What do you think?
Rate this book
Halloween ABC
Award-winning poet Eve Merriam conjures up 26 titillating and teasing Halloween poems, one for each letter of the alphabet, accompanied by the delightfully wicked illustrations of Lane Smith. Elegant in design, precise in image . . . with appeal for any age that enjoys the macabre side of Halloween.--pointer, Kirkus.
32 pages, Paperback
First published November 30, 1987
2 people are currently reading
450 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
June 30, 2012
I usually do reviews from the Epinions website, but since everyone in the Banned Books Club were discussing this book, I just had to review this book! “Halloween ABC” is an ABC book by Eve Merriam along with illustrations by Lane Smith and this book is about various symbols and creatures of Halloween being described through the letters of the alphabet. “Halloween ABC” may be extremely controversial for its macabre content, but it is still a truly worthy book to read around Halloween time!
There are a total of twenty-six poems in this book, but since I will be here all day if I post all twenty-six poems, I will just recite two of my favorite poems in this book:
“Pet
A pet to pat, a pal of a pet,
A pet the family won’t forget,
A pet that pants and drools and yaps
And leaves a little spot in laps,
A pet that’s not the least bit vicious,
Yet finds the neighbors quite nutritious.”
“Viper
Viper, Viper,
Spiteful sniper,
Snake in the grass, lowdown, base,
Smiling, smiling to your face,
Virulent villain, venomous, vile,
Darting poison with a snaky smile.”
If you think that you have read a Halloween ABC book that is filled with creepy creatures, then you will definitely be shocked and surprised at what this book has in store for you! Eve Merriam has definitely made this book one of the most intense and creepiest Halloween ABC books ever created as it is full of poems that is not only about skeletons and jack o-lanterns, but also has poems about demons, murderous icicles, crawlers and fiends! Now you know you have definitely stumbled upon a Halloween ABC book that is like no other! Eve Merriam’s poetic writing is truly effective and haunting at the same time as each letter of the alphabet describes a certain creature representing Halloween in an extremely creepy way. Lane Smith’s illustrations are truly more haunting in this book than in his other books as there are many images of monsters looking at the audience in a way that makes you just tingle with fright. One of the scariest images in this book is an image of a boy wearing a huge yellow scary looking mask underneath the “mask” poem where the mask seems to have devil horns on its head and is huge and intimidating.
Now let me tell you about why this book is one of the most banned books in the history of children’s history. There are many reasons why this book was being continually banned in many schools and one of the reasons why this book was banned was because of one poem called “Icicle,” which I will now recite:
“Icicle
An icy stabbing so swiftly done,
The victim scarcely felt it.
The police are baffled:
“Where’s the weapon?”
The sun shines down to melt it.”
In other words, this poem is implying that an icicle can be used as a murder weapon. Pretty intense for a children’s book, right? Another reason why this book was banned was because of the fact that this book mentions devils; Satan and Lucifer in the poem “Demon” and that might offend some of the religious audience.
Overall, “Halloween ABC” is a terrific book about exploring Halloween, but it all depends if you enjoy Halloween or not.
If you do not like Halloween, mark A) for not worth reading or,
If you do like Halloween and you love reading about banned books, then mark B) for worth reading!
I would recommend this book to children ages seven and up since there are many mature themes in this book that younger children might not understand.
Review is also on:Rabbit Ears Book Blog
There are a total of twenty-six poems in this book, but since I will be here all day if I post all twenty-six poems, I will just recite two of my favorite poems in this book:
“Pet
A pet to pat, a pal of a pet,
A pet the family won’t forget,
A pet that pants and drools and yaps
And leaves a little spot in laps,
A pet that’s not the least bit vicious,
Yet finds the neighbors quite nutritious.”
“Viper
Viper, Viper,
Spiteful sniper,
Snake in the grass, lowdown, base,
Smiling, smiling to your face,
Virulent villain, venomous, vile,
Darting poison with a snaky smile.”
If you think that you have read a Halloween ABC book that is filled with creepy creatures, then you will definitely be shocked and surprised at what this book has in store for you! Eve Merriam has definitely made this book one of the most intense and creepiest Halloween ABC books ever created as it is full of poems that is not only about skeletons and jack o-lanterns, but also has poems about demons, murderous icicles, crawlers and fiends! Now you know you have definitely stumbled upon a Halloween ABC book that is like no other! Eve Merriam’s poetic writing is truly effective and haunting at the same time as each letter of the alphabet describes a certain creature representing Halloween in an extremely creepy way. Lane Smith’s illustrations are truly more haunting in this book than in his other books as there are many images of monsters looking at the audience in a way that makes you just tingle with fright. One of the scariest images in this book is an image of a boy wearing a huge yellow scary looking mask underneath the “mask” poem where the mask seems to have devil horns on its head and is huge and intimidating.
