The Most Haunted House in America

by Jarrett Dapier (Author) Lee Gatlin (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

A rollicking, spooky-fun trip through the most haunted home in America: the White House!

It was late October, the moon was pale, late in October when it came by mail: a letter, a missive, a kind invitation to drum at the most haunted house in the nation! When the Skeleton Drummers receive an invitation from the First Lady to perform at the biggest Halloween party of a lifetime--or afterlife--the band must pack their instruments, rise from the earth, and prepare to rock the White House. With gusto and bone-rattling beats, the skeletons boom! bang! and clang! as the crowd of trick-or-treaters dance on the president's lawn. But when the party moves inside, something's not quite right: there's a chill in the air and a prickle of fright. There's one thing you might not know: The White House is haunted from top to toe!

With rhyming, rhythmic text from Jarrett Dapier and wonderfully macabre illustrations from Lee Gatlin, this musical tour of America's most famous home is full of spooky surprises at every turn.

Select format:
Hardcover
$18.99

Kirkus

No bones about it. This book has pep, drive, and the perfect vibe for the Halloween season.

School Library Journal

Gr 2-5--In 2009, Dapier was invited to play the drums at the White House during the Obamas's first Halloween celebration. This engaging, rhyming story inspired by that event begins with the Skeleton Drummers receiving an invitation to perform. The cleverly illustrated book, with its pencil, ink, and digitally colored illustrations, includes historical political figures portrayed as dancing ghosts. The Obamas themselves are standout illustrations, coupled with the Skeleton Drummers jamming throughout the event along with the trick-or-treating children. Overall, the lively illustrations add to the lighthearted nature of the story. The vocabulary includes music-related terminology that could be unfamiliar to some, as well as words that are not a part of the average child's lexicon, such as waltz and gloam. However, the musical terminology and unfamiliar vocabulary provide the possibility for further learning opportunities. An author's note describing the lore surrounding ghosts that haunt the White House as well as Dapier's personal experience of playing the celebration add to the book's appeal. Additional back matter includes a list of books and online resources about White House ghosts and hauntings. VERDICT The illustrations and narrative surrounding the most haunted house in America are more than enough to keep readers entertained.--Katie Loomis

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes



Jarrett Dapier
Jarrett Dapier is a writer, librarian, and lifelong drummer. His books include Jazz for Lunch!, which received a starred review in Kirkus, and Mr. Watson's Chickens, which received multiple starred reviews and was named a Best Picture Book of the Year by BookPage and a Best Book of the Year by NPR. He lives in Evanston, Illinois, with his family and their many pets. Lee Gatlin has been drawing for as long as he can remember. He is the illustrator of the picture book Monster School by Kate Coombs and Shout Out for the Fitzgerald-Trouts by Esta Spalding. He was born and raised in south Alabama, but he makes comics and art in Athens, Georgia, where he lives with his wife, three children, and two cats.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781419752469
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Abrams Books for Young Readers
Publication date
August 02, 2022
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV031040 - Juvenile Fiction | Performing Arts | Music
JUV058000 - Juvenile Fiction | Paranormal, Occult & Supernatural
JUV017030 - Juvenile Fiction | Holidays & Celebrations | Halloween
JUV052000 - Juvenile Fiction | Monsters
JUV030060 - Juvenile Fiction | People & Places | United States
JUV061000 - Juvenile Fiction | Politics & Government
Library of Congress categories
Picture books
Stories in rhyme
Ghosts
White House (Washington, D.C.)
Halloween
Drummers (Musicians)
Skeleton

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