NEW Halloween books from Candlewick

THIS PRODUCT WAS RECEIVED FOR FREE, IN EXCHANGE FOR A FAIR AND HONEST REVIEW.

by Kelly Bennett, Illustrated by Paul Meisel

July 2013 | HC: 9780763646912 | $15.99 | Ages 4-7 | 32 pages

When Tootie gets her first teeth, it’s clear to her big brother that she’s no ordinary baby. But how to convince Mom and Dad?

It happens overnight: little sister Tootie goes from cuddly, ga-ga-goo-goo, I-want-my-binky baby to . . . vampire baby. Now she’s sinking her pointy fangs into everything—furniture, toys, and especially her big brother (“Youch, Tootie! No bite!”). Mom insists that it’s just a phase, but Tootie’s brother knows better. Just look at her hairline! Or the fact that all her favorite foods are blood red! With perfect comic timing, Kelly Bennett and Paul Meisel give a fresh slant to the new-baby story, proving that even monstrous little arrivals have a funny way of staking their siblings’ affections.

Our Thoughts:

Especially with having a new baby in the house this book was wonderful! What a funny and creative twist on a very prominent subject. Big brother didn't seem very fond of baby sister until someone else said something. It's the way it is with almost every family I've come into contact with, "Only I am allowed to be mean and pick on you!" Family ONLY, and this book conveys that with a little love and support, a new  baby is a welcome addition, even if she/he is a vampire! While this book is great, it doesn't seem to have the attention keeping flow I felt it should have. 

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by Hiawyn Oram, Illustrated by Jimmy Liao

July 2013 | HC: 9780763658700 | $15.99 | Ages 3-7 | 32 pages

A little fiend who’s too good for his own good befriends an angel who is too naughty—and together they concoct a clever plan.

Daddy and Mommy Fiend want their little Filbert to be gruesome and ghastly, but he won’t trample or terrify, roar or holler. He’d much rather help an old lady with her bags or go bird-watching. What are they to do with him? When Filbert starts school, he quickly learns that good behavior isn’t tolerated in class, and he is banished outside until he can act like a proper little fiend. Suddenly a little angel appears, flying fast and furious until . . . bump! Could this naughty Angel-School dropout be just the friend Filbert needs? Could they find a way together to make everyone accept them as they are?

Our Thoughts:

This book teaches a hard lesson to grasp, even for some adults! Being yourself has to be the hardest thing for every human, and monster! This little fiend wouldn't cave to the pressures he faced to be mean, nor would the sweet angel. A great value to have is to be true to ones self, even when the world is telling you to be someone else. Eventually, those that love you will accept who you are and love you the same. A wonderful book, and lesson for children; especially in a world full of pressures to be something or be nothing!



Reviewed by: Steph

PLEASE NOTE THAT I RECEIVE NO MONETARY COMPENSATION FOR THIS POST. THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS REVIEW ARE MY OWN AND WERE NOT INFLUENCED IN ANY WAY.