Scary Scenes for Halloween [Paperback]

Jill Williams Grover (Author)

Book Description

Using a variety of techniques and materials, children are invited to make 75 Halloween decorations that include illuminated witch hats, painted broomsticks, black pumpkin lanterns and simple, edible but scary foods.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Interior designer Jill Williams Grover remembers that as a young girl, she chose her trick-or-treat visits not for what candy she'd receive but because of the front porch decorations. Obviously her fascination with Halloween continued into adulthood, and her marvelously inventive guide shows you how to turn your own home into a coveted trick-or-treating stop or the perfect place for a Halloween party. "Scary Nibbles" offers spooky snacks, like Ghost Sticks (white-chocolate-covered pretzel sticks) or Hand Full of Candy (a latex glove fitted with pointy black fingernails and filled with jawbreakers). "Enter at Your Own Risk" lets you startle your arriving visitors with blood-red footprints marching up the Poppin' Walkway (the secret is bubble wrap) and provides ideas for eerie decor, such as a witch hat luminary, masked and jeweled pumpkins, skeleton topiary, and of course, the Invisible Man. "Frightful Feast" sets forth a tablescape of ghoulish goodies, from spiderweb invitations, spider tablecloth, and bat napkins to dripping candles and Dracula's Bow Tie Pasta. "Goblin Gathering" rounds out the spooky selections with a Cyclops Mug, Frankenstein Cone Cake, and relevant place cards, place mats, and other tableware. Complete directions are given for all the projects, and there are recipes for the edibles (enough for a full-fledged Halloween dinner party). The great color photos make clear that these scary scenes are both fun and sophisticated--though kids will adore them, they'll also delight the grownups brave enough to venture into your house. --Amy Handy

From Library Journal

Grade 5 Up-Knowledgeable craft makers will enjoy this collection of decorations and food ideas. The good news: the projects are not difficult and require commonly available materials. Engaging color photographs and eerie watercolor paintings clearly show the finished objects in appropriately atmospheric settings. Although they are relatively simple, the completed decorations are fun or spooky, and clever. Line drawings and diagrams help illustrate the procedures. The bad news: occasionally the instructions are incomplete or require previous knowledge. For example, there are frequent references to "using a transfer tool," but there is no explanation of what it is or how to use it. In several cases, a reduced-sized pattern is included, but the instructions do not explain that it should be enlarged. Resourceful, experienced handicraft makers will have no trouble figuring out how to get around these flaws, but some children may be stymied. Instructions to use matches and hot glue guns also suggest that this title is best suited for adults.
Darcy Schild, Schwegler Elementary School, Lawrence, KS
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Sterling Pub Co Inc (March 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0806948426
• ISBN-13: 978-0806948423
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,867,458 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Halloween Front Porch decorating book of the century!, June 30, 2001

By 

Erin Rippy (Nashville, TN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Scary Scenes for Halloween (Paperback)

This book will not help you create a Haunted House that people will pay 10 bucks or more to get into so they can wet their pants from fright. But it will help you create the most amazing Trick-Or-Treat front porch for miles, as well as a festive interior of your house for your anual Halloween Party.

If that's what you want, BUY THIS BOOK NOW.

I throw a Haunted Costume Party every year, and I was overwhelmed by the wealth of ideas in this book. Halloween is still almost 4 months away and I'm already anxiously plotting for the big event. I was captivated from page one with the amazing and inspiring photographs. Creepy witches hats, brooms, and shoes on your front porch, masked illuminating pumpkins, bats and spiders, an old wooden chair with the Invisible man, and a lighted skeleton head made from a milk carton.......genius creativity at it's best here.

There were awesome ideas on how to set your table for a spooky feast starting with the invitations, place settings and name cards, decorated and dripping candles, bat folded napkins, and a feeew ideas of what to eat...Frankenstein Cake Cones, Dracula Bow Tie Pasta and Sauce, Creamy Chicken Baked in a Pumpkin, and Candy Corn Chowder..don't worry, it has no candy in it. (she had good ideas here, but I always serve black bean soup in a big cauldron...I'll be happy to give you the recipe, it's a big hit).

Great ideas for a younger crowd of party-goers too. Everything was made with readily available materials and easy to follow instructions and pictures. Buy lots of black spray paint, it can turn anything into a useful Halloween prop.

A very impressive home Halloween decorating book, I'll be referring to it for years to come.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Halloween must have!!, August 1, 2001

By 

"ceberly" (NJ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Scary Scenes for Halloween (Paperback)

I'm a die hard Halloween nut and I love crafts. This book is so clear and easy to follow with big clear pictures. This book will make you LOVE Halloween. Grover gives all different ideas for every aspect of spooking you home. The matrials aren't expensive, most you probably have in your own home. With the ideas that she gives, you find yourself saying "Oh, and I can do this and do that..." and you end up going above and beyond. It really inspires the Halloween haunter in you.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ghoulrific new Halloween decorating book available!, September 14, 1999

By 

Rochelle Santopoalo, publisher/editor Happy H... (Evanston, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Scary Scenes for Halloween (Paperback)

This ghoulrific new Halloween decorating book is a must have for any Halloweenite! It's filled with creative new ideas with easy to follow directions that don't require an entire craft store to complete. Photos, especially of "Frightful Feast" & "Goblin Gathering," are inspiring! Rochelle Santopoalo, publisher/editor, Happy Halloween Magazine