Arthurs Halloween by Marc Brown

Arthurs Halloween Reviews

• 
  Calista

  Another book about facing your fears. It's also about rumors and group think. Of course the children talk about the old Lady in the run down house being a witch and a rumor is spread that one kid went in and never came out. It's interesting to think of how we can get sucked into these rumors that can create fear. I don't know that that ever goes away without learning to work facts.
  
  I kept wondering what animal Arthur is and so I looked him up and Arthur and his family are Aardvarks. I couldn't tell with his nose not being pointy. But cool.
  
  It's a lovely Halloween theme with warm cozy art. This book covers the fact that Halloween can be a little scary. The kids liked this book. My nephew is scared of nothing so he liked that in the end Arthur was brave. We live next to a cemetery and I take the kids often and they wondered why the children thought that was scary. Ours is not scary at all. We also don't go at night either. In my birthday card my nephew asked to go back to the cemetery soon. Anyway, they gave this book 4 stars too.
• 
  C. (Never PM. Comment, or e-mail if private!)

  I sampled “Arthur’s Christmas”, 1984 but disliked it. Arthur’s greedy sister was redeemed too late to alter that book’s shallow feeling. I love Hallowe’en literature and am pleased to enjoy “Arthur’s Hallowe’en”, 1982, to a much more appreciable degree! The concept of not knowing a neighbour, calling an unkempt house haunted, or dubbing someone a witch, is repeated a lot in coming-of-age lore. It is a valuable discussion and there are numerous ways to play it and resolve it. I loved meeting this lady and twelve dear kitties, who are revealed here.
  
  The whole house’s interior was enticingly atmospheric, with thrilling details. I, for one, am sure to favour any depictions of a loving, large family of cats! Readers of holiday themes and spooky vignettes know the drill. A neighbourhood has a house no one you know has visited, an unsettling rumour about the last person who did, or a grim story about a poorly-known resident family. A stray person either dares to approach the legendary place or feels it is necessary. Usually, old rumours are revealed as baseless and the moral is fairness, kindness, and adequate acquaintance. Arthur’s neighbour needed help with raking and general exterior upkeep but the story that unfolds in this adventure paves an original atmosphere that is all its own, shifting quickly to happy, triumphant feelings.
  
  This story establishes how jittery Arthur is: around creepy decorations his Dad puts up, accessories his Mom sews; and being saddled with the devil-costumed D.W. We thus know the feat it is, for Arthur to cross Mrs. Tibble’s threshold in pursuit of D.W. Marc draws adorable kitties escorting Arthur’s brave entrance. Some sneak behind his progress down Mrs. Tibble’s intriguing hall. They all join a cozy kitchen tableau. This whole book is richly-drawn, evocative with compelling, mysterious ambiance details!
• 
  Laura Carby

  Just a funny story about Halloween night. Students do a writing activity about what they do on Halloween night after we read this book!
• 
  Jen

  This was always one of my favorite Arthur books (and one of the only ones I still own), mostly because I love Halloween so much. I still really enjoy the simple illustrations.
• 
  Lynda

  The kids really liked this one.
• 
  Alexis Kydon

  Arthur's Halloween is a good book especially for kids that enjoy the Arthur series. It's Halloween and everyone is getting in the spirit. Arthur's family makes the house look spooky but putting up decorations. The house so so spooky that Arthur was scared by it. He has to take his little sister D.W. trick or treating with him. When Arthur gets to school, he doesn't even recognize anyone except for The Brain. In school, everyone is in the Halloween spirit, however Arthur seems very scared and taken back by it all. They go trick or treating that night and there's a rumor about "the witch's house". Arthur and his sister lost the group they were going to get candy with, but then D.W. goes into the witch's house. Arthur of course has to go get her, so she goes into the house. His friends are taken back by it and they're all in for a surprise. There is a lot of dialogue in the Arthur books.
  The illustrations in the Arthur books are nice to look at. It's cute for kids because the story is about talking animals. It seems silly, but Arthur and his friends are put into realistic situations. It's a great story to read around Halloween. The costumes that Arthur's class and friends wear, the "spooky" setting really sets an exciting tone around Halloween time. I enjoy how the pictures take up the whole spread or whole page. The text isn't in a fun font or anything, but it's just kind of there in an empty place like the sky or a wall. The emotions are portrayed through the illustrations which is nice. The characters talk, but when reading this to a class, it'd be nice to ask a class "how does ___ feel after this?" when reading to a class.
• 
  Penelope (Penelope’s Picks)

  The nostalgia!
• 
  Max

  As we get into the 1980s, Marc Brown is definitely finding his voice with his Arthur creation and the universe he inhabits. I read this book many years ago from the school library in Public School 71 on Forest Avenue in Ridgewood, New York. It was very amusing then and it still holds up now.
  
