And Then Comes Halloween [Hardcover]

Tom Brenner (Author), Holly Meade (Illustrator)

Book Description

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

When nighttime creeps closer to suppertime, And red and gold seep into green leaves...Then it’s time to decide what to be.

As soon as geese fly south, children take autumn's cue to start their preparations: it’s almost Halloween! With poetic language and vivid collage illustrations, Tom Brenner and Holly Meade follow all the familiar rituals, from hanging paper skeletons to carving pumpkins, from costume-making to trick-or-treating. Halloween lovers will be eager to grab a bag or bucket and join them on this lively and lyrical journey.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2—When autumn arrives, a group of suburban children and their parents rake leaves, carve pumpkins, decorate yards and porches, and make Halloween costumes. The big day comes at last, and the children go trick-or-treating. As the story closes, they share their treats with friends and then start planning next year's costumes as they get ready for bed. A special visual treat throughout the story is the children's pet black cat that appears on each spread. The author effectively uses a repeating pattern of alternating pages with "When…" and "Then…" to move the minimal plot along. The descriptions beautifully evoke the feeling of fall—from the V of geese squawking their way south to the dried corn husks that sound like grasshoppers. The watercolor and collage art contributes to the autumnal mood, and the varied perspectives and page design make the story more dynamic. The text and illustrations are a perfect complement to one another, emphasizing creative homemade decorations and costumes and minimal adult intervention. A fun read-aloud to get in the spirit of Halloween.—Marilyn Ackerman, Brooklyn Public Library, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Tom Brenner says of his inspiration for AND THEN COMES HALLOWEEN, his first book for children, "I watched October dress up for one last colorful romp before winter and felt the wild energy that sends kids out wearing capes or weird hats to rule the street for a night." He lives on Vashon Island, Washington.

Holly Meade has illustrated many picture books, including David Elliott’s ON THE FARM as well as the Caldecott Honor-winning HUSH! A THAI LULLABY and its follow-up, PEEK! A THAI HIDE-AND-SEEK, both by Minfong Ho. She lives in Sedgwick, Maine.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (July 28, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763636592
• ISBN-13: 978-0763636593
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 0.4 x 9.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #843,894 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Happy to read again and again, September 14, 2009

By 

Sharon L. Morris - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: And Then Comes Halloween (Hardcover)

"When nighttime creeps closer to suppertime, and red and gold seep into green leaves, and blackberries shrivel on the vine......" is how this book begins. With language like that you won't groan when asked to read it over and over. And even two-year-olds never tire of finding the cat hidden on every page. Author Tom Brenner and illustrator Holly Meade have woven words and images into a Halloween story that will surely become a classic.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Whimsical Book that Captures the Joy of Halloween, August 25, 2009

By 

jennifer - See all my reviews

This review is from: And Then Comes Halloween (Hardcover)

This is a beautiful, whimsical book that captures the joy of halloween for both the children and the adults reading the book! It follows a little boy as he dreams up what he wants to be for Halloween, makes his costume and then, goes out trick or treating. It captures the essence of what's so appealing about Halloween to young children, not the candy, but the imagination and fun of dressing up as anything you want to be--from a pirate to a pilot. After Christmas, Halloween is my children's favorite holiday! I'm always on the lookout for beautifully-told books that introduce preschoolers (ages 2 through 5) to the holidays and rituals that we celebrate. I'll be reading this book to my preschooler in the weeks leading up to Halloween!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Halloween the way it should be, August 14, 2009

By 

E. Coulter (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: And Then Comes Halloween (Hardcover)

This book combines beautiful words with beautiful pictures. It captures the feel of Halloween Days gone by with the anticipation of Halloweens Future. It is poetic and dreamy. I can't wait to read it to my children when autumn comes and Halloween is just around the corner! This is a great book for grandchildren as well!