Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews

By the Light of the Halloween Moon

By the Light of the Halloween Moon

Caroline Stutson
Illustrator:   Kevin Hawkes 
Picture Book
For ages 4 to 7
Marshall Cavendish, 2009   ISBN: 978-0761455530

A girl is out on a dock and her bare toe is tapping to a tune “by the silvery light of the Halloween moon.” What she doesn’t know is that there is a cat underneath the dock that is very interested in her tapping toe and it is springing through the air to catch the toe. The cat is snatched up by a witch who rather fancies that tapping toe for herself. Just when she is about to grab that tantalizing toe, a bat launches itself at the witch's head and she goes flying. The bat now prepares to take a bite out of the toe when a ghoul comes up. When he sees what is going on, he “swats” at the bat with a shovel. he wants the toe all for himself!

This delightful cumulative Halloween tale is sure to have young readers sitting on the edge of their seats. What is going to happen next, and who is going to get that toe in the end? Kevin Hawkes’ wonderful illustrations perfectly compliment the sing song text, and children are sure to love the very unexpected ending.