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Bunnicula #7
Bunnicula Meets Edgar Allan Crow
The Monroe house is going mad with excitement. Pete has just won a contest, and the prize is a school visit from none other than M. T. Graves, Pete's idol and the bestselling author of the FleshCrawlers series. He's even going to stay with the Monroes while he's visiting! Harold and Howie are thrilled, but Chester the cat is suspicious. Why does Graves dress all in black? Why doesn't the beady-eyed crow perched on his shoulder say anything? Why has a threatening flock of crows invaded the backyard? And most worrisome of In each of the FleshCrawlers books, why does something bad always happen to the pets? Suddenly, Graves's interest in all of the animals -- especially Bunnicula -- looks far from innocent. It's up to Chester, Harold, and Howie to find out if M. T. Graves and Edgar Allan Crow are really devising a plot to make their beloved bunny. . . NEVERMORE.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published August 29, 2006
36 people are currently reading
1344 people want to read
About the author
James Howe
218 books459 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
James Howe has written more than eighty books in the thirty-plus years he's been writing for young readers. It sometimes confuses people that the author of the humorous Bunnicula series also wrote the dark young adult novel, The Watcher, or such beginning reader series as Pinky and Rex and the E.B. White Read Aloud Award-winning Houndsley and Catina and its sequels. But from the beginning of his career (which came about somewhat by accident after asking himself what kind of vampire a rabbit might make), he has been most interested in letting his imagination take him in whatever direction it cared to. So far, his imagination has led him to picture books, such as I Wish I Were a Butterfly and Brontorina (about a dinosaur who dreams of being a ballerina), mysteries, poetry (in the upcoming Addie on the Inside), and fiction that deals with issues that matter deeply to him. He is especially proud of The Misfits, which inspired national No Name-Calling Week (www.nonamecallingweek.org) and its sequel Totally Joe. He does not know where his imagination will take him in the next thirty-plus years, but he is looking forward to finding out.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
James Howe has written more than eighty books in the thirty-plus years he's been writing for young readers. It sometimes confuses people that the author of the humorous Bunnicula series also wrote the dark young adult novel, The Watcher, or such beginning reader series as Pinky and Rex and the E.B. White Read Aloud Award-winning Houndsley and Catina and its sequels. But from the beginning of his career (which came about somewhat by accident after asking himself what kind of vampire a rabbit might make), he has been most interested in letting his imagination take him in whatever direction it cared to. So far, his imagination has led him to picture books, such as I Wish I Were a Butterfly and Brontorina (about a dinosaur who dreams of being a ballerina), mysteries, poetry (in the upcoming Addie on the Inside), and fiction that deals with issues that matter deeply to him. He is especially proud of The Misfits, which inspired national No Name-Calling Week (www.nonamecallingweek.org) and its sequel Totally Joe. He does not know where his imagination will take him in the next thirty-plus years, but he is looking forward to finding out.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 201 reviews
November 18, 2018
fulfilling my vow to read all the sequels i never knew existed to books i loved when i was little.
THIS IS THE END
this is both the final bunnicula book and the final book by “harold x.” after this, there's a series called “tales from the house of bunnicula,” but bunnicula does not appear in these books, and they are ‘written’ by howie. not james howie, but howie the little wirehaired dachshund who is maybe-maybe not part werewolf. i’m not going to be reading any of those - i feel i’ve upheld my end of my vow to read the bunnicula sequels, but i will miss that little bunny, even though he’s barely in the books to begin with.
bunnicula does appear in this one, and i guess he technically meets edgar allan crow, but not to the extent that this crow face-off depicted on the cover seems to promise. however, this final volume does answer the questions i’d been asking myself ever since Nighty-Nightmare’s BIG REVEAL that somewhere in centerville, there were baby bunniculas hopping around. (my questions being WHERE ARE THESE BABY BUNNICULAS? and ARE WE EVER GOING TO HEAR MORE ABOUT OR SEE ANY OF THESE BABY BUNNICULAS?)
answer key:
1) kyle’s house
2) yes
3) no.
bonus fact: one of the boy bunnies is named “Sonnicula,” BECAUSE HE IS THE SON OF BUNNICULA.
it’s a weird little book and i’m not sure what to pull out of it for review purposes - i doubt anyone is ever even going to read this review so it doesn’t matter WHAT i do here.
so, with that freedom, a review made up of random, scattered thoughts:
pete has a cell phone. this blows my mind. obviously, kids in books today will have cell phones. but the veryfirst bunnicula book was published in 1979, and i read it some years after that, but still many years before the industrial revolution would give us cellphones. pete talking on a cell phone feels anachronistic, even though it isn’t, and it just messes with my mind to see characters familiar to me from my childhood acting all modern.
