Ollie's Halloween

August 16, 2010
Simple, declarative phrases describe Ollie and his fellow goslings' Halloween activities on the farm. The sky darkens, filling with twirling leaves, as the goslings creep and poke around, "hooting like owls. Howling like wolves." As with the previous titles starring this gosling crew, Dunrea's ink and watercolor images beget an understandable and cozy world, this time with just a hint of spookiness and autumnal gloom. A foldout poster is included. Ages 3–7.

Starred review from December 1, 2010

PreS-Gr 1-Ollie and his siblings are back for some Halloween fun. Outfitted in adorable costumes-wizard, chicken, dragon, bunny, and mummy-they traipse around the farm looking for adventure and candy. They prowl, hoot, howl, creep, and gobble treats. They race for the barn as a storm blows in and, in the end, remember that Halloween is a perfect night for sharing. This tale follows the style of Dunrea's other gosling books with simple but amusing text at the bottom of every page and clear, entertaining, and detailed illustrations above. The book concludes with a perforated fold-out poster that tears out easily. This low-key story is a great addition to the Gossie and friends books and will work well in storytime.-Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2011
In this Gossie & Friends book, the goslings don costumes for Halloween, dressing as a wizard, chicken, dragon, bunny, and mummy. They ramble about the farm looking for treats, spying on pumpkins, and confronting scary decorations (e.g., a spooky ghost in the barn). As in previous books, the linear story, enhanced by the pen-and-ink and gouache illustrations, is simple and pleasing.

(Copyright 2011 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)