Now let me tell you about why this book is one of the most banned books in the history of children’s history. There are many reasons why this book was being continually banned in many schools and one of the reasons why this book was banned was because of one poem called “Icicle,” which I will now recite:
“Icicle
An icy stabbing so swiftly done,
The victim scarcely felt it.
The police are baffled:
“Where’s the weapon?”
The sun shines down to melt it.”
In other words, this poem is implying that an icicle can be used as a murder weapon. Pretty intense for a children’s book, right? Another reason why this book was banned was because of the fact that this book mentions devils; Satan and Lucifer in the poem “Demon” and that might offend some of the religious audience.
Overall, “Halloween ABC” is a terrific book about exploring Halloween, but it all depends if you enjoy Halloween or not.
If you do not like Halloween, mark A) for not worth reading or,
If you do like Halloween and you love reading about banned books, then mark B) for worth reading!
I would recommend this book to children ages seven and up since there are many mature themes in this book that younger children might not understand.
Review is also on:Rabbit Ears Book Blog
July 17, 2019
While I have definitely enjoyed reading (visiting) Halloween ABC and Eve Merriam's spooky, generally humorously quirky, but sometimes also perhaps more than a bit potentially violently creepy, occasionally even seemingly promoting murder and mayhem poetry (and have indeed also found Lane Smith's accompanying illustrations the absolute perfect visual mirror to and of the author's lyrical texts, darkly hued, imaginative but also always delightfully fun in a perfectly ghoulish sort of way), I nevertheless have not been totally and utterly wowed with and by Merriam's Halloween themed verses as a collective, as an entire entity in and of itself. For although MOST of the letter sections, while MOST of the presented verses of Halloween ABC have absolutely and certainly been both fun and engagingly uncannily creepy in both content and form, and some of them even rather informationally enlightening, such as for example the fact that Merriam's poem on Masks for the letter M section of Halloween ABC rather spectacularly alludes to and points out carnivalesque inversions, with the higher ups becoming the lower downs and vice versa, or that according to to the author, according to Eve Merriam, elves usually only turn potentially nasty or evil if/when they have been tormented and/or not adequately appreciated by the humans they are generally trying to help and succour, I did and do have some personal issues with the fact that in many of the sections on Halloween types of animals, and in particular bats and vipers (snakes), Merriam certainly and unfortunately portrays them as much much too inherently and potentially nasty, uncanny and yes almost terrible and horrid by nature (and to the point that I for one would be afraid of certain readers being tempted to not only avoid but to actually attack and torture these animal species simply due to suspicion and personal fear).
However, even with my mild personal issues regarding SOME of the presented verses, I am still and indeed rebelliously granting a full and glowing five stars to Halloween ABC, as for one, I have indeed massively enjoyed and appreciated my reading experience (and find the spooky poems for the most part just so totally and utterly right for Halloween) and for two, considering that this book has repeatedly been both challenged and banned in especially the Bible Belt areas of the United States, of course, I am going to be granting five stars for Halloween ABC (and to once again let the ignoramuses who have banned and or censored Halloween ABC know in no uncertain terms that they are with their attitudes and actions not only akin and alike to the Nazis, to the Stalinists, to any dictatorial states that ban and censors books, but that really, with their striving to have Halloween ABC banned because it contains poems depicting violence, demons, witchcraft and the like, well, sorry, but it is THEY who are the evil ones here, it is THEY who are demonic, uncanny and frighteningly dangerously undemocratic). Highly recommended (and while I do think that some of the poems featured in Halloween ABC might perhaps be a bit too creepy for very intensely sensitive children, actually, and I say that as someone who frightens and startles quite easily at times, NONE of the poems were really all that overly freaky or creepy, and in almost all of them, there is also such a sense of fun and games, of laughing at the uncanny that the potential for Eve Merriam's printed verses in any way frightening children or actually inducing nightmares is greatly mitigated and reduced).