also messing with my mind is that fact that this seventh volume pubbed in 2006, and the cell-phone-having pete is only twelve years old. which means that bunnicula in all likelihood is NOT the vegetable-sucking vegan vampire we have been led to believe, but has turnt the entire monroe family into never-aging minions, probably long ago.
so, plot: pete wins an essay contest with what is an objectively meandering essay, and the prize is that his favorite writer, m.t. graves, is coming to speak to his class! and… stay at his house. with his pet crow. this is a weird contest, but a genius move for thrifty or financially-challenged authors - just couch-surf your way through your fans.
m.t. graves, in addition to having a dorky pen name, is an r.l. stine type, who looks like WHAT IF NEIL GAIMAN WAS TIM BURTON AND ALSO JIMMY PAGE?
i appreciate this second acknowledgment in the post-trilogy world of bunnicula that maybe toby’s weekly habit of feeding harold chocolate is not commendable:
the above is extracted from pete’s essay, which you can see for yourself is both not an award-winning essay and also rude. RUDE. (also rude is an author inviting himself to stay at your house and then asking to keep one of your pets at the end of it. rude.)
footnote to that essay-excerpt - harold eats broccoli in this book, which feels exactly like he is getting the cookie monster contemporary reform treatment.
chester makes spreadsheets. this just makes me happy.
this book has many biiirrrrds in it and it is terrifying:
many remarks are made about the movie The Birds and references to birds pecking out people’s eyes which i think is as important a PSA as the “maybe don’t feed your dogs chocolate” one.
why have i never had a pretzel-crust jello mold with pineapple chunks in it? what is my life even for?
bunnicula is very cute when he sleeps, although he is also made vulnerable by sleeping through such danger, with all those birrrds around him. protect him, toby!
boundaries dissolve: james howe name-drops himself in this book, referenced as a popular children’s book author, and m.t. graves complains about the popularity of a certain “boy wizard” hurting his book sales.
what else do i have to say about this book? i guess nothing!
come to my blog!
THIS IS THE END
this is both the final bunnicula book and the final book by “harold x.” after this, there's a series called “tales from the house of bunnicula,” but bunnicula does not appear in these books, and they are ‘written’ by howie. not james howie, but howie the little wirehaired dachshund who is maybe-maybe not part werewolf. i’m not going to be reading any of those - i feel i’ve upheld my end of my vow to read the bunnicula sequels, but i will miss that little bunny, even though he’s barely in the books to begin with.
bunnicula does appear in this one, and i guess he technically meets edgar allan crow, but not to the extent that this crow face-off depicted on the cover seems to promise. however, this final volume does answer the questions i’d been asking myself ever since Nighty-Nightmare’s BIG REVEAL that somewhere in centerville, there were baby bunniculas hopping around. (my questions being WHERE ARE THESE BABY BUNNICULAS? and ARE WE EVER GOING TO HEAR MORE ABOUT OR SEE ANY OF THESE BABY BUNNICULAS?)
answer key:
1) kyle’s house
2) yes
3) no.
bonus fact: one of the boy bunnies is named “Sonnicula,” BECAUSE HE IS THE SON OF BUNNICULA.
it’s a weird little book and i’m not sure what to pull out of it for review purposes - i doubt anyone is ever even going to read this review so it doesn’t matter WHAT i do here.
so, with that freedom, a review made up of random, scattered thoughts:
pete has a cell phone. this blows my mind. obviously, kids in books today will have cell phones. but the veryfirst bunnicula book was published in 1979, and i read it some years after that, but still many years before the industrial revolution would give us cellphones. pete talking on a cell phone feels anachronistic, even though it isn’t, and it just messes with my mind to see characters familiar to me from my childhood acting all modern.
also messing with my mind is that fact that this seventh volume pubbed in 2006, and the cell-phone-having pete is only twelve years old. which means that bunnicula in all likelihood is NOT the vegetable-sucking vegan vampire we have been led to believe, but has turnt the entire monroe family into never-aging minions, probably long ago.
so, plot: pete wins an essay contest with what is an objectively meandering essay, and the prize is that his favorite writer, m.t. graves, is coming to speak to his class! and… stay at his house. with his pet crow. this is a weird contest, but a genius move for thrifty or financially-challenged authors - just couch-surf your way through your fans.
m.t. graves, in addition to having a dorky pen name, is an r.l. stine type, who looks like WHAT IF NEIL GAIMAN WAS TIM BURTON AND ALSO JIMMY PAGE?
