The Halloween House [Hardcover]

Erica Silverman (Author), Jon Agee (Illustrator)

Book Description

Grade Level: P and up

"In a hilarious spoof of the counting classic Over in the Meadow, Silverman deposits two escaped convicts in a haunted house, and then lets the inhabitants scare the escapees back to prison. Cheerfully rendered ghoulies accompany each delightfully understated rhyme...A hit if read aloud or read alone, no matter what the time of year."-Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

If you were an escaped convict, where would you choose to hide from the law? Be warned, The Halloween House is not a good choice. This delightful, rhyming counting book gleefully guides children from one nocturnal creature family to another, starting with a litter of ten werewolves. "In the Halloween house,/in a dark, dingy den .../a papa werewolf crouched/with his little ones, ten./'Howl,' said the papa./'We howl,' said the ten./So they howled through the night/in the dark, dingy den."

This eerily mesmerizing rhyme scheme repeats throughout the book as nine vampires rise, eight worms squirm, seven bats swoop, six ghosts boo, five monsters chase, four skeletons dance, three spiders swing, two cats pounce, and one witch flies. As the book ends, all the creatures vanish--except, of course, for the two escaped convicts, who end up finding a much safer hiding place.

Jon Agee, illustrator of Dmitri the Astronaut, delights young readers again with his artfully cartoonish paintings; this time his paintings show the dilapidated, spooky, but oddly festive Halloween house and its lively inhabitants. With a rhyme scheme that remotely echoes Madeline, a counting pattern that mirrors "Ten Little Indians," and a song-like structure reminiscent of The Twelve Days of Christmas, The Halloween House may become a classic in its own right. (Great read-aloud and picture book for ages 3 and older)

From Publishers Weekly

In a riff on the counting song "Over in the Meadow," two jailbirds are spooked by bats, witches and other ghoulish characters in a haunted mansion. "A playful rhyming book," said PW. Ages 3-up. (Sept.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR); 1st edition (August 30, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374332703
• ISBN-13: 978-0374332709
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 7.7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,032,920 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Love it!, October 27, 2010

By 

WDWDeb - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Halloween House (Paperback)

I picked up this book at our library, not knowing anything about it. I started reading it to my son, and realized it is in the same format as one of our other favorite books "Way Out In The Desert" by T.J. Marsh. The only difference is we can't seem to "find" the numbers hidden on the pages. But, its still fun to read. I always make the babies responses in a higher voice. My son loves it!!!

5.0 out of 5 stars My Favorite, September 10, 2010

By 

JMC_sweet - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Halloween House (Paperback)

I looooooovvvvveeee this book. The teacher I work with reads this book every year, and at the children's request it is read about every day in the month of October, they even love it after Halloween is over. She also has a cassette that goes along with the book, but because it's so old and used so any times, it is starting to sound terrible. I can't find it anywhere, I wanted it for my own children' book collection. Please come out with a CD to this book. It's amazing and the children really love it.

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun counting rhymes with a friendly view of spooks., November 19, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Longmont, Colorado. USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Halloween House (Hardcover)

My four year old was apprehensive at first glance at a "Halloween" book, but quickly took to the amusing counting rhymes and friendly family pictures. Each number rhyme is based on a parent and the teaching of their children. The drawings are amusing and offer plenty to challenge small curiosities. My daughter and I especially enjoy reading the parent and child roles in character. I just love it when she says "We Hoooowl". A seasonal favorite at our house!