Skeleton for Dinner

July 22, 2013
Bathed in a spooky graveyard glow, Big Witch and Little Witch brew a stew and prepare a list of the guests to invite for dinner. What follows is a kind of Halloween version of Chicken Little, as timid Skeleton misunderstands, believing he’s an ingredient, not a guest. He dashes off to warn two friends—Ghost, a wispy girl, and Ghoul, who resembles Quasimodo. It’s a familiar joke, but Terry’s illustrations give the cast of characters distinctive looks and personalities (they almost resemble rubbery toys). Despite the threat of death by cauldron, neither contributor lets things get too frightening as the story works its way to a happy ending for all. Ages 3–5. Author’s agent: Tracey Adams, Adams Literary.

December 1, 2013

K-Gr 2-"We must have Skeleton for dinner," says Big Witch to Little Witch as they brew a stew. But what does that mean? While the witches want their friends Skeleton, Ghoul, and Ghost to eat a meal, Skeleton assumes they will be the meal. His subsequent flight, the witches' disappointment, and a linguistic intervention by Crow all lead up to a delicious ending. The lightweight premise and thin plot are occasionally enhanced by lively and lilting language, as in the stew recipe: "shark fins and snake skins, spider silk and centaur's milk, catfish whiskers and banshee blisters." Terry's intensely colored cartoons are childlike and not the least bit scary, even though they effectively convey a Halloween mood. The final scene feels more like a cookout than a spooky gathering. Skeleton for Dinner will be an apt selection during discussions of ghoulish Halloween dining as well as the quirks of the English language.-Susan Weitz, formerly at Spencer-Van Etten School District, Spencer, NY

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2013
Mother and daughter witch want to have skeleton for dinner. Is he on the menu or intended to be a guest? Big Witch and Little Witch are proud of their yummy stew full of delightfully disgusting ingredients, such as "shark fins and snake skins, spider silk and centaur's milk, catfish whiskers and banshee blisters." Little Witch makes a list of the friends she wants to invite for dinner. She writes "Dinner" at the top, with Ghost, Ghoul and Skeleton below it and tacks it to a tree. When Skeleton reads it, he flies into a panic. Veteran Cuyler keeps the text flowing and sets a just-right pace for reading aloud. Poor Skeleton "rat-a-bat-tat[s] down the hill... / and jingle-jangle[s]" off to warn first Ghost and then Ghoul about what he fears the witches are planning. Terry chooses deep blue-greens and dark craggy trees to create the nightscape. Skeleton's cool white and Ghost's translucent wash of white make them glow on the page, whereas the warmer tones used for Ghoul and the bright green of Little Witch provide refreshing contrast. When Little Witch fails to find her friends to tell them about the dinner party, her despair sends Crow flying to the rescue. A poison-ivy bouquet, full bowls of stew and happy friends bring the story to a satisfying close. Make sure to tuck in to this delicious tale. (Picture book. 3-6)

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October 1, 2013
Preschool-G Skeleton misunderstands when he overhears Big Witch tell Little Witch, We must have Skeleton for dinner! Convinced he's on the menu, he runs away, and he warns Ghost and Ghoul that they, too, are in danger. How will Little Witch find them and invite them to enjoy dinner? Cuyler's brief text is lively and filled with sound effects, while Terry's dark, Halloween-themed art is balanced by bright colors and decidedly unspooky characters to reassure young readers and listeners. Youngsters will know that Big Witch and Little Witch just want to invite their friends over for dinner, and they will enjoy seeing Skeleton and the others getting scared because of a mistake. This book is made for reading aloud and will be a great addition to a library's Halloween collection, but it's also a fun title that children will enjoy at any time of the year.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)