However, even with my mild personal issues regarding SOME of the presented verses, I am still and indeed rebelliously granting a full and glowing five stars to Halloween ABC, as for one, I have indeed massively enjoyed and appreciated my reading experience (and find the spooky poems for the most part just so totally and utterly right for Halloween) and for two, considering that this book has repeatedly been both challenged and banned in especially the Bible Belt areas of the United States, of course, I am going to be granting five stars for Halloween ABC (and to once again let the ignoramuses who have banned and or censored Halloween ABC know in no uncertain terms that they are with their attitudes and actions not only akin and alike to the Nazis, to the Stalinists, to any dictatorial states that ban and censors books, but that really, with their striving to have Halloween ABC banned because it contains poems depicting violence, demons, witchcraft and the like, well, sorry, but it is THEY who are the evil ones here, it is THEY who are demonic, uncanny and frighteningly dangerously undemocratic). Highly recommended (and while I do think that some of the poems featured in Halloween ABC might perhaps be a bit too creepy for very intensely sensitive children, actually, and I say that as someone who frightens and startles quite easily at times, NONE of the poems were really all that overly freaky or creepy, and in almost all of them, there is also such a sense of fun and games, of laughing at the uncanny that the potential for Eve Merriam's printed verses in any way frightening children or actually inducing nightmares is greatly mitigated and reduced).
October 28, 2014
I was surprised to see that this was published in the late 1980s, not long before I was having to memorize Merriam's poems for school; I hadn't realize at the time that she was contemporary.
I assume the poems here are meant to be read aloud to children, as most of them seem too difficult for ABC level readers. Parents, you probably want to read them all before trying this with smaller children, as some of them are fairly scary. (C, ugh!)
A couple odd choices (icicle for I, why?) and the poems vary in length and , but overall I thought they were pretty good.
I assume the poems here are meant to be read aloud to children, as most of them seem too difficult for ABC level readers. Parents, you probably want to read them all before trying this with smaller children, as some of them are fairly scary. (C, ugh!)
A couple odd choices (icicle for I, why?) and the poems vary in length and , but overall I thought they were pretty good.
October 27, 2015
I am SO going to get this book for all my friends.
Halloween ABC was banned for being frightening, violent, anti-Christian (supernatural themes), and generally unsuitable for children.
This book and Spooky ABC are exactly the same, no wording changes. The newer one, Spooky ABC, is nicer with black backgrounds framing the pictures instead of light yellow and an afterward explaining how the book came to be.
This may be a picture book but it was never intended for little kids. The word usage is way too sophisticated and the content too obscure for little kids to even understand what each poem is about.
For those that are curious, the passage that I've heard talk about being inappropriate goes like this:
Icicle
An icy stabbing so swiftly done,
the victim scarcely felt it.
The police are baffled:
"Where's the weapon?"
The sun shines down to melt it.
The accompanying picture shows an icicle that has broken off and looks like it fell. When I read it, my initial reaction was that the icicle fell down and killed someone and that it was an accident. It could perhaps be a murder but that feels less likely. I think it could be interpreted either way.
There are other places in the book which caught my eye as things book banners would probably be concerned with. A couple examples:
Demon: "...Lucifer, Beelzebub, come when we call..."
Nightmare: talking about being nailed in a box and killed.
Pet: "...a pal of a pet...finds the neighbors quite delicious..."
Witchery: "...which poison do you deserve?..."
But I think people who are upset about this really are reading way too much into this book. No one who glances at the pictures would think this was for little kids. The whole book is about gloom and doom and creepy, scary things. I love it.
Overall the poems are cute and the pictures nice. I don't really understand why someone would want it banned but fine, don't let your kid read it. It's not that hard to proof read a picture book before letting your child read it. It's not like it's 357 pages of dense prose. I would have no problem letting my school age kids read it.
But then, I love Halloween and all it's scariness, and although I am a parent, I am probably a little inured to what's scary to a child. My young ones aren't easily scared by stuff like this.
Halloween ABC was banned for being frightening, violent, anti-Christian (supernatural themes), and generally unsuitable for children.
This book and Spooky ABC are exactly the same, no wording changes. The newer one, Spooky ABC, is nicer with black backgrounds framing the pictures instead of light yellow and an afterward explaining how the book came to be.
This may be a picture book but it was never intended for little kids. The word usage is way too sophisticated and the content too obscure for little kids to even understand what each poem is about.
For those that are curious, the passage that I've heard talk about being inappropriate goes like this:
Icicle
An icy stabbing so swiftly done,
the victim scarcely felt it.
The police are baffled:
"Where's the weapon?"
The sun shines down to melt it.
