Review by Booklist Review
An intense orange cover suggests a Halloween surprise, as a smiling black kitty, limned in a shiny black patent leather-like surface, perches on the head of a distinctly disgruntled white ghost. The timorous ghost encourages the reader to go into the scary dark woods without him. Triangle-shaped trees surround a mysterious hole, but surprise! What comes out is just a smiling bunny accompanied by flowers. Not so scary after all. The emoji-like bunny hops along, joined by some jolly animal companions carrying a Spooky Party invitation. The cat and ghost want to go to the party but are frightened by the party goers' Halloween costumes until the masks come off. The illustrations are distinctive Shea simple graphics popping explosively with vivid colors and filled with unique, blocky cartoon characters happily enjoying themselves against full-color backgrounds. A companion piece to Shea's The Happiest Book Ever (2016), it's fun, not scary, and a comfortable Halloween story about what is really in the dark, scary woods. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Shea's always a best-seller, and a companion to an already popular book is sure to be snapped up immediately.--Gepson, Lolly Copyright 2017 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Shea's ghost narrator talks a good game about being brave, but readers will see right through him-especially after he spills orange juice on himself and spends the rest of the book "naked." (In a marvelous design touch, spot gloss is used to make the ghost barely visible.) The ghost sends readers to check out the "scary dark woods" outside, which turn out to be home to a chipper rabbit who organizes a costume party. After finally venturing outdoors, the ghost gets the fright of his afterlife when he sees the partygoers in costume. "Why didn't you warn me?" he scolds readers. "Are you trying to scare me more to death?" Playing a candy colored palette against stark blacks and whites, Shea's chic, retro graphics gleefully balance fright and fun: even amid pumpkin picking, costume making, and craft projects, the forest's trees look as sharp as knives. Ages 6-8. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (July) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-Silliness abounds in Shea's latest work. The narrator, a small ghost, doesn't want readers to go into the scary woods, because it is full of frightening things. He'd rather stay home and wash his sheet and eat doughnuts. He's skeptical when he hears about a cute bunny, cupcakes, and Halloween party but agrees to go into the woods to save readers from the super scary monsters. When he goes into the woods he is frightened away by the monsters, but then learns that it is just the animals in costume. He enjoys the joke, the party, and the cupcakes. The book is full of funny artwork with bright colors and comic characters. Children will get a laugh at the ghost's belly full of doughnuts. The realization that the ghost is essentially naked after taking off his sheet to wash will also amuse young readers. VERDICT A hilarious book that will keep the giggles coming, this will be a hit for Halloween read-alouds.-V. Lynn Christiansen, Wiley International Studies -Magnet Elementary School, Raleigh, NC © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Shea's ghost is too scared to leave the house and venture into the scary forest. But readers can go see what it's like and come back and tell it all about it. The fourth wall is so broken it doesn't even exist in this tale. On the first text page, the ghost points out the scary woods a few pages back and then says, "Hope I don't spill this orange juice on my nice white / Whoops!" The ghost is "naked" for the rest of the book, perhaps purposefully, but no matter. It stays home to clean the toilet and eat too many doughnuts while trying to convince readers to keep it company. But every other double-page spread reveals what they see when they venture out to see what the forest creatures are up to. The dark, scary hole disgorges a rabbit who delivers party invitations to a bird, an alligator, a beaver, a bear, and a sentient stump (the pumpkins also have legs and faces). They gather to do some crafts, eat some cupcakes, and pick pumpkins before scaring the ghost, who has finally been convinced by readers that it's safe to venture out. Shea's Warhol-esque illustrations in orange, blue, yellow, and pink pop off the pages, and his characters appear inspired by Japanese cartoons. A delight for kids who have graduated from Herv Tullet's work and such classics as There's a Monster at the End of This Book. (Picture book. 5-9) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
