Boo!

by Joe Fenton, Joe Fenton (Illustrator)

Overview

Bold and brilliant illustrations crafted with Joe Fenton’s distinctive style tell the tale of a little ghost who wants to be spooky enough to win his school’s Halloween costume contest. But how can he be terrifying if he can’t make a scary face? Even the youngest of readers can relate to this earnest spirit’s struggles, as well as read along—"Boo!" is the only word used throughout the imaginative and colorful story.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781416979364
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Publication date:	08/10/2010
Edition description:	Repackage
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.54(w) x 11.08(h) x 0.38(d)
Age Range:	3 - 6 Years

About the Author

Joe Fenton has worked for several years in the film industry for Disney and other studios as a concept artist. He is from London, England, but currently resides in Brooklyn, New York. This is his first picture book.

Joe Fenton has worked for several years in the film industry for Disney and other studios as a concept artist. He is from London, England, but currently resides in Brooklyn, New York. This is his first picture book.

Editorial Reviews

A cherubic ghost practices being scary in this nearly wordless book with a glow-in-the-dark cover. Reading up on "scary things" like vampires and mummies, the ghost tries to approximate the creatures (using fans for bat wings and toilet paper for bandages), but no one is scared, not even Phantom, his one-eyed dog. Fenton's mostly black oil paintings are eerily highlighted with electric shades of blue, yellow, and green. While the action can be hard to follow, readers will catch the message, delivered in a twist ending, that being one's best--or scariest--means being oneself. Ages 3–6. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

Gr 1—A little ghost tries on different disguises, hoping to scare his family. He turns to a book of "Scary Things" for inspiration, but his Frankenstein, Dracula, and Mummy impersonations all fail to elicit screams. Ironically, when he stumbles into a white sheet left on a clothesline, he finally gets his desired response. Aside from the ghost's determined shouts of "BOOO!," few words appear. The story cinematically comes to life through Fenton's detailed oil paintings. The not-so-scary goblins have enormous round heads with pinprick eyes and small wispy bodies that seem to float against the velvety black backgrounds. The striking design also features a glow-in-the-dark cover. Spooky fun.—Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada

School Library Journal