The accompanying picture shows an icicle that has broken off and looks like it fell. When I read it, my initial reaction was that the icicle fell down and killed someone and that it was an accident. It could perhaps be a murder but that feels less likely. I think it could be interpreted either way.
There are other places in the book which caught my eye as things book banners would probably be concerned with. A couple examples:
Demon: "...Lucifer, Beelzebub, come when we call..."
Nightmare: talking about being nailed in a box and killed.
Pet: "...a pal of a pet...finds the neighbors quite delicious..."
Witchery: "...which poison do you deserve?..."
But I think people who are upset about this really are reading way too much into this book. No one who glances at the pictures would think this was for little kids. The whole book is about gloom and doom and creepy, scary things. I love it.
Overall the poems are cute and the pictures nice. I don't really understand why someone would want it banned but fine, don't let your kid read it. It's not that hard to proof read a picture book before letting your child read it. It's not like it's 357 pages of dense prose. I would have no problem letting my school age kids read it.
But then, I love Halloween and all it's scariness, and although I am a parent, I am probably a little inured to what's scary to a child. My young ones aren't easily scared by stuff like this.
November 15, 2015
This is a fun little Halloween ABC rhyming picture book for kids. Ended up on the banned/challenged book list, but I’m really not quite sure why. I let my kids read it right after I did and they had a lot of fun with it.
The pictures were actually the best part, they were beautiful color paintings.
My favorite lines were also associated with the above picture, from ‘P for Pet’:
…a pet that’s not the least bit vicious,
yet finds the neighbors quite nutritious.
The pictures were actually the best part, they were beautiful color paintings.
My favorite lines were also associated with the above picture, from ‘P for Pet’:
…a pet that’s not the least bit vicious,
yet finds the neighbors quite nutritious.
September 30, 2012
I am SO going to get this book for all my friends.
Halloween ABC was banned for being frightening, violent, anti-Christian (supernatural themes), and generally unsuitable for children.
This book and Spooky ABC are exactly the same, no wording changes. The newer one, Spooky ABC, is nicer with black backgrounds framing the pictures instead of light yellow and an afterward explaining how the book came to be.
This may be a picture book but it was never intended for little kids. The word usage is way too sophisticated and the content too obscure for little kids to even understand what each poem is about.
For those that are curious, the passage that I've heard talk about being inappropriate goes like this:
Icicle
An icy stabbing so swiftly done,
the victim scarcely felt it.
The police are baffled:
"Where's the weapon?"
The sun shines down to melt it.
The accompanying picture shows an icicle that has broken off and looks like it fell. When I read it, my initial reaction was that the icicle fell down and killed someone and that it was an accident. It could perhaps be a murder but that feels less likely. I think it could be interpreted either way.
There are other places in the book which caught my eye as things book banners would probably be concerned with. A couple examples:
Demon: "...Lucifer, Beelzebub, come when we call..."
Nightmare: talking about being nailed in a box and killed.
Pet: "...a pal of a pet...finds the neighbors quite delicious..."
Witchery: "...which poison do you deserve?..."
But I think people who are upset about this really are reading way too much into this book. No one who glances at the pictures would think this was for little kids. The whole book is about gloom and doom and creepy, scary things. I love it.
Overall the poems are cute and the pictures nice. I don't really understand why someone would want it banned but fine, don't let your kid read it. It's not that hard to proof read a picture book before letting your child read it. It's not like it's 357 pages of dense prose. I would have no problem letting my school age kids read it.
But then, I love Halloween and all it's scariness, and although I am a parent, I am probably a little inured to what's scary to a child. My young ones aren't easily scared by stuff like this.
Halloween ABC was banned for being frightening, violent, anti-Christian (supernatural themes), and generally unsuitable for children.
This book and Spooky ABC are exactly the same, no wording changes. The newer one, Spooky ABC, is nicer with black backgrounds framing the pictures instead of light yellow and an afterward explaining how the book came to be.
This may be a picture book but it was never intended for little kids. The word usage is way too sophisticated and the content too obscure for little kids to even understand what each poem is about.
For those that are curious, the passage that I've heard talk about being inappropriate goes like this:
Icicle
An icy stabbing so swiftly done,
the victim scarcely felt it.
The police are baffled:
"Where's the weapon?"
The sun shines down to melt it.
The accompanying picture shows an icicle that has broken off and looks like it fell. When I read it, my initial reaction was that the icicle fell down and killed someone and that it was an accident. It could perhaps be a murder but that feels less likely. I think it could be interpreted either way.
There are other places in the book which caught my eye as things book banners would probably be concerned with. A couple examples:
Demon: "...Lucifer, Beelzebub, come when we call..."
Nightmare: talking about being nailed in a box and killed.
Pet: "...a pal of a pet...finds the neighbors quite delicious..."
Witchery: "...which poison do you deserve?..."
But I think people who are upset about this really are reading way too much into this book. No one who glances at the pictures would think this was for little kids. The whole book is about gloom and doom and creepy, scary things. I love it.
Overall the poems are cute and the pictures nice. I don't really understand why someone would want it banned but fine, don't let your kid read it. It's not that hard to proof read a picture book before letting your child read it. It's not like it's 357 pages of dense prose. I would have no problem letting my school age kids read it.
But then, I love Halloween and all it's scariness, and although I am a parent, I am probably a little inured to what's scary to a child. My young ones aren't easily scared by stuff like this.
September 24, 2018
Banned or Challenged book
The back cover states that this is for children who are learning their alphabet.
As a parent, most children learn their ABC’s at about 3-5 years old.
In my opinion, this book, though very cleverly written, is super scary and inappropriate for that age group.
However, I personally enjoyed it and will be keeping the book to entertain my friends.
Check out the letter I:
Icicle
An ice stabbing so swiftly done,
The victim scarcely felt it.
The police are baffled:
“Where’s the weapon?”
The sun shines down to melt it.
The back cover states that this is for children who are learning their alphabet.
As a parent, most children learn their ABC’s at about 3-5 years old.
In my opinion, this book, though very cleverly written, is super scary and inappropriate for that age group.
However, I personally enjoyed it and will be keeping the book to entertain my friends.
Check out the letter I:
Icicle
An ice stabbing so swiftly done,
The victim scarcely felt it.
The police are baffled:
“Where’s the weapon?”
The sun shines down to melt it.
November 14, 2008
Need some creepy clever poetry to spice up your October read-alouds? Be sure to check out Halloween ABC.
Originally published in 1987 as Halloween ABC this alphabet book re-released as Spooky ABC is best shared with the 4th-8th grade crowd as the images and language are most suited to this age group. There are illustrations to go with each creepy poem and the darkened color used throughout the volume provide a suitably spooky mood. Those who serve children with vision problems should be aware the darkness of the illustrations will make it difficult for some to see the drawings.
These poems make great intros for October lessons but the teacher/librarian should beware of the letter D and following Demon poem which will surely be objected to by many parents as it cleverly uses many names for the devil such as Mephistopheles, Lucifer and Beelzebub. On the whole Halloween ABC makes an entertaining example of how ABC books can still be relevant to the older crowd.
Given the nature of the Demon poem I decided to check reader reviews as well as professional ones.
Publishers Weekly said the book had been reissued under a new name but gave little other useful information other than the pictures were "eerie" and the author was an award winning author. The School Library Journal is much more effusive in their praise citing the clever use of prose and humor. I would use the school library journal review to make a positive purchasing choice if I wanted examples of high quality writing for upper elementary students.
As expected from the public reviews on Amazon the crowd is strongly divided, 50% feeling this is a clever thought provoking book and 50% objecting to the themes of murder, devils, and mayhem. All reviewers felt this book was more appropriate for older children and questioned it's promotion for children from 4-8. In this case the public reviews were much more revealing than the professional ones.
Originally published in 1987 as Halloween ABC this alphabet book re-released as Spooky ABC is best shared with the 4th-8th grade crowd as the images and language are most suited to this age group. There are illustrations to go with each creepy poem and the darkened color used throughout the volume provide a suitably spooky mood. Those who serve children with vision problems should be aware the darkness of the illustrations will make it difficult for some to see the drawings.
These poems make great intros for October lessons but the teacher/librarian should beware of the letter D and following Demon poem which will surely be objected to by many parents as it cleverly uses many names for the devil such as Mephistopheles, Lucifer and Beelzebub. On the whole Halloween ABC makes an entertaining example of how ABC books can still be relevant to the older crowd.
Given the nature of the Demon poem I decided to check reader reviews as well as professional ones.
Publishers Weekly said the book had been reissued under a new name but gave little other useful information other than the pictures were "eerie" and the author was an award winning author. The School Library Journal is much more effusive in their praise citing the clever use of prose and humor. I would use the school library journal review to make a positive purchasing choice if I wanted examples of high quality writing for upper elementary students.
