Halloween ABC
Author: Eve Merriam
Illustrator: Lane Smith
Publisher: Macmillan Publishing Company
Date of Publication: 1987
Format: Hardcover
Page Count: 32 Pages
Cost: $14.95
ISBN: 0-02-766870-3
Reading Level: Ages 5 to 8
Plot Summary: This book is composed of 26 different Halloween poems, one for every letter of the alphabet. The poetry emphasizes the spookier aspects of Halloween, and each poem is accentuated by an equally creepy illustration. The poems are simultaneously frightening and amusing (Jack-o’-lantern/ Jack-o’-lantern/ squish squash squush/ when Halloween’s over/ you’ll turn to mush). It should be noted that this book is not intended to be a primer for the alphabet, but a delightful and spine-tingling Halloween compilation.
Evaluation: The eerie poetry in this book is perfectly accented by dark and creepy illustrations. Advanced vocabulary words might prove beneficial to a younger child’s whole language development. This book is sure to delight many readers, although it does have the potential to terrify as well, so parents will have to decide on an individual basis whether or not it is appropriate for their child.
Annotation: A spooky Halloween adventure in poems from A through Z will thrill the young and the young at heart.
Links:
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Related Reads:
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Half-Minute Horrors by Susan Rich
The Nightmare Before Christmas by Tim Burton
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