Using Clement C. Moore's classic poem The Night Before Christmas as a starting point, author Marjorie Dennis Murray and illustrator Brandon Dorman create an entertaining Halloween treat in this seasonal picture-book. The residents of a spooky mansion prepare for the festivities, from the witch making her brew to the green goblin-like creepies making party bags. But when a troupe of ten trick-or-treaters show up, they take one look at the monstrous residents of the mansion, and turn tale and run. Fortunately, said monsters know how to have a good time on their own...

I'm always on the hunt for new (or new to me) Halloween books, especially at this time of year, so I was happy to stumble across Halloween Night at my public library this past weekend. The vivid cover illustration, with its plethora of creepy creatures. immediately drew me in, and I snatched it up. I'm certainly glad that I did, as I found it an enjoyable Halloween romp! The rhyming text is fun to read - the structure parallels The Night Before Christmas from time to time, but is not bound by it - and the accompanying artwork is appealing, capturing both the spooky and humorous elements of the tale. Recommended to picture-book readers seeking fun Halloween fare on the scarier side. ( )

I love halloween! It is probably my favorite holidays even if it is just made up so candy companies can make some money. This book is super cute, and talks about halloween night and what halloween creatures do to get ready for their trick or treaters. If any child celebrates christmas they can possibly see similarities to the night before christmas! The illustrations can really draw a child to this book because they are so detailed. I highly recommend this book to any parent or child looking for a good halloween book. ( )

Monsters, zombies, witches, and ghouls prepare for their very own Halloween party. When the giggling children finally arrive, they are in for a big surprise. A feast of treats with fish tails, lizards, mice, and crickets awaits them. It's enough to make the children shiver and run which is just fine for the ghoulish crew. With leftover bugs and grubs galore, the monsters agree it was the best party yet.

The Bottom Line: You'll have a spooky good time when you read this Halloween themed take on "The Night Before Christmas." This picture book is filled with clever rhymes and creepy, colorful illustrations that will appeal to kids in grades 1 - 3. Highly recommended for classroom or library storytime.

This review also appears at the Mini Book Bytes Book Review Blog. ( )

38 months - Stories written based on the 12 Days of Christmas and The Night Before Christmas drive me nuts...there are so many of them that it's tiresome even if on occasion the words and illustrations are top notch. I would just prefer reading something original. ( )

This is a cute book to read around Halloween. The book could easily incorporate into any Halloween lesson taught to children. The story is told in a similar way as "The Night Before Christmas." ( )