As expected from the public reviews on Amazon the crowd is strongly divided, 50% feeling this is a clever thought provoking book and 50% objecting to the themes of murder, devils, and mayhem. All reviewers felt this book was more appropriate for older children and questioned it's promotion for children from 4-8. In this case the public reviews were much more revealing than the professional ones.
October 12, 2012
I feel like this is one of those books in search of an audience, to some extent. I mean, it superficially seems like a book that you read to young children. But do you want to have to explain to a too-young-to-read child what a hangman is? Nice art though.
I recommend checking out Spooky ABC, the updated version — it's got larger pictures and bright background colors which give it more visual pop.
I recommend checking out Spooky ABC, the updated version — it's got larger pictures and bright background colors which give it more visual pop.
April 26, 2013
Originally published as Halloween ABC, this revised edition offers the same spooky poems and includes even than the original. Such as illustrations that weren't used in the original book.
I liked this. The poetry was very good and creepy. This is definitely a fun book for Halloween.
I liked this. The poetry was very good and creepy. This is definitely a fun book for Halloween.
April 21, 2019
This book is challenged because of being deemed unsuitable for children and 'anti-christian'. On the idea of the book being unsuitable for children, I can understand why it has been challenged for this reason. Many of the illustrations and poems could be frightening to younger children, and I think it would be beneficial to leave exposure to this book up to parents before the children are old enough to not be scared by these factors. As far as the 'anti-christian' challenges, I imagine these were done by the same people who think Harry Potter is satanic because there are wizards.
The book does not focus on any particular social issues and is formatted in a standard alphabet book fashion, I could see it being a fun read for older kids during a Halloween party.
The book does not focus on any particular social issues and is formatted in a standard alphabet book fashion, I could see it being a fun read for older kids during a Halloween party.
September 9, 2020
I did not like this book. I picked up because it was on a banned book reading list for Halloween titles. I can certainly see why it was banned. It is jarring. The "poems" deal with death, dismemberment, murder, the devil, and so forth. Oh, and the alphabet. The illustrations are unnerving. That said, credit goes to the author for delivering on the promise of horror and learning. The book is important for being a cross-genre oddity in the world of children's books (though perhaps less so in days of yore? when the content of children's books was less... gentle?)
Whatever. I stand by my review. Go ahead and give this book a try - I doubt that your life will be better for it. (*Yeesh, too harsh?)
Whatever. I stand by my review. Go ahead and give this book a try - I doubt that your life will be better for it. (*Yeesh, too harsh?)
October 12, 2012
I feel like this is one of those books in search of an audience, to some extent. I mean, it superficially seems like a book that you read to young children. But do you want to have to explain to a too-young-to-read child what a hangman is? Nice art though.
I recommend checking out Spooky ABC, the updated version — it's got larger pictures and bright background colors which give it more visual pop.
I recommend checking out Spooky ABC, the updated version — it's got larger pictures and bright background colors which give it more visual pop.
October 18, 2018
A Halloween-themed alphacedarian picture book that features a poem for each letter. Most of the poems are too sophisticated to be understood by a child young enough to be learning the alphabet. This book would have worked better organized as a Halloween-themed poetry collection for older elementary-school readers, without the alphabetical words.
The oil paintings are wonderfully spooky, but many of the backgrounds are too dark to work well for picture book illustrations. This picture book is frequently banned due to the references to death and Satan.
The oil paintings are wonderfully spooky, but many of the backgrounds are too dark to work well for picture book illustrations. This picture book is frequently banned due to the references to death and Satan.
July 9, 2022
As many of my friends know, Halloween is my FAVORITE Holiday! When I learned that Eve Merriam had a Halloween ABC book out, I knew I wanted to take a peek. I'm so glad I did! This book is dark and creepy, and at times downright macabre for a children's ABC poetry book. The artwork provided by Lane Smith only adds to the creepiness.
As an added note, I recently learned this is one of the most Challenged and Banned books for children, because of some of the poems, such as the poem about Demons calling upon Satan, Mephistopheles, Lucifer, and Beelzebub.
As an added note, I recently learned this is one of the most Challenged and Banned books for children, because of some of the poems, such as the poem about Demons calling upon Satan, Mephistopheles, Lucifer, and Beelzebub.
October 14, 2018
This book was selected as one of the books for the October 2018- Halloween discussion at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
June 4, 2015
what a strange book....
September 23, 2019
Banned book for banned book week and Halloween mood setter all in one!! This was excellent, but more of a book of poems than a book for children, and definitely NOT an ABC book as people have mistakenly thought. That is, unless you're the Addams Family, then carry on. This is right up your alley.
