A knock on the door wakes and startles a spider, a ghost, a skeleton, and other inhabitants of a haunted house. The spooked spooks get their final fright when they open the door to a trick-or-treater. Kids will relish the surprise ending, the textured cartoon illustrations, and the rebus pictures incorporated into the cumulative verse. From HORN BOOK Spring 1999, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

PreS-Gr 3-A knock on the door of a haunted house creates an uproar among its inhabitants, including a spider, bats, a ghost, a cat, and a mummy. Finally, a monster stomps down the hall to confront the visitor, only to find a small version of himself. When the trick-or-treater removes his mask, the creatures are so terrified that they flee. Following the cumulative structure of "This Is the House That Jack Built," the text incorporates rebuses for key words. Judy Sierra's The House That Drac Built (Harcourt, 1995) has the same underlying rhythmic structure and also ends with the arrival of trick-or-treaters. Will Hillenbrand's illustrations in that book set a spooky mood that might send shivers down young spines. Arnold's goggle-eyed characters are more amusing than frightening, and are clearly aimed at a younger audience. Consider Capucilli's title if the demand for Halloween books exceeds the supply.-Kathy Piehl, Mankato State University, MN (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.