Haunted Party

A muted (but nicely contrasted) palette and creepy creatures inhabit this Halloween counting book: "3 gruesome goblins, gross and green, /With pointy ears that aren't too clean, /Enjoy some really mean cuisine/At the haunted house of the ghost." As skeletons boogie, vampires dunk for apples (dexterously speared on their fangs), and mummies play pin the tail on the monster, the ghost host serves ghoulish treats and sweeps up after the voluminously shedding werewolves. The growing melee makes counting each arriving group as challenging as it is entertaining. The party is a rollicking success-until the arrival of 10 adorable trick-or-treaters, who terrify the guests into a quick countdown as "9 morbid mummies flee and hide./8 wretched witches zoom outside./7 mean monsters tremble with fear./6 ghastly ghouls try to disappear" and so on, right down to the single ghost who has a surprise in store for readers. This funny, warmly illustrated rhyme makes an entertaining choice for holiday storytimes.

Copyright 2010 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

One ghost invites two “spooky skeletons,” three “gruesome goblins” and so on up to nine “morbid mummies,” all of whom have a rocking good time playing pin-the-tail-on-the-werewolf and smashing pumpkins. Trapani’s serviceable verse counts up monster by monster in rhyming triplets with the refrain, “At the haunted house of the ghost.” Her cheery watercolors enliven the verse, depicting grinning ghouls enjoying themselves, the ghostly host in black tie floating about offering eyeballs and coffee. Kids will particularly enjoy the vile vampire with a bobbed apple impaled on each fang. When ten “cute children, sunny and sweet,” come to the door “[p]olitely chanting, ‘Trick or Treat,’ ” a speedy countdown of terrified party guests begins, a last wicked surprise keeping the book from cloying like too much candy corn. (Picture book. 4-7)

Copyright 2010 Kirkus Reviews, LLC Used with permission.