October 31, 2015
This is a very atmospheric little book, with different spooky poems and pictures for each letter of the alphabet. The poems are quite clever; the rhyme schemes change as you read along, which is sometimes disorienting, but adds variety. My only reservation about this book is that some of the content seems more mature (various deaths, visits from Satan and fiends) whereas the alphabet theme seems to imply a younger audience. But I suppose the alphabet is ageless (as Sue Grafton has been proving for years).
June 18, 2018
This is an ABC book based on Hallowe'en, and for each letter is a strange and creepy short poem.
December 28, 2018
it made sense after the fact that this was a book of illustrations that poems were written for rather than vice versa
October 24, 2023
Twenty-six spooky poems from author Eve Merriam, one for each letter of the alphabet, are paired with intensely creepy illustrations from artist Lane Smith in this marvelous Halloween picture book. From Apple—"Apple, / sweet apple, / what do you hide? / Wormy and / squirmy, / rotten inside"—to Zero—"Round blank / Round blank / Only bubbles / mark where it sank"—the poems here are dark, capturing the more disturbing, frightening aspect of the holiday. The accompanying artwork, done in oil paint, is perfectly suited to the text, and is likewise terrifying...
Originally published in 1987 as Halloween ABC, and then reprinted in a slightly revised format in 2002 as Spooky ABC —the text of the two titles is identical, with an afterword being added to the revised edition, as well as a somewhat different visual presentation of the artwork, now on colorful rather than cream backgrounds—this picture book is definitely on the scarier end, when it comes to seasonal fare for Halloween. According to the afterward in Spooky ABC (although it was Halloween ABC I checked out of my local library, I ended up reading both editions, accessing Spooky ABC via the Internet Archive), Lane Smith's artwork here came first, and was paired with Eve Merriam's poems after the fact, necessitating the changing of some of the paintings. As the afterword contained some of the artwork that was rejected from the initial title, I think on the whole I recommend seeking out Spooky ABC , even though I myself started with Halloween ABC. Leaving that aside, this was a very satisfying collection of poems for the season, sure to give readers and listeners a chill. I would recommend it for slightly older audiences, than would normally consume a picture book of this level, given the themes explored. Perhaps six or seven and above? As for me, I am already a Lane Smith admirer, but will definitely try to seek out more poetry from Eve Merriam.
Originally published in 1987 as Halloween ABC, and then reprinted in a slightly revised format in 2002 as Spooky ABC —the text of the two titles is identical, with an afterword being added to the revised edition, as well as a somewhat different visual presentation of the artwork, now on colorful rather than cream backgrounds—this picture book is definitely on the scarier end, when it comes to seasonal fare for Halloween. According to the afterward in Spooky ABC (although it was Halloween ABC I checked out of my local library, I ended up reading both editions, accessing Spooky ABC via the Internet Archive), Lane Smith's artwork here came first, and was paired with Eve Merriam's poems after the fact, necessitating the changing of some of the paintings. As the afterword contained some of the artwork that was rejected from the initial title, I think on the whole I recommend seeking out Spooky ABC , even though I myself started with Halloween ABC. Leaving that aside, this was a very satisfying collection of poems for the season, sure to give readers and listeners a chill. I would recommend it for slightly older audiences, than would normally consume a picture book of this level, given the themes explored. Perhaps six or seven and above? As for me, I am already a Lane Smith admirer, but will definitely try to seek out more poetry from Eve Merriam.
October 21, 2023
It gladdens my heart to see this banned book, displease, offend, and unnerve conservatives; to disquiet the prudish, and those who wish to perpetuate oatmeal-beige-bland-uncreative-quotidian "art."
A Halloween themed abecedarian poetry & illustration book. Well, it's at lease disguised as such, because older kids--and adults--will enjoy the rhymes and pictures, too!
A creepy poem for each letter of the alphabet accompanied by a macabre illustration makes for all the right sorts of ghoulish, spooky vibes.
Will young children learning their ABCs understand all the poems? Of course not; but comprehension is not always most paramount relative to initial exposure, and enjoyment.
The uncanny illustrations are sure to excite and shock the imagination; while the poems themselves will feed creative minds with autumnal and All Hallow's Eve ghastly delights.
This book has been banned by Christian groups who seek to limit values, ideas, and images that do not conform to their interpretations of the will of some divine being that they worship. This is at best unacceptable, and at worst, the machinations of a theo-fascist political movement.
