The Hairy Horror Trick

The Trick Series #7

by Scott Corbett, Paul Galdone (Illustrator)

Trick or Treat!

This Halloween was going to be great. Kerby and Fenton had plotted the perfect scare for mean Mrs. Pembroke, and Kerby's cousin Gay had even agreed to help. But then Gay finds Kerby's Feats O' Magic Chemistry Set, and persuades the boys to show her a trick. What a disaster! Before they know it, Kerby sprouts a beard, Fenton grows a mustache--and poor Waldo the dog loses all his fur!

Something went haywire, and the boys have to find a remedy. Because if their parents find out what they've been up to, they'll take away the Feats O' Magic Set, and Kerby and Fenton will be stuck with whiskers forever. Then things will really start to get hairy!

Genres: Halloween, Fiction, Childrens

101 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1969

About the author

Scott Corbett (July 27, 1913 – March 6, 2006) was an American novelist and educator. He wrote five adult novels, the first published in 1950, and then began writing books for children. He retired from teaching in 1965 to write full-time. His best known book is The Lemonade Trick, a children's novel.

Reviews

[Karina · Rating 3 out of 5]

That's right. We're going to hypnotize Gay, and while she's hypnotized we'll command her to forget all about the chemistry set and magic tricks and Mrs. Graymalkin. What could be more scientific than that? (PG 22)

When a magic trick goes wrong.....

It turns into a charming and amusing story.

Cute for Halloween

Not my favorite in the series.

[Ashley Lambert-Maberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Should I like these as much as I do? Perhaps not. I don't want anyone to think this is fine literature, the gold standard, a children's classic that should stand with the Winnie-the-Poohs and Charlotte's Webs of this world. But Corbett writes with a straightforwardness and clarity of tone that's a pleasure to read.

It's not dumb writing. I don't wince. I read a lot of supposedly "easy" books for kids (I like kids books, why not), and so many are Awful, with a capital A intended. Corbett's books are like a Dairyi Milk bar: simple, uncomplicated, yummy.

In the Trick series (which really could be started at any point, it's essentially episodic, not serialized), Kerby purportedly has a chemistry play set, though it's really a potions set, even if no one calls it that. He uses it far less often than I would if I owned one, and every time he uses it something goes wrong, and hijinks ensue. It's very low stakes.

Future self, this is the one where it's Halloween and they hope to hypnotize cousin Gay.

[Note: 5 star = loved it | 4 star = liked it lots | 3 star = it was fine | 2 star = disappointing | 1 star = hated it]

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite books in a great series - in this one, a "Feats O' Magic" chemistry set trick gone wrong makes Kerby grow a beard and Fenton grow a moustache on Halloween - and Mrs. Graymalkin tells them that the only way to reverse the effect is to get a powerful scare. Should be easy on Halloween, right? With the help of Kerby's cousin Gay, they try to cure their facial hair before their parents come home and find out!

[Nolan Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best kids authors, Scott Corbett has a wonderful way of writing. One of my favorites when I was a kid and still a good read now.

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved this book when i was a kid! perfect for halloween. i never realized it was part of a series, i certainly would've read them all.

[Kelli Bonin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the best of the Kerby series, but still a lot of fun. Would be even more fun to read for Halloween!