Hallowilloween

Biography
Brown, Calef. 2010. Hallowilloween. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. ISBN 978-0-547-21540-2


Plot Summary
Hallowilloween is a collection of Halloween-themed poems. Topics range from a vampire umpire to the Lone Star Witches of Texas.  


Critical Analysis
This collection of poetry is a great read-aloud book to get into the "spirit" of Halloween. Because of the advanced vocabulary used and perhaps scary subject matter, Hallowilloween is probably best left to older children that are mature enough to laugh at Duncan the shrunken head or the Oompahupa Loompacbra that eats goats versus being frightened.


The illustrations, also done by Calef Brown, are full of vibrancy and a Halloween-themed color scheme. There are even illustrations around the words of the poems. Another great aspect of this book is that, because the poems are not intertwined, it is possible to read just a few poems to group or to just use one that accompanies an activity.


Review Excerpts
"Silly it may be, but all the best kind, prompting the reader to see the world (slightly) askew and to delight in it."-Horn Book

The far-out 'plots' and silly pictures will interest younger children but older readers especially will revel in the fanciful possibilities."-School Library Journal

Connections

*For an older audience, read "The Portrait of Gory Rene" as an introduction to "The Portrait of Dorian Grey"

*Have children create there own silly poem where they can make up words and rhymes about a Halloween creature