Why has it been banned? Some references to death, Satan/the devil/Lucifer/Beelzebub, demons--most from one single poem. Funny, those things are spoken of throughout the bible numerous times--but for some reason it's bad in this book, but not in their 'sacred' books. Hypocrisy and facts have never stopped dogmatism.
Mostly the poems refer to halloween-type things not of interest to anti-intellectual religious people; namely, apples, bats, ghosts, haunted houses, icicles, pumpkins, keys, masks, owls, witches, etc.
A Halloween themed abecedarian poetry & illustration book. Well, it's at lease disguised as such, because older kids--and adults--will enjoy the rhymes and pictures, too!
A creepy poem for each letter of the alphabet accompanied by a macabre illustration makes for all the right sorts of ghoulish, spooky vibes.
Will young children learning their ABCs understand all the poems? Of course not; but comprehension is not always most paramount relative to initial exposure, and enjoyment.
The uncanny illustrations are sure to excite and shock the imagination; while the poems themselves will feed creative minds with autumnal and All Hallow's Eve ghastly delights.
This book has been banned by Christian groups who seek to limit values, ideas, and images that do not conform to their interpretations of the will of some divine being that they worship. This is at best unacceptable, and at worst, the machinations of a theo-fascist political movement.
Why has it been banned? Some references to death, Satan/the devil/Lucifer/Beelzebub, demons--most from one single poem. Funny, those things are spoken of throughout the bible numerous times--but for some reason it's bad in this book, but not in their 'sacred' books. Hypocrisy and facts have never stopped dogmatism.
Mostly the poems refer to halloween-type things not of interest to anti-intellectual religious people; namely, apples, bats, ghosts, haunted houses, icicles, pumpkins, keys, masks, owls, witches, etc.
August 31, 2020
"Halloween ABC" by Eve Merriam is a book that compares all of the letters of the alphabet too spooky, creepy things that remind you of Halloween. For example, the letter C stands for "Crawlers" in the book. Using dark images and mostly neutral colors for the illustrations, it reminds us all of what Halloween is. The illustrations are also realistic, not very cartoonish making the creepiness that much realer. I think this book would be great for elementary students. Teachers can read this to their students to get them ready and excited for Halloween. I would encourage teachers and friends to read this book when it is close to Halloween to their kids/ students in preperation for Halloween festivities.
September 11, 2019
I chose to read this book because I am a big fan of halloween, as most kids are. The author did a fantastic job writing this book by adding a poem that was spooky but fun to each letter of the alphabet. Also, the illustrations to the book were very descriptive and powerful. When a child is reading a book, they sometimes need pictures to help them get a feel for the book as a whole. I think this book would be great for all elementary aged kids. I enjoyed reading this as a 21 year old so I am sure even the older elementary students would love to read.
September 27, 2019
I want to say up front that parents need to know if their younger kids can handle this book. It is spooky and most kids will love it. The rhymes are fantastic and gruesome and the illustrations are weird and great. It does talk about nooses and creatures coming after you and I thought it might be better as a j fiction book like Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich by Adam Rex. But some kids can handle books like this.
It is a banned/challenged book for "frightening violent". Kids and adults love being scared and this book it a great way to do that. I loved it.
It is a banned/challenged book for "frightening violent". Kids and adults love being scared and this book it a great way to do that. I loved it.
September 30, 2025
I give this 5 stars for creativity, 4.5 for art, but I really don't see this being the alphabet book for little kids. Some of the imagery is quite angry, and to start with "A" for apples that are "delicious, malicious, one bite and you're dead" might scare little ones from thinking apples are ok to eat. There are also words in the book that most pre-k children won't understand such as the reference to a place being "infernally hot".
It's creative and entertaining, but not for little ones in my opinion.
It's creative and entertaining, but not for little ones in my opinion.
September 29, 2018
Found an old copy of this book at a thrift store and I am so glad that I bought it! What a GREAT little book to get the young (or young at heart) in the mood for the Halloween season with a touch of witty poetry and Beautiful illustrations! Great children's poetry book to have in any book collection!
October 2, 2023
The poems and art are both genuinely dark. The poems are imaginative in a disturbed sort of way, as an adult I liked it, but if this had been read to me as a child it would have been traumatic. Despite being an ABC picture book, I think this book would generally be more appropriate for and attractive to teenagers.
November 6, 2017
I can definitely see why this book is seen as controversial because it does have a lot of dark, and violent meanings throughout it. However, I think that it would be a fun and interesting book to share with older elementary school students (4th-5th graders) during the month of October.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews