If Animals Trick-or-Treated

May 15, 2022
We've seen how Paul and Walker's adorable animals celebrate Thanksgiving; what about Halloween? All the Halloween check boxes are ticked for the littlest listeners, and Paul zooms in on Mama and little Owlet at they complete each one: carving pumpkins, decorating, donning costumes, and trick-or-treating. Interspersed among these, other animals join in on the festivities. Bat adds fangs to her pumpkin, and "Hatchling would beg Papa Crocodile / to carve his pumpkin a sneee-eery smile." (Cleverly, their pumpkin croc features an oblong pumpkin carved sideways with successively smaller pumpkins for the body.) Bushes and trees get festooned with spiderwebs and orange-and-black steamers, and, somewhat disturbingly, "Vulture chicks would scat-scatter fresh skeleton bones / close to a cluster of old tombstones." Costumes include the traditional (superhero, mummy, witch) as well as some creative twists (Zebra Foal wears "a costume of spots" that resembles a giraffe's hide; Little Leopard dons a striped costume). Treats match the giver: Parrot gives seeds, Armadillo passes out chocolate ants, and Raccoon offers "garbage-fudge squares." Page turns and line breaks sometimes interrupt the rhythm of the verses, though the rhymes are pretty spot-on. Walker's scenes start during the day and gradually fade to night, when the illustrations almost seem to glow, gentle stars in the sky shining down, and the shared book at the close is the ideal end to a busy day.(This book was reviewed digitally.) A cute introduction to Halloween for youngsters. (Picture book. 3-7)

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July 29, 2022

PreS-Gr 1-This endearing read-aloud will make young children giggle and will warm their hearts. Throughout the story, Paul invites children to imagine what animals would do if they celebrated Halloween like humans. A jolly little owl chooses to carve a pumpkin that looks just like him, a piglet dresses up in a mummy costume, and an armadillo brings chocolate ants to share. The playful use of rhyme and alliteration invites readers in as they listen and gain language comprehension. The whimsical typeface is combined with brightly colored onomatopoeia sprinkled throughout. The number of sentences per spread is limited, making this book perfect for children ages 3-6. Walker incorporates innocent, animated animals that children will enjoy. Instead of portraying a scary holiday filled with monsters, this sweet book allows children to see the fun-loving side of Halloween. VERDICT A wonderful choice for an autumn story hour at the library or at home that will have young children laughing, learning, and saying, "Again!"-Kelly Richards

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2022
On Halloween, Owlet finds that every animal celebrates the scariest time of the year differently. From Hatchling and Papa Crocodile's segmented croc-o'-lantern with the "sneee-eeery smile" to Raccoon's "garbage-fudge squares," each animal's traditions feel unique to its species. Refreshingly, Halloween regulars (such as bats) mingle with animals not often featured (such as an armadillo). As in previous entries in the series, lines of text sometimes curve (like a smiling jack-o'-lantern) or sway (like an eerie breeze), which is appropriate and effective for this particular book's design given the subject matter. Walker's brightly colored critters contrast nicely with the dark and starry night. Jake Koniszewski

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2022
On Halloween, Owlet finds that every animal celebrates the scariest time of the year differently. From Hatchling and Papa Crocodile's segmented croc-o'-lantern with the "sneee-eeery smile" to Raccoon's "garbage-fudge squares," each animal's traditions feel unique to its species. Refreshingly, Halloween regulars (such as bats) mingle with animals not often featured (such as an armadillo). As in previous entries in the series, lines of text sometimes curve (like a smiling jack-o'-lantern) or sway (like an eerie breeze), which is appropriate and effective for this particular book's design given the subject matter. Walker's brightly colored critters contrast nicely with the dark and starry night.

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)