Boris and Bella [Hardcover]

Carolyn Crimi (Author), Gris Grimly (Illustrator), Gris Grimly (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: K and up

Bella Legrossi is the messiest monster in all of Booville. Her slime is the slimiest and her grime is the grimiest. Alas, she is neighbors with Boris Kleanitoff, a persnickety ghoul so tidy he vacuums his vampire bats. What could ever bring these two together?

It will take a Halloween party like no other--a full creature-feature of beasts, ghosts, and creepy-crawlies, and some of the fanciest dance moves since Morrie Mummy shook a leg clean off. So grab a mug of ghoul drool and join the fun!

Wicked wit Carolyn Crimi and illustrator Gris Grimly have put their heads together (along with a few they found in the graveyard) and cooked up the funniest, funkiest, and out-and-out freakiest monster mash you've ever seen!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-4–Boris Kleanitoff is terrifyingly tidy while Bella Lagrossi is monstrously messy. These neighbors don't get along until a Halloween dance brings them together. The story of this monster romance is predictable, but told with tongue-tickling prose. The description of the party is characteristically spunky, as "Cy Clops bebopped and the Fang flip-flopped. The Boogeyman boogied while the trolls twirled round." Grimly's illustrations, which are similar to those in Marilyn Singer's Monster Museum (Hyperion, 2001), perfectly complement the text. The characters are creatively drawn with ink and watercolor in subdued hues. Young readers will delight in the ghoulish details like the "Pizza Glut" box in Bella's house and the shrunken heads by the punch bowl at the shindig. This is a bewitching choice for libraries looking to boost their Halloween offerings.–Donna Cardon, Provo City Library, UT
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

K-Gr. 2. Bella Lagrossi, with dirty dress and sticky hair, is the messiest monster in Booville. Her neighbor, Boris Kleanitoff, is, well, clean. Naturally, they're not very neighborly, but when each decides to have a Halloween party, they find a common enemy, Henry Beastie, who's throwing a shindig of his own. All their mutual monsters are going there; no one wants to go to a party at a house so dirty--or so clean. An infuriated Bella and Boris head off individually to give Harry a piece of their minds, but they wind up together, on the dance floor, and then holding hands in the moonlight. There's a real story here, one that has lots of fun with its odd-couple theme and provides plenty of word-plays ("boo-ffet"). The stylish design works well with the sophisticated ink-and-wash artwork that has a hint of Charles Addams ghoulishness. Quite unique. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books; 1st ed edition (September 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152025286
• ISBN-13: 978-0152025281
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,023,032 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cute New Children's Book for Halloween, August 31, 2004

By 

Erika Sorocco (Southern California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Boris and Bella (Hardcover)

In the entire town of Booville, Bella Legrossi is known as the messiest monster. Her grime is grimy, and her slime is slimy. However, Bella is neighbors with Boris Kleanitoff. Boris, as opposed to Bella, is the cleanest monster in all of Booville. He spends his time dusting his cobwebs, and vacuuming his vampire bats. The two have absolutely nothing in common, but suddenly they are mysteriously brought together. The only answer to this mysterious connection is a huge Halloween bash, complete with ghosts, creepy-crawlies, beasts, and some really fancy dance moves.

Carolyn Crimi has created a new children's book, that will very likely go down in Halloween history. The characters of Bella and Boris are absolutely hilarious, and will have young readers laughing out loud at their witty commentary, while at the same time learning that you can be friends with someone, even if that someone is your complete opposite. With wondrous drawings filling every page, this is sure to be a hit this Halloween for both children, and their parents.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Witty and Fun!, July 17, 2005

By 

P. Cort "happymom" (winchester, ma United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Boris and Bella (Hardcover)

This is a book for kids of all ages. I love it so much that I bought several more copies for my neices and nephews. The story is appealing and the illustrations are hilarious. My husband and I crack up at the drawing of Boris picking boils off a gargoyle for his chocolate coated treats. The moral of the story is a familiar one but told in such an entertaining manner that it becomes quite fresh. I would recommend buying this even if it weren't bargain priced.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's a hit!, November 16, 2004

By 

Whistler (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Boris and Bella (Hardcover)

This book has been a huge hit my kids and with all the kids in my neighborhood. I actually came across it quite by accident. While perusing the shelves of my local bookstore, trying to find Madonna's latest book, I found this book which someone had obviously mistakenly placed on the shelf in front of a stack of Madonna's books. I started reading it and found it to be delightful! My kids love it too. And after talking to some of the other moms on my block, I found out that their kids feel the same. Move over, Madonna!