Enjoying this book? Help it get discovered by casting your vote!
Worth reading 😎
This spooky poem will have readers wondering exactly what happens as spooky specters prepare for the annual Halloween celebration.
Fear created by the unknown and misunderstood ghost and human interaction is overcome when both decide to take a chance on getting to know the other. Their courageous and kind gesture uncovers a joyous new friendship and a new human and friendly-ghost family. The enchanting illustrations and sweet story will make Halloween Eve a holiday classic, and a book you will want to reach for all year round.
Halloween is well-known as a night filled with thrills and chills. However, in one house, Halloween eve is even more frightening. As the sun goes down, the jack-o-lantern on a festively decorated front porch begins to notice witches, ghosts, and goblins filling the air and finding their way to a party at his abode. With the family tucked in together, the spooky specters take over their space, providing context for other unexplained occurrences in the home in the process. The party lasts until dawn, and the myriad visitors promise to come again each Halloween night.
This story is designed as a poem, using rhyming couplets with uneven meter to tell the tale. Relatively short in length, this story could be accessible to a range of readers, particularly those who do not shy away from narratives that can be scary at times. A series of interesting characters are introduced throughout the text, incorporating several well-known Halloween visitors into the poem. Told from the perspective of someone remembering this occurrence taking place, it is easy to imagine this story inserting itself into one’s psyche for a lifetime.
Though this poem incorporates scary references, elementary school-aged readers who enjoy things that go bump in the night will connect with it. In this case, it would benefit from having illustrations to assist with comprehension of the tale presented. These visuals would spread out the poem over several more pages, giving readers the opportunity to internalize each stanza before moving on to the next and increasing overall appeal and understanding of the story.
Poems like this one are welcome inclusions to holiday traditions due to their accessibility and unique view of a familiar event. Though the presentation and uneven meter make this poem less desirable to read aloud, it could be shared as a campfire story that does not require the use of visuals. Fans of the Halloween holiday who are not afraid of a spooky story will find this poem to be an interesting addition to the canon of literature intended for Halloween.
Reviewed by
I review books for kids, tweens, and teens and blog about them on my website. To date, I have over 500 published reviews. Sign up for my monthly newsletter at www.maryrlanni.com to get recommendations straight to your inbox! I primarily write reviews, but will create video reviews upon request.
Synopsis
Fear created by the unknown and misunderstood ghost and human interaction is overcome when both decide to take a chance on getting to know the other. Their courageous and kind gesture uncovers a joyous new friendship and a new human and friendly-ghost family. The enchanting illustrations and sweet story will make Halloween Eve a holiday classic, and a book you will want to reach for all year round.
About the author
Richard Reese lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife of over 65 years. His light-hearted gift of storytelling transports and delights the imaginations of children and adults alike. Halloween Eve was written in 1998 and his daughter, Linda, dusted off the precious, worn pages and published in 2021. view profile
Published on July 14, 2021
0-1000 words
Genre: Children's
Reviewed by
Discover more books like Halloween Eve
Create your free account to help this book get discovered and decide on the bestselling stories of tomorrow.
or
Or sign up with an
Or sign up with your social account