Ryan Heshka's ABC Spookshow by Ryan Heshka

Product Details

Synopsis

From Apparitions to Zombies, Ryan Heshka's ABC Spookshow brings together weird words and creepy characters to create one devilishly entertaining alphabet book. A Witch stirs her caldron, casting evil spells, while a pig moans in pain from too much Yucky candy. A Quagmire monster rises from the dead while an Unlucky black cat lies squashed and still, the last of its nine lives gone. With eerie, pop-art illustrations reminiscent of old comics and monster movies, this book is a must-have for readers young and old who relish the uncanny and macabre.

Children's Literature

While this book is small in size, which might make one think that it is for young children, that really is not the case. Yes, it is an ABC book, but the choices are in most cases too sophisticated and require plenty of movie knowledge and background to understand the references. I doubt that there are many four-year-olds who would know what the words apparition, phantom, or quagmire would mean. By the same token, the references to Karloff and Lugosi will not resonate. They might not even be relatable to the current generation of parents. Some of the images and choices are obvious—jack o'lantern, trick or treat, and witch, but the images are rather spooky and would probably not appeal to young readers. It is hard to say who the target audience is and who would want the book. This book might work as an ABC of spooks for adults, but it definitely would not pass as an ABC book for young children, so this one may languish somewhere on the shelves while is waits for its audience. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot