How to Haunt a House

by Carolyn Crimi, Edward Miller (Illustrator)

Overview

Clever ghosts-in-training solve a scary haunted house problem.

Groana, Moana, and Shrieky are three little ghosties learning the tricks to giving a good scare. They stomp around, spook family pets, and slam toilet seats. They're all set to pass their Halloween test, until they find a family that doesn't scare easily. In fact, they LOVE everything the ghosties send their way—especially the bats and rats! What does it take to horrify a household like this one? Sometimes you have to think outside the box (or casket!) to find a way around a problem.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780807534267
Publisher:	Whitman, Albert & Company
Publication date:	09/15/2021
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.00(w) x 10.00(h) x (d)
Lexile:	AD430L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Carolyn Crimi is the author of Where's My Mummy?, Boris and Bella, and many other picture books. Her favorite holiday is Halloween, when she embarrasses her dog by dressing him up in silly costumes. When she’s not writing, Carolyn enjoys watching scary movies and baking lopsided cakes.

Edward Miller is an illustrator of many children’s books. He loves Halloween nearly as much as he loves candy, especially Whoppers and Junior Mints. In his spare time, he likes to visit art museums, historical sites, and national parks throughout the United States.

Editorial Reviews

"Crimi's rhyming story nicely leverages unpredictability to keep preschoolers engaged. Miller’s illustrations are age appropriate and appealing—nothing’s too spooky here—with a comic-book feel."—Kirkus Reviews

"This rhyming Halloween story is at once enjoyable and educational, showcasing the power of teamwork and tenacity against the backdrop of a playful haunting. Rhyming couplets give the narrative a singsong beat."—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

09/01/2021

K-Gr 2—Halloween is fast approaching, and three young ghosts have one more test to pass before they will be declared ready for the day. Madam Gray assigns three houses for the ghosts to haunt, each one more challenging than the last. Using a series of skills perfected in class, Groana, Moana (not to be confused with the Disney character), and Shrieky work together to achieve their goal. When their practiced tactics fail to work on the final house, however, the three classmates must examine the problem from another angle to succeed. This rhyming Halloween story is at once enjoyable and educational, showcasing the power of teamwork and tenacity against the backdrop of a playful haunting. Rhyming couplets give the narrative a singsong beat. Though the lines are not consistent in meter, the story is easy to follow; the varied pacing breaks up the narrative into distinct segments while keeping readers engaged. Digitally rendered illustrations feature iconic Halloween decor, from purple, black, and orange hues to a full moon casting a glow over crooked, leafless tree branches. All of the characters have a cartoonlike quality, increasing the accessibility of the story while limiting any truly frightening moments. Detailed images will encourage readers to closely examine the illustrations. VERDICT Add this to Halloween collections, and use in group and individual settings.—Mary Lanni, formerly at Denver P.L.

School Library Journal

2021-07-14
Three ghosts-in-training meet a family that proves difficult to scare.

Groana, Moana, and Shrieky have successfully used their ghostly tricks to haunt families in two different houses. But when their teacher, Madam Grey, assigns them a family of monsters to haunt, they must get creative with their tactics. Readers will giggle to see what ultimately frightens these Frankenstein-type monsters: bunnies, puppies, glitter, and cupcakes. Crimi’s rhyming story nicely leverages unpredictability to keep preschoolers engaged. How silly that the things they love should terrify a monster! Miller’s illustrations are age appropriate and appealing—nothing’s too spooky here—with a comic-book feel. The three ghosties are nonthreatening, with rosy cheeks and expressive eyebrows. The humans depicted are racially diverse, including one interracial family. There are also some fun details, like the monster family’s table full of rotten fish and moldy cheese. Miller cleverly uses the color palette so that the hues of the human families’ homes, with touches of pink and light blue, are the same as those of the cheerful items used to scare the monster family. Sure to be enjoyed by the preschool crowd—a great Halloween read-aloud for a classroom or library.

Not-too-spooky Halloween fun. (Picture book. 4-6)

Kirkus Reviews