  Arthur is creeped out by Halloween and is not fond of having to take his sister trick-or-treating. Things go from bad to worse when D.W. (Arthur's little sister) heads into a house that is said to be inhabited by a witch. I won't spoil it for you - but as always, there's a lesson to be learned here.
  
  While Arthur has a more refined look from his first appearance in
  Arthur's Nose about six years earlier, he still bears a more elongated face - quite a contrast from the more cuter appearance of his in the renowned PBS series. But the artwork in here is still impressive and as the 1980s goes on, Marc Brown just keeps getting better and better.
• 
  Anna Davis

  Arthur's Halloween by Marc Brown is a funny book in Arthur series. This book is obviously themed around Halloween. A very scared Arthur just wants this holiday to be over. He doesn’t like the food or the decorations, as they are too frightening for him. He doesn’t even like the costumes. When he has to take his sister out trick or treating he begins to fear. His fears increase when DW disappears into the witches down around the corner! This book would be a nice October read for younger classes. You could do Halloween activities after reading.
• 
  The Story Girl

  This was a cute little Halloween story in which Arthur starts out a little afraid of the little tricks and treats people bring to school for Halloween. But later at night when trick or treating and all of his friends are afraid to enter what they think is a spooky house, he walks in to get DW, and finds that it's very different from what they were expecting.
• 
  JESSICA

  I loved the Arthur books and t.v. series. Holds a special place in my heart (great memories) I read this to my 4 year old son. He enjoyed it. Arthur's Halloween is a very cute book, with a good message; "Do Not Judge According To Outward Appearance!"
• 
  Moe

  It was funny because Arthur was the one that was scared and D.W. was the little one and wanted to go into all of the spooky houses.
• 
  Pauline

  A classic story about not being afraid...just in time for Halloween!
• 
  Katt Hansen

  I think what I loved best about this particular Arthur book is how authentic it felt. We tend to forget how scary Halloween can seem to little kids, especially ones who are a little on the timid side. Not everyone can be a Francine! But when it really counts, and Arthur is worried about his sister, he finds the courage to do what's necessary to keep her safe. That's pretty cool. I like that about Arthur.
• 
  Andrea

  As soon as I opened the book I noticed an issue with the color. It looked like they had all been bleached out. They were almost white and I couldn’t understand why the illustration was like that, especially since the cover was so full of color and was so graphic.
  
  I didn’t remember Arthur being such a scaredy cat. The house looked so spooky that he couldn’t sleep, and there were only paper skeletons and bats up, and a jack-o-lantern, which weren’t scary at all. I was surprised his little sister dressed like the devil. A very inappropriate costume for anyone, especially a little girl. I’m surprised that was put in here, and the author or illustrator didn’t give her a better costume. It was cute though when she said “Boy are you jumpy” to him, because he screamed for help when she came into his room Halloween morning. I didn’t understand the Laurie Logs, and why they weren’t Lincoln logs. Is Laurie a president of theirs or something?
  
  I thought it was weird that they had asparagus and beets pictures in the kitchen, and then there was a jar of ant jelly, which didn’t go together. If they had odd things to eat like ant jelly their whole diet should have been foods like that.
  
  I didn’t remember the kid called the Brain, and he dressed like a baked potato which was odd. Francine, the monkey, gave out bat-wing brownies and vampire blood, and the look on Arthur’s face was funny. His eyes are crossed and his tongue is out and his arm is across his stomach. Kind of funny how scared he was. The kids used peeled grapes as eyeballs, Jell-O as hearts and spaghetti as brains, and Arthur refused to touch them. It was true to form that the kids avoided the houses that gave out apples.
  
  They set up a scary Halloween by having Buster, the rabbit, say that there was a witch’s house and his brother saw someone go in last year that never came out. It was cute that Arthur said his sister was such a pain in the neck after her tail got caught and her treat bag broke. The next thing he knows his sister is going inside the haunted house and he has to go after her. It was cute that all of the other kids were imagining the fate that could befall them. Sue Ellen, a cat I think, says the witch might put them in the oven like Hansel and Gretel, the Brain said she might use them for weird scientific experiments and it shows them strapped down to tables, and Buster says he bet she’ll lock them in a cellar to starve and shows them with balls and chains on.
  
  Arthur thinks there are ghosts all in the house, except we can see it’s just furniture draped in sheets. Arthur follows the voices to find his sister in the kitchen with a woman. He says they need to leave, that their mom’s calling them, and D.W. says she didn’t hear anything. The witch turns out to be a kind old woman with a lot of cats. She offers cider and doughnuts. It’s a classic story where the misunderstood, scary character turns out to be a nice, lonely person. I really like that. She said she waited all night but they’re the only trick-or-treaters that have come, and that years ago the doorbell never stopped ringing. D.W. suggests it might be broken, and Arthur offers to clean the yard so the place won’t look so scary. They promise to come Saturday to rake, and their friends marvel that they’re alive and okay. I expected them to tell their friends to come and trick-or-treat at the house, so I was disappointed that they didn’t.
  
