Trick or Treat, Crankenstein

PreS-Gr 3–It’s Halloween, Crankenstein’s favorite day of the year! But everything goes wrong. He gets a toothache, his brother laughs at his costume, it rains (and his costume isn’t waterproof), he gets lost in a corn maze, his pumpkin carving goes awry, someone else has the same costume as him (but better, of course), and, worst of all, he ends up trick-or-treating at the house that hands out toothbrushes! Poor Crankenstein. Just as he seems most defeated, the doorbell rings. It is someone dressed up as—him! As he finally laughs, he transforms into a human boy. As more friends dressed as Crankenstein show up and they have a party, Crankenstein realizes that the day isn’t so bad after all. Santat’s bright, bold illustrations add luxurious detail to the story and bring the characters to life. Berger’s tale is humorous and complex, and Crankenstein’s human identity is masterfully cloaked until the moment of his transformation. The silly candy on the end papers are also sure to delight.