The Story of Halloween

Author Bio
Carol Greene also wrote Baby Jesus, Prince of Peace and a biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. Ms. Greene lives in St. Louis, MO.

Illustrator BioLeonard Jenkins is a talented new illustrator whose first book, If I Only Had a Horn by Roxanne Orgil, garnered consistent critical acclaim. Mr. Jenkins lives in New York City.

Gr. 3-5. In this picture book for older children, the origins of Halloween get a straightforward, attractively designed treatment. Greene begins 2,000 years ago with the Celts, who ended their year on October 31 as their druid priests lit bonfires to protect the people from creatures such as ghosts and elves. She then follows the holiday as it evolved through a Roman harvest ceremony, the Catholic All Saints' Day, and pieces of English, French, and Irish holy days. When the Irish emigrated to the U.S., they brought the holiday with them, including accoutrements such as jack-o'-lanterns. Toward the end, as Greene talks about pranksters doing real damage with tricks, her writing becomes a little fuzzy: "And it was no longer safe for young children to go trick-or-treating." That blanket statement segues into the way communities have dealt with the safety issue, though the book never acknowledges that in some places children continue to trick-or-treat. Bronson's seasonally colored artwork, accented with purples, uses exaggerated shapes and perspectives for a fresh, modern look. Riddles and projects round out the fun. Ilene Cooper
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