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Hubknuckles
Every Halloween, Hubknuckles pays a visit to Lee and her younger sisters and baby brother. The children watch the ghostly figure from the safety of their warm kitchen, experiencing delicious little tickles of fear.
But this year, Lee has decided that Hubknuckles isn’t real. “Hubknuckles is just a sheet and a flashlight,” she tells her sisters. “Either Ma or Pa makes him dance.” And she is determined to prove it.
What Lee discovers after an eerie dance on the lawn with her silent, shadowy partner is sure to delight young readers, who will be enchanted by the softly glowing illustrations of this unusual Halloween happening.
But this year, Lee has decided that Hubknuckles isn’t real. “Hubknuckles is just a sheet and a flashlight,” she tells her sisters. “Either Ma or Pa makes him dance.” And she is determined to prove it.
What Lee discovers after an eerie dance on the lawn with her silent, shadowy partner is sure to delight young readers, who will be enchanted by the softly glowing illustrations of this unusual Halloween happening.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published September 16, 1985
44 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
September 20, 2018
What an eerie tale! Every year at Halloween, the kids watch Hubknuckles from the safety of their home. The oldest believes that it's her parents trying to scare the kids and she is going to prove it. A Halloween party is thrown and the kids are having a lot of fun when there is a Scream. Someone sees Hubknuckles in the window.
The girl dressed as a witch goes out to prove it's her parents. The other children hold their breath watching. You really need to read the story for the rest. It is well done. A little tingle went up my spine reading it.
The artwork is all black and white. It's whispy. Image are invoking your imagination to run wild with it. There is only some definition.
This scared my niece a little and the nephew thought it was a great story. He likes being scared right now. They both gave the book 4 stars.
The girl dressed as a witch goes out to prove it's her parents. The other children hold their breath watching. You really need to read the story for the rest. It is well done. A little tingle went up my spine reading it.
The artwork is all black and white. It's whispy. Image are invoking your imagination to run wild with it. There is only some definition.
This scared my niece a little and the nephew thought it was a great story. He likes being scared right now. They both gave the book 4 stars.
October 12, 2018
Hubknuckles the ghost visits Lee and her family every Halloween in this sweetly spooky holiday story from Maine, floating and dancing in the twilight outside their window before departing once again. This year, determined to prove that Hubknuckles isn't really a ghost, but one of their parents dressed up in a sheet, Lee informs her younger siblings that she intends to dance with their guest. Although more and more frightened as evening draws near, Lee does end up dancing with Hubknuckles, who gently shepherds her back toward the house, where she makes an extraordinary discovery...
This engaging Halloween tale has just the right blend of sweetness - the warmth of home and family, the pleasure of holiday preparations, the excitement of a party - and spookiness - the shadowy twilight outside, the appearance of the ghostly Hubknuckles, the discovery that both mother and father were inside when he appeared - making it an excellent selection for younger children who enjoy a shivery read that isn't too frightening. I particularly enjoyed the black-and-white artwork by Deborah Kogan Ray, who is the author/illustrator of a number of wonderful picture-book biographies. The scenes in which Lee, dressed up as a witch herself, dances with Hubknuckles (see the cover illustration for an example) are especially well done!
This engaging Halloween tale has just the right blend of sweetness - the warmth of home and family, the pleasure of holiday preparations, the excitement of a party - and spookiness - the shadowy twilight outside, the appearance of the ghostly Hubknuckles, the discovery that both mother and father were inside when he appeared - making it an excellent selection for younger children who enjoy a shivery read that isn't too frightening. I particularly enjoyed the black-and-white artwork by Deborah Kogan Ray, who is the author/illustrator of a number of wonderful picture-book biographies. The scenes in which Lee, dressed up as a witch herself, dances with Hubknuckles (see the cover illustration for an example) are especially well done!
October 13, 2015
Not particularly scary, but intriguing enough to keep them waiting to see what will happen. Soft gray sketches add to the wispy spooky feel. (The kids asked why it wasn't in color.)
Every Halloween, Hubknuckles pays a visit to Lee and her younger sisters and baby brother. The children watch the ghostly figure from the safety of their warm kitchen, experiencing delicious little tickles of fear.
But this year, Lee has decided that Hubknuckles isn’t real. “Hubknuckles is just a sheet and a flashlight,” she tells her sisters. “Either Ma or Pa makes him dance.” And she is determined to prove it.
What Lee discovers after an eerie dance on the lawn with her silent, shadowy partner is sure to delight young readers, who will be enchanted by the softly glowing illustrations of this unusual Halloween happening.
Every Halloween, Hubknuckles pays a visit to Lee and her younger sisters and baby brother. The children watch the ghostly figure from the safety of their warm kitchen, experiencing delicious little tickles of fear.
But this year, Lee has decided that Hubknuckles isn’t real. “Hubknuckles is just a sheet and a flashlight,” she tells her sisters. “Either Ma or Pa makes him dance.” And she is determined to prove it.
What Lee discovers after an eerie dance on the lawn with her silent, shadowy partner is sure to delight young readers, who will be enchanted by the softly glowing illustrations of this unusual Halloween happening.
January 21, 2012
This was definitely on the not-so-scary end of the picture book spectrum, though I think younger than kindergarteners might still be scared of it.
June 27, 2012
I loved this book as a kid and always took it out of my school library. It's a sweet story about a ghost who visits a little girl every Halloween.
October 30, 2012
A very sweet & only slightly spooky ghost story that's beautifully illustrated & a perfect family read-along.
July 4, 2016
Love the portrayal of an old fashioned Halloween. Great pictures and fun story. Great Halloween book.
October 25, 2016
This was a very cute and short children's story with beautiful illustrations.
June 26, 2018
A ghostly apparition visits a family every Hallowe'en. One little girl is sure it's one of her parents playing a trick, so she's determined to find out. Spooky.
October 1, 2018
Every year a ghost dances outside while the children watch. They suspect it's one of their parents. But when the little girl goes out to dance with "Hubknuckles" one year, she realizes it isn't her parents--the ghost is real! This is ooooooold, but just the right amount of spooky. The ghost is spooky, but not macabre or anything.
July 2, 2021
Challenge: Summerween July 2021 - Read in the dark (1); paranormal (3); Halloween cover/takes place at Halloween (4). Based on actual experiences of the author and generations of her family, this book is perfect as a Halloween read. Atmospheric illustrations by artist Deborah Kogan in graphite powder and pencil. Read online at midnight in the dark during a storm.
October 24, 2021
Spooky but sweet tale. My daughter especially enjoyed the ending twist. A good read-aloud for Halloween.
November 23, 2022
Weird and atmospheric. Good for kids who are ok with not knowing exactly what happened.
August 20, 2023
This was a very cute and short children's story with beautiful illustrations.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews