Silly supernatural fun.
A bloodsucking creature of the night crosses paths with a jam sandwich.
“Would you like to hear a scary story?” asks a large-eyed, lugubrious child with a red bow tie, holding a flashlight as a striped cat looks on. After building suspense for a few pages, the youngster obliges. “The story goes that long ago, a vampire—possibly named Terrence—snuck into someone’s kitchen and took a bite out of their jam sandwich. The vampire probably thought the jam was…something else”; when a sleepy, nightgown-clad child (apparently Terrence’s sibling) soon awakened and entered the kitchen, Terrence fled, leaving behind a jam sandwich minus one bite. Now the sandwich is cursed, destined to search the night for more jam! Unless…readers keep their preserves secure. The narrator offers a few insincere suggestions for doing so, such as storing your jam in the backyard or on a window ledge. By this time, readers will be in on the joke: Terrence and our narrator are one and the same. Is the protagonist a vampire? Or just a conniving youngster trying to trick audiences out of their jam? Kids can judge for themselves. Lyall’s text begs to be read aloud in dramatically spooky tones, while Gregory’s illustrations, rendered in a sepia-toned palette with pops of red, are deliciously creepy; the fang-gnashing, jam-drooling, unibrowed sandwich is a particular delight. The human characters are pale-skinned.
Silly supernatural fun. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: July 1, 2025
ISBN: 9781774883464
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A satisfyingly cozy winter holiday tale.
The protagonist of The Little Ghost Who Was a Quilt (2020) enjoys a “boo-tiful” holiday.
The titular spirit—comprised of a patterned quilt rather than a plain white sheet like his peers—loves drifting outside in the cold. His heavier fabrics may slow him down the rest of the year, but in winter they keep him warm enough to enjoy the outdoors while his friends remain inside. One December evening, while visiting the human neighborhood, he notices people singing and putting up twinkling lights (amid the Christmas decorations, one window features a menorah). The little ghost quilt is happy for himself but sad that his pals aren’t witnessing all this, too. The sight of a holiday tree inspires him: He’ll bring a tree to his friends! A branch that blows off during a snowstorm will do nicely. For ornaments, he uses odds and ends from the attic of his house. And when his friends arrive at his home that night, everyone decorates the tree together. The moon, peeping through the window and reflecting off a mirror from the attic, provides the glorious pièce de résistance: The make-believe tree glows brilliantly. This quietly lovely holiday tale underscores the true meaning of the holidays: friendship and togetherness. The illustrations rely on a muted palette with spots of vivid colors; like a quilt, they’re soft and delicate. Human characters vary in skin tone.
A satisfyingly cozy winter holiday tale. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 26, 2025
ISBN: 9781774885376
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.
Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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