Halloween Night
by Marjorie Dennis Murray
illustrated by Brandon Dorman
Greenwillow Books, 2013
review copy provided by the publisher
I have a big collection of Night Before Christmas variants. What great fun it is to have one that is set on Halloween night!
It begins,
"Twas Halloween night, and all through the house
Every creature was stirring, including the mouse.
The walls were aflutter with little brown bats,
While hordes of black spiders crept out of the cracks.
By the fire in the kitchen, the witch stirred her brew;
To make it more smelly, she threw in a shoe."
There are zombies, mummies, green creepies, ghosts, and ogres all making preparations for the trick-or-treaters. When the costumed children show up, there's a moment when the whole book stands still, and the reader knows it could tip either way -- the kids come in...or the kids run away.
You'll have to read it to find out how it ends, but you'll want to read this one aloud in a darkened room with a flashlight at your chin.
Happy Halloween!
Irene Latham has the Poetry Friday roundup this week at Live Your Poem... where she's celebrating her 1,000th post! Congratulations, Irene!
What fun, Mary Lee. I've never seen this one, and will share it at school. Hope Halloween 'treats' you & holds no 'tricks'!
ReplyDeleteDear Mary Lee - how much do I love that you have a collection of NIGHT BEFORE knock-offs?! I hadn't heard of this one and have the perfect reader in mind for it. Thank you! xo
ReplyDeleteHappy almost-Halloween! Have a lovely weekend! :)
ReplyDeleteHow fun! Of course now I must get my hands on this book to find out the ending... you never know when you might be in a similar situation.
ReplyDeleteLike Heidi, I shall have to get my hands on a copy of this book to see how the mayhem ends. Fun!
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm intrigued. This sounds like a wonderful book!
ReplyDeleteOoh! I love the sound of this one. I must find it before next week!
ReplyDeleteSo, Mary Lee, have you tried writing your own variant? I wonder what your theme would be ... :-)
ReplyDeleteHmm...now you've got me thinking!!!
DeleteTis the night before school starts
ReplyDeleteAnd all through the rooms
Every teacher is stirring,
especially Ms. Bloom.
You can have that prompt for free, Mary Lee. Why should Mrs. Bindergarten have all the fun?
Hi there Mary Lee, speaking of night before christmas variations, do you have Cajun Night Before Christmas by James Rice? I bought the picture book when I was in New Orleans around three years back - so cute! :) Thanks for sharing this Halloween Night book.
ReplyDelete