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GRIZELDA THE GREEN HATES HALLOWEEN

A fresh trick-or-treating tale with plenty of read-aloud potential.

Sick of Halloween, a misanthropic witch takes matters into her own hands.

Grizelda the Green loathes the trick-or-treaters who knock on her door each year, scaring her spiders, her pet dragon, and her cauldron. So she cooks up a plan to take the joy out of the holiday. As she casts spells, pumpkins explode and streetlights shatter. Undeterred, the children persist; after all, they have flashlights! The kids aren’t bothered even when Grizelda makes their candy horribly unappetizing (worms and slime, anyone?). Instead, they’re thrilled at the prospect of meeting a real live witch. “Your magic gave us the best Halloween ever!” a young girl declares. Grizelda is moved; turns out, even witches love helping others and being appreciated in return. The rhyming text results in an ideal preschool read-aloud, with the bouncing stanzas keeping a snappy pace. The children’s unflagging optimism in the face of setbacks is an excellent lesson in making lemonade out of lemons, while Grizelda’s change of heart emphasizes the rewards of generosity. Longhi’s cheery cartoonish illustrations complement the storytelling; a palette of deep aquas with accents of purple, gold, and orange reflects the night sky and sets an appropriately spooky tone. The kids are racially diverse; Grizelda has gray-tinged skin and ombré green hair.

A fresh trick-or-treating tale with plenty of read-aloud potential. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: July 22, 2025

ISBN: 9780593692271

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Flamingo Books

Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025

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IT'S NOT EASY BEING A GHOST

From the It's Not Easy Being series

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

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HOW DOES SANTA GO DOWN THE CHIMNEY?

In the market for an understated Christmas classic? Behold! A Christmas miracle!

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A dynamic picture-book duo turn their attention to one of the great mysteries of our time.

For those literal-minded children out there, this book serves to answer some essential questions about basic Santa-related logistics. We all know that Santa is supposed to go down the chimney to deliver gifts, but how? “Does he cinch up his belt? Or shrink himself down to the size of a mouse?” That particular speculation is accompanied by an image of a small Santa standing on the edge of a chimney looking down into the abyss. Synched perfectly with Barnett’s gentle yet hilarious questions and often silly propositions (“Or does he slip through the pipes and come out of your faucet?”), Klassen’s tan-skinned Santa is as funny and expressionless as a bearded Buster Keaton. Curiosity runs wild as Barnett ponders everything from Santa doing the laundry in children’s basements to his ability to get along with every household dog he meets, while Klassen’s there to bring each possibility to life. Don’t look for any definitive answers in this story, though. As the last line states, “Santa goes up the chimney the same way he comes down. And I have no idea how Santa does that. But I’m so glad he can.” For all that it leans heavily on absurdity, this book exhibits some serious heart. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

In the market for an understated Christmas classic? Behold! A Christmas miracle! (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: Sept. 12, 2023

ISBN: 9781536223767

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Candlewick

Review Posted Online: Aug. 12, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2023

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