  The friends all think she put eyeballs, hearts and brains in their bags, and now Arthur is the one telling them to close their eyes and reach in unless they’re too scared. It was a turnaround and a change from how he had been. D.W. wants to go home through the cemetery and he leads the charge, saying “The cemetery is a great place. People are just dying to get in.” One of the gravestones was kind of cute, “Here lies the body of Sally Bent. She kicked up her heels and away she went.” The rest I didn’t really get or couldn’t read.
• 
  Heather

  Wow this looks so colorless! Arthur& family are almost white!
  There’s a can of Laurie Logs in Arthur’s room. Shouldn’t it be Lincoln Logs?
  I don’t think anyone would have a beets and asparagus picture on the wall. Or the milk jar which has a cow on it, along with the words COW.
  I see they put Ant Jelly on the counter. Are they ant-eaters? I wondered a while back when I came across this book what Arthur was supposed to be.
  I keep getting let down in Halloween books with the costumes. Who dresses as a baked potato?! &money. I wanna see traditional, good costumes!
  I remember Francine, and his rabbit friend!
  How clever to use peeled grapes for eyeballs, jello for hearts and of course, spaghetti for brains.
  That’s funny how Buster knew which houses to avoid, like the one that gave out apples. So like real children!
  I love the traditional-looking haunted house, with the spooky tree and the moon behind it.
  How funny: ‘You’re such a pain in the neck,” said Arthur. “D.W. must be shot for Dim Wit.”
  I can’t believe his sister went into the witch’s house!!
  That was a nice addition to draw out the kids’ predictions of what the witch was doing to Arthur and D.W., like cooking them in the oven, doing scientific experiments, or locking them up in the cellar. And having each kid below the image, so you know who thought of it. It’s nice seeing illustrators put thought into it like that.
  Omg that cat looks crazy!! The face looks human, just covered in hair. Haha!
  Whoa! That painting from the hallway looked like a real person! It’s looking down at Arthur!
  When I flipped the page and saw the woman, I saw she didn’t look like a witch. But it said “Oh, there you are,” said the witch. If she wasn’t a witch, it shouldn’t say that.
  Boy that scene is just the makings of a scary situation. Arthur says they have to go,&that he hears his mom calling, and his sister said she didn’t hear anything. &then she’s like Mrs. Tibble has some cider and his favorite chocolate donuts. I was thinking Arthur wouldn’t trust it, and would think it’s a trap. That could be a movie!
  “I’ve waited all night for trick-or-treaters, but you’re the only ones.” Aw, that’s sad!
  I didn’t know which way this book was going, but I should have known. Kids’ authors never have real ghosts, witches, etc.
  There’s cat designs on the chair, which isn’t realistic.
  I wasn’t sure Arthur trusted the situation, so I was surprised when he said “Maybe if we help you fix up your yard, the place won’t look so spooky.” But it was nice of him.
  That’s so cute all his friends are in the bushes as they come out.
  Arthur tells them to reach into his bag to find out what’s in there unless they’re scared, but it doesn’t have the kids respond. The next line is about a cemetery.
  ‘The cemetery is a great place. People are just dying to get in.’ can’t believe that’s how it ended!
  I love clever gravestones!! ‘Here lies the body of Sally Bent. She kicked up her heels and away she went.’
  Arthur ending up finding his courage, suggesting they go home through the cemetery. But I cant believe the book ended then. Wish it had been longer! & ended on a different note. Maybe a wrap-up at home, and acknowledging Arthur not being afraid anymore. And maybe end with happy Halloween.
  Is that kid’s name really Brain? Did the kids know she wasn’t a witch? I thought they would tell them she was just a sweet old lady, and then all the kids would volunteer to help her out and fix her house.
  I like how the book is decorated with candy corn.
  Has traditional illustrations that make you feel like you’re watching the tv show. Could have been longer, and more wrapped-up at the end. But overall, it was a cute story.
  
• 
  Adam Marischuk

  This was one of my favorite books growing up and my mother bought a copy for me to read to my daughter. The book is full of useful advice like teaching your children break-and-enter, accept sweets from strangers, disregard child-labour laws and wander off on their own.
  
  Additionally, the book includes gratuitous use of recently banned words such as "spooky" and for some strange reason all the characters are different animals except the old lady. And why are they all different animals but roughly the same size? And wearing clothes? Is their fur not enough? And whey are cats pets and not like other people? And why do the aardvarks (Arthurs race...is this racists?) have ant jelly on their toast yet eat candy and dislike the houses that give out apples?
  
  But most importantly, who gives out doughnuts for Halloween?
• 
  A.

  This book must be one of the old books b/c the illustrations are not very well developed.
  
  My favorite part is how Brain was wrapped in aluminum foil. "I'm a baked potato," said the Brain.
  
  DW bravery gets Arthur a job....you'll know how when you read this book.
  
  not sure why they decided to pass through the cemetery. It's a bit scary, yet the last line's funny.