5 More Sleeps 'til Halloween

July 1, 2024
Talk show host Fallon and illustrator Deas follow up 5 More Sleeps 'Til Christmas (2020) with a story of a youngster preparing for Halloween. "It's FIVE more sleeps 'til Halloween, / that spooky time of year / where all the ghosts are wide awake / as nighttime's drawing near." A calendar page with a large numeral 5 curls before a bright orange pumpkin. An orange-haired, light-skinned moppet wearing an enormous pair of blue glasses is hunkered down in bed with Gary the dog, whose vibrant blue coloring matches the bedspread. Occasionally accompanied by a sibling, the young narrator counts down day by day, describing seasonal activities: picking out a costume, navigating a corn maze, watching scary movies, taking part in a parade, going on a hayride, and trick-or-treating. The rhyming verses are sometimes a bit rocky but always fun. The text is periodically punctuated by the word boo, which appears in large, cartoonlike lettering; that, along with the calendar countdown motif, adds a pleasant repetition. Though the child confides feelings of trepidation ("What if bats fly in my room? / I think I'll close my window now"), descriptions of scary moments are always offset by brightly colored, exuberant artwork. Humor abounds: Gary looks both hilarious and sweet dressed in a ghost costume that matches the narrator's. The final page neatly closes the circle as the child goes from anticipating the holiday to participating in it and back again. Lighthearted and un-scary enough for bedtime. (Picture book. 3-6)

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June 28, 2024

K-Gr 3-The nervously excitable young boy from Fallon's 5 More Sleeps 'til Christmas is back with his dog, Gary, and his sister as they all await Halloween. The boy's love for the holiday causes a countdown to the famed day and the final decision on his best costume choice. With so many choices and only one night of trick-or-treating, what's a kid to do? The waiting is almost too much, as expressed through Fallon's carefully chosen words, which sound like a poem, and the engaging, colorful illustrations of Deas. It's a partnership with great results. VERDICT This rich, fun book is an excellent holiday title for young children.-Laura Ellis

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