The Best Halloween Ever

August 9, 2004
Fans of Robinson's previous tales about the Herdman family (The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
; The Best School Year Ever
) may be disappointed in this latest installment—mostly because the six hellions are absent for the majority of the novel. Of course, this is the point: the mayor, the principal and the parents of the students at Woodrow Wilson School unite in a citywide effort for a "Herdman-free Halloween." The mayor banishes candy from the stores and trick-or-treating on the streets, in favor of a school bash on October 31 that, in narrator Beth Bradley's words, more resembles "Back-to-School Night." The six siblings that wreaked havoc on the town and its citizens in books past also supplied the narratives' main source of energy and humor, and without them, Beth, her brother, Charlie, and their classmates seem to be simply waiting for the other shoe to drop. As they (and readers) anticipate the events of the final chapters to see what the Herdmans have in store, the book reads like one big build-up, and the holiday itself is, unfortunately, an anticlimax. Ages 8-up.

September 13, 2004
With a tone of humorous sarcasm and exasperation and delivered in her inimitable gravelly voice, Stritch reads Robinson's latest adventures of the six Herdman kids who have wreaked havoc in such previous novels as The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
. Taking on the role of Beth, who serves as narrator for the proceedings, Stritch delivers her lines as a wry observer. But the trouble for fans of the Herdmans' brand of mischief is that the Herdmans are not up to their usual tricks and treat-stealing ways in this story; they hardly make an appearance. The principal of the school wants to avoid Herdman hullabaloo on Halloween, so he convinces the mayor to cancel the holiday celebration and even do away with candy in local stores in favor of a school costume party on the big night. Imogene Herdman gets wind of this Herdman-free–Halloween plan, and luckily for her classmates, the school event ends up getting a bit of the Herdman treatment after all. Stritch fans will find much to enjoy here, however, Robinson devotees will long for more of the chaos to which they've become accustomed. Ages 8-up.

August 1, 2004
Gr 3-5-The Herdmans are back and still causing havoc. This large family of ruffians has terrorized the community in the past by turning on the sprinklers and nearly drowning all the turkeys, spray painting kids, stealing cakes, and making kids buy back their own candy. This time, in an effort to avoid the inevitable Herdman-induced chaos of the Halloween activities, Principal Crabtree proposes that the celebration be held at the school, under the watchful eyes of parents and teachers. The kids are bummed because it will be a trick-or-treatless night, and they would rather face the Herdmans on the street than miss the candy. However, the Herdmans manage to turn the event into a disaster for the adults, and the best Halloween ever for the children. The writing is fast paced and funny, and the plot takes some unexpected if not entirely believable twists; for example, a trap door in the teachers' lounge leads to a boiler room filled with holiday candy stolen and stashed by the Herdmans over the years. This book will have a wide readership, particularly with fans of Robinson's The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (1972) and The Best School Year Ever (1994, both HarperCollins).-Lee Bock, Glenbrook Elementary School, Pulaski, WI

Copyright 2004 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2004
Gr. 3-6. Except for Imogene, the Herdmans have stayed out of sight, and that's been worrying Beth Bradley and the other kids at Woodrow Wilson Elementary School. It's also worried the mayor, who has canceled trick-or-treating and suspended all candy sales because of previous Herdman Halloween mayhem. The kids aren't looking forward to the alternative celebration--a tame, school-sponsored party, "with a lot of fake witches and spooky music on the PA, and little kid games." But could the Herdmans be planning to sabotage the event? With all the kids in one place, the possibilities are terrifying! Robinson's suspenseful romp will delight fans of previous books featuring the Herdman kids: the buildup to the mischievous collaboration is deliciously tense, the actual pranks are satisfyingly scary, and readers will agree that the Herdmans' interference results in the best Halloween ever.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2004, American Library Association.)