HALLOWILLOWEEN by Calef Brown

Bibliography
Brown, Calef. 2010. Hallowilloween. New York: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. ISBN 9780547215402

Plot Summary
Hallowilloween is a compilation of poems by Calef Brown about Halloween. Each poem features either a monster or thing that is usually associated with Halloween or creatures such as ants, a raven, cats, and even a personified geyser with a Halloweenish twist. The poems are witty and comical with a distinct rhythm that makes reading them aloud enjoyable.

Critical Analysis
These poems are filled with rhyming rhythm, repetition, and assonance that makes reading them aloud fun. "Jack" describes a werewolf, and most of the lines have the repetition of ending in the word "wolf." Assonance helps in carrying the rhythm of some poems. For example, in "Lone Star Witches," such phrases like "comical conical" naturally support the overall rhythm of the poem. All the poems are witty with a natural flow of words. The illustrations are beautifully vivid in their Halloween and fall colors. However, the poems describe each creature so well that they can stand alone without the pictures.

My seven and three-year-old love this book. My seven-year-old finds the poems funny, although I had to explain a couple to her, which leads me to believe that the poems will have appeal for children who are a little older as well. My three-year-old loves the pictures. Therefore, preschoolers who have a love for Halloween may be attracted to this book.

Review Excerpts

•  Kirkus Reviews: "A modern master of nonsense verse reaches new heights of giddiness with this Halloween-themed collection."
• The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books: "Kids will relish the spooky browsability and tongue-rolling horror, while readers-aloud will find year-round as well as seasonal opportunities to slip in a poem or two."
• Children's Literature: "The illustrations are comical and fill the pages.

Connections

• Hallowilloween is a fun read aloud. Have children read some of the poems aloud in unison.

• Try pairing poems from this book with poems from other poetry books with a Halloween theme:

           Rex, Adam. Frankenstein Takes the Cake. ISBN 9780152062354
           Sierra, Judy. Monster Goose. ISBN 0152020349
           Rex, Adam. Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich. ISBN 0152057668

• Other books of poetry by Calef Brown:

           Dutch Sneakers and Flea Keepers: 14 More Stories. ISBN 061805183X
           Flamingos on the Roof: Poems and Paintings. ISBN 9780618562985
           Polkabats and Octopus Slacks: 14 Stories. ISBN 0395854032