HALLOWEEN TRAMPOLINE

A lively group of monsters celebrate spooky season with unique traditions.

As the sun disappears behind the mountains, the creatures race out the door with a homemade trampoline fashioned from wood and fabric, as they do every Halloween. Vampire, Werewolf, Witch, and Zombie each take a turn jumping while the others make noise, knock things over, and play benevolent tricks on each other. Justus’ illustrations depict the monsters soaring through the air, while Rothman’s rhythmic verse carries a musical beat that’s best experienced when read aloud. Always in motion, the monsters jump joyfully past gravestones, a boarded-up mall, and patches of smiling jack-o’-lanterns, set against a backdrop of pointy mountains and a night sky of twinkling stars that increase in number as the story goes on. This year, the monsters bounce “higher than they’ve ever been” and find themselves landing near a group of trick-or-treaters in colorful costumes, whom they invite to bounce on their trampoline with them. These adorably drawn characters not only love jumping around and getting into hijinks; they also demonstrate that the spirit of Halloween includes kindness and a willingness to share.

A fun and silly Halloween story worth reading aloud—over and over again.