Monsters Play… Peekaboo!
by Flavia Z. Drago
All the monsters are playing peekaboo under ghostly sheets. Open the book flap to reveal who is hiding under the sheet, pretending to be a ghost. It could be a werewolf, a vampire, a banshee, or maybe… a real ghost!
This board book is so adorable! The flaps are a fun way to reveal who is hiding beneath the sheet, and the construction is sturdy enough to withstand destructive little hands.
The monsters are not scary at all. They are really cute and funny! I loved the adorable designs for each monster, and the colorful illustrations.
This is the perfect book for little kids around Halloween!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
Gustavo, the Shy Ghost
by Flavia Z. Drago
4 out of 5 stars
Gustavo is so shy that he hides from everyone. He can never make any friends, because he doesn’t have the courage to show himself to the other monsters, especially not the monster girl he has a crush on. His only consolation is playing beautiful violin music. One day Gustavo decides to take a chance and reach out to the other monsters, hoping they will like him and his music.
This was such a sweet book! Gustavo is so cute, and I loved the character development for him as he learns to face his fears. His parents support and encourage him too. There are so many positive messages in this book, and the story is fun and wholesome.
I liked that the designs for the monsters are not scary. They are cute and funny! There are little witches, werewolves, skeletons, Frankenstein monsters, goblins, and even a lizard creature. Each one is so adorable! The illustrations are brightly colored and full of interesting little details in the background that bring the story to life! … or umm…. after-life? haha!
There are many Hispanic influences in this book, since most of the designs are from the Day of the Dead traditions. There is even an “ofrenda” table with a photo of a deceased love one in some of the illustrations, as per Mexican tradition.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
Leila, the Perfect Witch
by Flavia Z. Drago
Leila is a little witch who is good at everything, except baking! She wants to enter a bake contest, but when she practices her recipes at home, they always go wrong! Leila is discouraged, but her sisters come to the rescue and help her learn how to bake.
I liked the basic story of this book, but there some aspects that seemed way too creepy to me. Leila is adorable and sweet, and her family are lovely. They come together to help their sister, and they have such a cozy atmosphere in their home. There are some positive messages about family togetherness and having a good attitude during a competition.
However, there are a few elements in the story that I thought took the witchy concept too far for a children’s book, and made it too creepy. The book says that Leila is “the most cunning conjurer” and shows an illustration of her standing in a circle of symbols conjuring up a demonic spirit of some kind, and she wins a trophy for “summoning”. Her family is referred to as a “coven”. There are pentagrams drawn on almost every page. She comes from a “long line of powerful women who were experts in the Dark Arts of Patisserie.”
I thought the illustrations made the story seem more creepy and nasty than it needed to be too. There are a lot of snakes and spiders and gloopy blobs and spirit creatures. The whole thing kind of left me mildly disgusted.
I guess my expectations were for something different. I wanted a cute witch with a funny story, but this is a bit too dark for my taste.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
Where’s Waldo? The Spooky Spotlight Search
by Martin Handford
Waldo and his friends are surrounded by hundreds of monsters, ghosts, and creepy creatures, both “real” and in costume. There are a lot of festive activities going on as the monsters prepare for Halloween. And somewhere in the chaos of sea monsters, dragons, and vampires, Waldo is hiding among all the red and white. However, each scene is covered by a dark screen, and you have to use the spotlight search tool, a handy cardboard wand, to “light up” the scenes.
This is such a cool search activity book! In every scene you have to find Waldo, his dog Woof, Wenda, the wizard Whitebeard, and the Waldo’s crazy opposite, Odlaw. There are also additional lists of things to look for in every haunting scene, like pirate skeletons, mermaids, witches, and a cat on a broomstick.
I used to love these Waldo books when I was a little girl, and the addition of the spotlight search tool makes it even more special. I also appreciate that there is a sleeve inside the cover for the spotlight search tool where it can (hopefully) be safe from getting lost. This particular spotlight wand is special because if you put it out in the sun, it will glow in the dark while you are searching!
This book would be the perfect Halloween gift to keep the kids busy during the holiday with some fun!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
Luminous Libro 