Common Sense Media Review
By Regan McMahon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Spooky update of classic nursery rhyme fun for Halloween.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
A \"big mommy monster\" sends her \"little monster one\" into the dark forest to do what he does best: \" 'Scare!' said the mommy;/ 'I scare,' said the one./ So he scared and he scampered/Where the trees hide the sun.\" Each double-page spread shows Halloweenish characters, and the clever counting scheme builds to the \"little goblins ten\" of the title -- \"ghosties two,\" \"zombies three,\" \"(were) wolves four,\" \"mummies five,\" etc. It ends with Mommy bringing treats to put in the little monster's trick-or-treat bag.
Is It Any Good?
The rhymes are infectious and use creative verbs for the action of each creature. "We stare," say the zombies as their big green googly eyes pop out of their weird purple faces. The fun and silly watercolor illustrations are wonderful. Even creepy creatures like the "little skellies eight" and the "little batties nine" have friendly faces.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what their favorite Halloween characters are, and which are scariest. Would you be scared if you ran across these creatures in a dark forest? What is it about the art that makes them not too scary?
This story is told in a repetitive rhyming structure, like many nursery rhymes. What's fun about reading that kind of a book out loud?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Jane Manning
- Genre : Picture Book
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Harper
- Publication date : July 26, 2011
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 4 - 8
- Number of pages : 32
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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