A fun, rhyming read-aloud Halloween picture book that starts a new holiday tradition. Perfect for kids 4-8 or any young child wanting to celebrate the spookiest season of the year!
Marching in the school parade
in frightening costumes that we've made;
Look around, the signs are clear,
Halloween is getting near!
Halloween is Coming is a lyrical celebration of the building excitement that children—and adults!—feel as the magical and mysterious night of Halloween approaches.
July 26, 2021
Invited to “look around, you’ll see the signs,” readers follow three friends—an Asian child, a Black child, and a white child who uses a wheelchair—as they enjoy a full slate of seasonal activities. From hayrides to corn mazes, from jack-o’-lantern carving to a school costume parade, Wen’s cheery cast bops all over a quaint town as various monsters appear in each scene—a ghost near a hay-bale castle, a goblin on a rooftop. At last, “it’s tricks, and treats, and frights, and fun,/ and spooky things for everyone” at a neighborhood celebration. Though Everett’s rhymes can be bumpy, Wen’s ethnically inclusive suburban neighborhood and the volume’s seek-and-find elements make this an enjoyable read. Ages 4–8.
August 1, 2021
From the changing season to decorations and costumes, children anticipate Halloween. Little readers will enjoy all of the familiar markers of the season included in this book: falling leaves, jack-o'-lanterns, Halloween costumes, candy, and trick-or-treating. Everett's rhyming couplets bob along safely, offering nothing that will wow but enough to keep the pages turning. It's Wen's illustrations that give the most to readers, full of bustling scenes and lovely details. A double-page spread of the children in town in front of the candy store includes jars with individually drawn treats and other festive delicacies. The townwide celebration features instruments, creative costumes, and a diverse crowd of people. There are three children who appear as the focus of the illustrations, though there are many secondary characters. One bespectacled White child is drawn in a manual wheelchair, another has dark brown skin, the third presents Asian. The child in the wheelchair is shown as a full participant. Readers will enjoy spotting spooks like a vampire, goblin, and werewolf, as they sometimes appear in the background and other times blend in with the crowd. The familiar trappings of Halloween paired with the robust illustrations will have little readers wanting to reread even if the content itself is not startlingly new. High-quality, inclusive illustrations make this one stand out. (Picture book. 3-5)
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September 1, 2021
PreS-K-Readers follow three friends one Halloween as they visit a festival, gather pumpkins, trick-or-treat, and more. The trio present as a Black girl, an Asian girl, and a white boy who uses a wheelchair. Their class and community are diverse in appearance and include humans and imaginary creatures. The costumes range from ghosts and pirates to astronauts, strawberries, and artists, with nary a culturally appropriative costume in sight. Notably, one boy sports a blue tutu and lace-up ballet shoes. The simple, rhyming text is ideal for read-alouds. Wen has textured the digitally rendered illustrations with pencil, creating a soft and bright atmosphere, even for scenes set at night. For readers who enjoy the playful, social aspects of the holiday, this is a solid choice. VERDICT Charming illustrations elevate this straightforward Halloween tale is for medium and large holiday collections.-Taylor Worley, Springfield P.L., OR
Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
September 7, 2021
Preschool-Grade 2 Get ready, ghosts, goblins, witches, and monsters: Halloween is almost here! Lively endpapers depict all the accoutrements of Halloween-costumed children, bats, spiders, jack-o'-lanterns, and candy, promising delights to come. Rhyming text depicts three kids of various races (and one who uses a wheelchair) as they explore the signs of the approaching holiday. Readers will have buckets of fun spotting additional costumed youngsters who peek out on each page, accompanying the three main characters as they go on a hayride, navigate a corn maze, decorate the house, shop for candy with Mom, and march in the school costume parade. Clever verse ("Prince and princess, clown and mime / Mummy, Wolfman, Frankenstein") encourages kids to be anything they want to be on this special night. Digital artwork layered with scanned pencil textures illustrates the author's love of "creepy, crawly, spooky scary stuff." Read this one in early fall as a storytime or lap-read pick to build on children's excitement as Halloween nears.
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