fbpx

Book Review: It’s Halloween, I’m Turning Green

By

Oct 28, 2015

Share

Arlo Jervis is pondering a very important question: Is life really worth living without candy? It’s Halloween, A.J.’s favourite holiday —  the one day, after all, when people just give you free chocolate and your parents let you eat it. A.J. and his friends are trick-or-treating around their neighbourhood, collecting all of the chocolate they can, and eating some along the way, too. But Halloween is a scary day, and when A.J. and his friends are confronted by the Halloween monster, the group must decide whether to give into its demands for chocolate, or to keep their stash and protect a life-changing invention.

It’s Halloween, I’m Turning Green is not just a story about chocolate. It’s a lighthearted story for kids about friendship, rivalries, and the lesson that too much of a good thing isn’t always a good thing. While trick-or-treating still hasn’t become a mainstream experience for Indian children, this book is a fun read for kids age 6 and older that will be enjoyable even for those who haven’t personally experienced Halloween.

The book contains bonus content to keep kids engaged even after they’re done reading. Fun facts about Halloween (such as the entirely believable “90 percent of parents sneak Halloween candy from their kids”), games, mazes, and quizzes round off the book to give kids’ brains a fun workout.

The book is part of the My Weird School series by author Dan Gutman. Some characters from earlier books appear in Halloween, which offers only a brief history for the uninitiated. The quiz in the bonus content is also heavily skewed toward regular readers of the series. However, neither is enough of a deterrent to keep kids who have never read the series from enjoying the book, which is both entertaining and educational. Just be warned: Your little reader is going to crave a lot of chocolate after reading this one!

Share

Written By Shivani Shah

Shivani Shah spent several years practicing law until she gave it up to pursue a life of creativity. She is a writer and editor living in Mumbai who tweets at @wordsbyshivani and has an unhealthy obsession with green tea.

Share

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields *.

The latest in health, gender & culture in India -- and why it matters. Delivered to your inbox weekly.
>