Review - At the Old Haunted House

At the Old Haunted House
by Helen Ketteman
illustrated by Nate Wragg
Date: 2014
Publisher: Two Lions
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: Amazon.ca

At the old haunted house
In a room with no sun
Lived a warty green witch
And her wee witchy one.

There are all kinds of creatures in the house: a big Ma monster and her wee monsters two, a scrawny black cat and her wee kittens three, a green Pa goblin and his wee goblins four, and more! Count along as the creatures prepare for the Halloween Fright. The text, written in the pattern of the popular poem “Over in the Meadow,” makes reading aloud fun, while the cinematic illustrations set the scene for an unforgettable romp through the old haunted house. Trick or treat!

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I must admit, I don't think I'm that familiar with the poem "Over in the Meadow", which this is apparently based on. Still, At the Old Haunted House is a very cute Halloween book that can function as a story or as a counting book.

The rhyming text takes the reader through numbers from one to ten as various spooky creatures and their offspring get ready for... something. It isn't until the last pages that we understand what all the preparations are for. Along the way, we meet dancing werewolves, scratching black cats, and plenty of spiders.

The book is just creepy enough to be great for Halloween, but not so spooky that it's going to scare anyone. In fact, all of the creatures are pretty cute. I thought the rhymes were pretty good (which is always a plus, especially if you want to read the book aloud; this one would lend itself well to that) and the fun illustrations are full of life... even if some of the characters technically aren't!

If you're looking for strong Halloween picture books for young readers, you might want to give this one a try.

Quotable moment:

Premise: 4/5
Meter: 4/5
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.86 out of 5

Review - Go to School, Little Monster

Go to School, Little Monster
by Helen Ketteman
illustrated by Bonnie Leick
Date: 2015
Publisher: Two Lions
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: Amazon.ca

Welcome, Little Monster, to your first day of school.

Little Monster is going to school for the very first time. That means he’ll be meeting all the other little monsters, including one who has really big teeth and draws scary pictures. Who will ride the ogres and dragons with Little Monster at recess, and listen with him during story time? And what happens when—gulp—Little Monster realizes he forgot his lunch? It’s a good thing Mr. Drool is there to guide Little Monster the whole day through. Helen Ketteman’s soothing rhymes and Bonnie Leick’s sweet watercolor illustrations combine to create a reassuring first-day-of-school story that’s perfect for little monsters everywhere.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I have to say, I don't like this one as much as Goodnight, Little Monster. The illustrations are more extreme (some of them are so gnarly that they're a bit hard to look at), and the reassuring presence of Little Monster's mom is missing; she isn't there to drop him off or pick him up, and the poor kid doesn't even have a lunch!

The messages about making new friends and trying new things are good, and Little Monster himself is cute... but the rest of the kids are a bit scary (especially Fang, who doesn't appear to talk, but communicates through violent drawings). This book is definitely for an older audience than Goodnight, Little Monster; in fact, I'd be afraid this book might scare preschoolers about school!

So this was a bit of a disappointment. I'm sure some kids will love it (especially if they're not disturbed by the pictures), but it's definitely not as strong as the bedtime book featuring this character.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.29 out of 5

Review - Goodnight, Little Monster

Goodnight, Little Monster
by Helen Ketteman
illustrated by Bonnie Leick
Date: 2010
Publisher: Two Lions
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: Amazon.ca

Little Monster needs to get ready for bed. That means howling at the moon, scrubbing his scales, getting into his creepy PJs, and enjoying a nice snack before bed: worm juice and baked beetle bread. And, of course, Little Monster’s mother is nearby to tuck Little Monster into bed and turn on his night-light—because even little monsters can be afraid of the dark. Bonnie Leick’s soft, child-friendly illustrations rendered in watercolor bring a new and quiet twist to the evening’s bedtime ritual. Sweet dreams, Little Monster!

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I've read a number of bedtime picture books now, and at this point, they're all starting to look the same. That's why I was pleasantly surprised by Goodnight, Little Monster, which is a basic bedtime-routine story that's given a new twist by having the main character be a cute little monster. As he gets ready for bed, we see him take a bath (being careful to wash his tail), eat a monster-friendly snack, brush his fangs, and even check for children under the bed.

The rhyming text is actually pretty good (it shouldn't surprise me, but it does; there are so many books out there with iffy rhyme and meter), and the story itself, while basic, is cute enough. Where this book really shines, though, is with the illustrations. Little Monster is pretty adorable, and not really scary; it's nice that it shows him being just as afraid of children as children might be of monsters! (There are spiders and bats and eyeballs all over the place, so the pictures might not be everyone's cup of tea. But, really, Leick has made those things about as cute and non-threatening as they're going to get!)

I quite enjoyed this one. If you're looking for a bedtime book that's a little different, you might want to give Goodnight, Little Monster a try.

Quotable moment:

Premise: 4/5
Meter: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.57 out of 5