The main character and their family are light-skinned; the supporting cast is diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Downplaying fright, this book is a fine introduction to the holiday for smaller participants. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: July 4, 2023
ISBN: 9781680102949
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: April 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Not enough tricks to make this a treat.
Another holiday title (How To Catch the Easter Bunny by Adam Wallace, illustrated by Elkerton, 2017) sticks to the popular series’ formula.
Rhyming four-line verses describe seven intrepid trick-or-treaters’ efforts to capture the witch haunting their Halloween. Rhyming roadblocks with toolbox is an acceptable stretch, but too often too many words or syllables in the lines throw off the cadence. Children familiar with earlier titles will recognize the traps set by the costume-clad kids—a pulley and box snare, a “Tunnel of Tricks.” Eventually they accept her invitation to “floss, bump, and boogie,” concluding “the dance party had hit the finale at last, / each dancing monster started to cheer! / There’s no doubt about it, we have to admit: / This witch threw the party of the year!” The kids are diverse, and their costumes are fanciful rather than scary—a unicorn, a dragon, a scarecrow, a red-haired child in a lab coat and bow tie, a wizard, and two space creatures. The monsters, goblins, ghosts, and jack-o'-lanterns, backgrounded by a turquoise and purple night sky, are sufficiently eerie. Still, there isn’t enough originality here to entice any but the most ardent fans of Halloween or the series. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Not enough tricks to make this a treat. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-72821-035-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: May 10, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Familiarity breeds a birthday for the ages in this party worth attending.
Don’t let the Pigeon ruin his own special day!
Anyone who has ever encountered the title character in any of his books—whether his first, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus (2003), or one of its many sequels—will understand that the bird’s innate self-love drives his every interaction. Little wonder, then, that he’s thrilled about his own “bird-day.” He has the hat. He has his “FANCY PLUMAGE.” And, best of all, he will get to blow out a candle “on my bird-day hot dog!” As he revels in the knowledge that this day is all for him, comeuppance is lurking. Someone has already blown out the bird-day candle—and eaten half the hot dog. It turns out that the Pigeon’s frenemy, the Duckling, has the same bird-day—as do a slew of newly hatched chicks. The Pigeon’s obligatory eight-panel freakout ensues. “What am I—invisible? I just want to be seen,” he whimpers, and when he receives some much-needed reassurance, he settles down and willingly shares his special day. While the switch from unapologetic narcissism to mature acceptance happens in the record-breaking span of two pages, the book is as enchanting as the Pigeon’s earlier outings. Even as it walks in the footsteps of its predecessors, there’s no denying the fun to be had.
Familiarity breeds a birthday for the ages in this party worth attending. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 31, 2026
ISBN: 9781454999621
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Nov. 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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