From the Publisher
Shhhhh! Dad said not to make a peep, so that he could get some sleep. But what if something is wriggling, sniggling, and slithering in the shadows? And did that floorboard just creeeeeak? Each ghoulish possibility seems worse than the last, until—what was that? Oh no, not . . . !
Richard Michelson’s zinging rhymes and Adam McCauley’s moonlit illustrations will transport readers beyond the bedroom walls to a magical nighttime world where imagination rules.
Publishers Weekly
In Michelson's (Happy Feet) prime example of the powers of suggestion, a boy consoles his timid sister before bed: "It's only wind./ Ignore that sound./ You're safe./ There are no ghosts around." She protests ("Oh no, not ghosts!"), so he gamely puts on a werewolf mask to chase the ghouls away. "Oh no, not werewolves!" she squeaks, as her imagination summons slavering wolves, a cackling shadow-witch and a skeleton in the closet. McCauley (Mom and Dad Are Palindromes) tweaks the intensity with sharp-edged, high-contrast linocuts. In his endpapers, a leafy blue-on-blue wallpaper pattern resolves into bats and faces, the perfect way to open and close this feverish, funny tale. Readers wishing to counter the scaredy-cat-girl clich should try Jarrett J. Krosoczka's Annie Was Warned, or McGhee and Bliss's A Very Brave Witch (reviewed below). Ages 3-7. (Sept.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
Children's Literature
A brother and sister are tucked in for the night when the wind begins blowing with an eerie howl. The brother assures his sister that it is not a ghost. But in case it is, he will act like a werewolf and scare it away. The sister then becomes frightened of werewolves. The brother continues with assurances that giants would scare the werewolves. Then demons would frighten the werewolves, followed by witches, and then skeletons. The girl gets more and more frightened as the boy becomes more and more carried away with his imaginary creatures, which are depicted in large shadowy illustrations. All of the screaming and rushing about does bring a real threat--from the adjoining bedroom. Dad! And he is mad. Large, active illustrations cover the pages as the mischievous brother invents ever more scary illusions for his impressionable sister. A fun read aloud, but perhaps a bit too scary as a bedtime story for preschoolers.
School Library Journal
Gr 1-3-Two siblings are supposed to be settling down to sleep, but their imaginations run wild. Big brother increases his sister's mounting anxiety with dodgy reassurances such as, "It's okay that you're small and weak/Be smart! Just make a high-pitched Shrieeek/I've seen a teeny demon frighten/the biggest, meanest, greenest titan." She replies: "Demons? Oh no, not demons!" In rhyming verse, he slyly details how he would scare away such intruders as goblins, giants, and skeletons. His teasing has little sis cowering behind the covers until their fuming dad appears. McCauley's mixed-media illustrations feature dark, atmospheric backgrounds. Pointy-toothed werewolves cast eerie shadows on the bedroom wall, and a giant's foot has nightmarish proportions. This slightly spooky title offers lots of bewitching fun.-Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
It's a dark and creepy night, and a boy and girl are supposed to sleeping. Their father is already asleep, and they are not to wake him! When the wind howls, the girl grows alarmed, and her brother calms her down-sort of. He tells her it's the wind, not a ghost, which naturally brings to mind ghosts. ("Ghosts? Oh no, not ghosts!") The girl shouldn't worry about ghosts, though, because her brother says he would dress up like a werewolf to frighten the ghosts away. ("Werewolves? Oh no, not werewolves!") And he'd bellow like a giant. A Giant? Well, giants can be frightened by demons, of course. Demons? They can be turned to cats by witches. No worries, though, because witches skedaddle when they see skeletons. When the girl is older, she'll realize that there's nothing to be afraid of, her brother explains. Except-uh oh-who's that at the top of the stairs? Repetitive text makes this a strong read-aloud, and the dark pictures have just the right amount of spookiness. A straightforward, humorous tale, perfect for Halloween. (Picture book. 4-6)
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