Children's Book Reviews: Halloween, 2-adult
Wendy E. Betts
NOTES FROM THE WINDOWSILL ISSN 1078-8697
An electronic journal of book reviews. Copyright 1994 Wendy E. Betts.
Reproduction for personal and non-profit use is permitted only if this
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Vol. 2, No. 123 Halloween Books, ages 2-adult 10/26/94
Some last-minute Halloween reviews. For more Halloween-related
titles, see volume 2, numbers 208 through 211.
__ The Witch on a Windy Night_ adapted by Bernice Chardiet from a poem by
Bernice Wells Carlson. Illustrated by Pamela Cote. Puffin, 1994
(0-14-055000-3) $4.99 pb
Some hungry animals try to get a witch to share her soup on a windy
night, but the greedy witch decides to drink the whole pot
herself--with explosive results. The mild watercolor illustrations,
simple flaps to lift and enjoyable complete-the-rhyme, cumulative text
of this book seems ideal for younger children who want to enjoy some
of the trappings of Halloween without getting too frightened, if the
thought of a witch exploding isn't too much for them. Cote seems to
have had great fun making the pictures increasingly windswept, with
leaves, birds, and bug-eyed frogs flying across the witch's room.
(2-6)
__ By the Light of the Halloween Moon_ by Caroline Stutson and Kevin
Hawkes. Puffin, 1994 (0-14-774215-3)) $4.99 pb
(Review of the hardcover edition reprinted from volume 1, number 34)
This charming rhyme-story, similar in pattern to "The House that Jack
Built" and "The Green Grass Grew All Around" is delightful to read
aloud, with an irresistibly sing-songy rhythm. A toe "that taps a
tune in the dead of night" becomes the target of increasingly sinister
characters who inevitably foil each other's plans to grab and eat it,
until the owner of the toe (a little girl) firmly smacks the last
culprit, saying "That toe is mine!" The lively pictures (reminiscent
of Rankin and Bass claymation) suit the story well and the triumphant
ending will probably overcome any fear aroused by the ghoulish
characters. (3-8) P
__ Halloween Parade_ by Harriet Ziefert. Illustrated by Lillie James.
Puffin, 1994 (0-14-037143-5) $3.25 pb
A "Level 1 Easy-to-Read Book," _Halloween Parade_ is for the very
earliest readers, with few words per page and many repetitions. The
book packs a lot of action into few words, but I'm not sure if the
rushed atmosphere, sentence fragments and frequent changes of rhythm
convey enough of a sense of story to keep beginning readers interested
and give them a real feeling of accomplishment. The watercolor
illustrations of plump, happy children are cute but not particularly
eye-catching. (4-7)
__ The Ghost in the Mirror_ by John Bellairs and Brad Strickland. Dial,
1993; Puffin, 1994 (0-14-034934-0) $3.99 pb
In this unfinished manuscript completed by Bellairs fan Brad
Strickland, Mrs. Zimmerman and Rose Rita Pottinger (previously
featured in _The Letter, the Witch and the Ring_) go to the 19th century
on a quest to restore Mrs. Zimmerman's magic powers...and are trapped
there by a great evil. The finished book lacks much of the old
Bellairs magic, but overall it's an enjoyable read, scary but not
terrifying. This paperback edition features an utterly stunning,
imaginative cover--surprisingly, it's even more appealing than the
Edward Gorey cover on the hardback. (8-12)
__ A Foot in the Grave_ by Joan Aiken. Illustrated by Jan Pienkowski.
Puffin, 1994 (0-14-036111-1) $3.99
It's hampered by a slow start and rather too much similarity between
stories--horrible and/or vengeful visiting relatives show up so often,
one can't help but wonder about Aiken's home life--but there are some
genuine shivers to be had from these tales, as well as a chuckle or
two. Most of the horror comes from eerie situations and suggestive
happenings, with very little violence or gore; the very British tone
of the narratives adds an exotic touch for American readers. The
stories were written to accompany the dramatic, sharply contrasting
illustrations, which may explain the unevenness of the
collection--when the combination really clicks, however, it's
chillingly effective. (10-adult)
* indicates a book the reviewer feels is outstanding in its genre
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--
Wendy E. Betts, Editor "The WEB: Celebrating Children's Literature"
finger w...@deeptht.armory.com; http://www.armory.com/~web/web.html
"Personally I just let fashion go...if I wash behind my ears and don't
slouch, that's about as far as I care to go." _Freddy the Pied Piper_