From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Jesse Bear and family are preparing for Halloween. After a trip to Panda Pete's Pumpkin Patch, father and son make a jack-o'-lantern. As Mama Bear approaches, they light it, turn out the lights, and moan to frighten her. She exclaims, "What a scare, Jesse Bear!" Then it's time for costumes. When Jesse Bear dons a mask and looks in the mirror, he frightens himself. His parents say, "What a scare, Jesse Bear!" Back at home after a night of trick-or-treating, the little bear puts on his mask and yells "Booooooooo," to a final chorus of "What a scare, Jesse Bear!" The brief rhyming story is excellent preparation for young children who may be trick-or-treating for the first time. The brightly colored pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations are filled with happy faces, showing that Halloween is a time for fun, not frights. The story and pictures fit together perfectly. A worthy choice for circulating and for Halloween storyhours.
Anne Parker, Milton Public Library, MA Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Carlstrom and Degen team up again for the eighth book in their popular Jesse Bear series. This time Jesse embarks on a Halloween adventure that proves both exciting and a bit scary. The lively rhyming verse and animated watercolor illustrations do a wonderful job of revealing Jesse's mixed emotions as he experiences all the traditional Halloween festivities. He's all smiles at the pumpkin farm, but he's scared when he sees himself in his monster bear mask. His fears surface again when he sees his friends in their costumes: "Who are all these creatures? No one looks the same. They screech and scream and yell out, `Boo!' How do they know my name?" But Mom and Dad are there for reassurance, and once back home, Jesse is even feeling confident enough to give Grandma and Grandpa a scare. Another fun-filled episode in a delightful series.
Lauren Peterson
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.