  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 07/01/2018 PreS-Gr 2—Traditional nursery rhymes are transformed into not-too-scary Halloween fun. An introductory poem invites readers to trick-or-treat and is followed by a collection including typical frightening fare like ghosts, witches, zombies, and skeletons. Mary's little lamb becomes a ghost ("Mary had a little ghost,/his face was white as cloud;/and everywhere that Mary went/he followed in his shroud.") and Miss Muffet, instead of being frightened by the spider, eats it for dessert. The rhymes scan well, making the poems perfect for reading aloud with a flashlight tucked under your chin. Garrigue's line drawings, primarily in shades of black, white, and purple, add just the right scary touch. The book contains, fittingly, 13 rhymes. VERDICT A fun addition to public libraries' Halloween poetry collections and Mother Goose retellings.—Mary Kuehner, Arapahoe Library District, CO - Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Booklist - 07/01/2018 “Mary had a little ghost, / his face was white as cloud; / And everywhere that Mary went / he followed in his shroud.” This is just one of the traditional Mother Goose nursery rhymes that Kolar wickedly twists. Children and parents will cackle at rhymes like “Zombie Miss Muffet,” “Twinkle, Twinkle, Lantern Jack,” and “Wee Willie Werewolf.” There is a delightful omnipresence of everything from goblins and ghouls to cobwebs and cauldrons. The skeletons and spiders will satisfy those looking for their share of scary, but everything is portrayed with enough humor to keep the book accessible for even trembling little monsters, and the cartoon-style illustrations are soaked in the calming lavender tones of twilight to keep the book from veering too visually dark. Plus, the ghosts are just flat-out adorable. - Copyright 2018 Booklist. Loading...
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