Petal and Poppy and the Spooky Halloween!

July 28, 2014
Friends Petal the elephant and Poppy the rhino return in their third leveled reader, which begins with Poppy donning a monster costume to “spook” Petal. “It’s only a costume,” Poppy tells self-proclaimed “scaredy-cat” Petal, who responds with a “GAA!” After heading out on a tandem bicycle to a costume party, the two get a flat tire, resulting in an unplanned stop at a “spooky house,” where the tables turn and Poppy gets a scare. Meanwhile, Petal is shrugging off her scaredy tendencies by making friends with a real—and helpful—ghost. Sequential panels and a good amount of physical comedy move the story forward, and Briant’s subdued palette befits the unfolding nighttime shenanigans. For her part, Clough is able to inject the story with light doses of humor and suspense, even within the vocabulary limitations typical of the format. Ages 6–8.

August 1, 2014

K-Gr 3-This beginning reader highlights the fun and fright of Halloween. Poppy, initially disguised as a devil, scares Petal until Petal realizes that she can make sparkling fairy wings as a fun alternative to the frightening costumes readily available. When they set out for the party, a flat tire on their bicycle leaves them abandoned outside of an eerie house, and Petal fixes it with the help of a little ghost. Poppy's earlier statement offers a dose of encouragement to Petal as the pair address their spooky surroundings: "Don't be a scaredy-cat. It is only a costume." When a gang of unusual creatures greets Poppy and Petal at the Halloween party, the friends realize their fear is all in good fun. Angular, digital animal cartoon characters keep the tone upbeat, while large panels emphasize each detailed scene with cheerful colors. A howling good addition that celebrates a favorite holiday.-Meg Smith, Cumberland County Public Library, Fayetteville, NC

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