i appreciate this second acknowledgment in the post-trilogy world of bunnicula that maybe toby’s weekly habit of feeding harold chocolate is not commendable:
”’My brother Toby gives Harold chocolate treats, which everybody knows you’re not supposed to do, because chocolate can make dogs sick. I don’t think it has hurt Harold, though, except maybe in the brains department. He’s no Einstein, if you know what I mean.’”
the above is extracted from pete’s essay, which you can see for yourself is both not an award-winning essay and also rude. RUDE. (also rude is an author inviting himself to stay at your house and then asking to keep one of your pets at the end of it. rude.)
footnote to that essay-excerpt - harold eats broccoli in this book, which feels exactly like he is getting the cookie monster contemporary reform treatment.
chester makes spreadsheets. this just makes me happy.
this book has many biiirrrrds in it and it is terrifying:
All at once there was the most alarming racket coming from our backyard. It sounded like the caws of a thousand crows. When we ran to look out the dining room window, my speculation was confirmed. There, filling the yard like a black cloud, were more crows than I’d ever seen in one place, screeching raucously as they swooped from tree to tree. Their presence made the dark sky even darker.
many remarks are made about the movie The Birds and references to birds pecking out people’s eyes which i think is as important a PSA as the “maybe don’t feed your dogs chocolate” one.
why have i never had a pretzel-crust jello mold with pineapple chunks in it? what is my life even for?
bunnicula is very cute when he sleeps, although he is also made vulnerable by sleeping through such danger, with all those birrrds around him. protect him, toby!
boundaries dissolve: james howe name-drops himself in this book, referenced as a popular children’s book author, and m.t. graves complains about the popularity of a certain “boy wizard” hurting his book sales.
what else do i have to say about this book? i guess nothing!
come to my blog!
July 22, 2020
A weird and worthy conclusion to the series. Probably in the top three for the series for my son, who is a man of discerning taste (unlike his father).
August 11, 2019
Adorable as usual and the ending was just perfect for the book and the series. ❤️❤️❤️
Perfect for younger (and even older) readers to enjoy!
Perfect for younger (and even older) readers to enjoy!
September 19, 2017
I read most of this series as a child. There were some really great puns in this book and I love puns. Chester the Cat is very paranoid and Harold the dog is our narrator. Everyone is worried that Bunnicula is going to be kidnapped by the author of popular creepy animal books M. T. Graves. There are some cute things in the story and now that I'm an adult the story is rather simple. Good memories though. I do like that James Howe referenced himself with J. K. Rowling; hey why not. I think kids 7-10 will still like this story. Who doesn't love talking animals.
September 11, 2011
I was a bookish child. You’re all astonished, I know. But my access to books was extremely limited. This was, of course, before ebooks, so my options were to con someone into reading aloud to me (very limiting and not sustainable), trying to get something in Braille (very unlikely and extremely expensive), or hoping I could get an audiobook from my local library (usually abridged down to a third its proper length, and of course this was back before the audiobook industry actually existed in any meaningful way).
The National Library Service was my voice in the wilderness. They recorded books! Full length! And mailed them to me and let me read them for free! My mother ordered for me when I was very little, but I took over pretty fast – when I was seven or eight, maybe. The cassettes (and records, I am not kidding about this, I grew up in the 90’s and I still had to read books on vinyl) would come in the mail, in these distinctive snap plastic cases. I remember once I was hanging out with my best friend in second or third grade. We were having fun, doing kid things, and then the mail came, and there were books! Ten of them all at once that I’d never read before! (One of them was Jane Langton’s A Diamond in the window, which I would subsequently read roughly a biollionty times, I remember that very distinctly). And my friend was like, “so we’re going rollerblading, like we said?” And I was like, “no, I have books, you need to go home now,” and I kicked her out so I could read.
Anyway. The actual point is, the National Library Service is catching up with the twenty-first century ten or twelve years late, and digitizing the collection for download. Which means not only am I getting access to high-quality audiobooks again (I gave up on the cassettes years ago), but I’m also getting access to old favorites, read in the same old, loved voices. Certain passages of things I can mentally replay twenty years later, down to the last intonation.
The Bunnicula books are like that. I wore those tapes out. Harold the writerly dog, Chester the imaginatively paranoid cat. Bunnicula the vampire bunny, Howie the hapless puppy, all their misfortunes and adventures. That time Chester the Cat tried to steak Bunnicula with, you know, a steak. That time they all got boarded while the family was on vacation and there were so many shenanigans.
This is the last book in that series. I didn’t read it as a kid because it only came out in 2006. I downloaded it from the NLS today. I had oral surgery last week, and I’m having the sort of bad recovery that involves bad narcotics reactions, work emergencies, and torn stitches. (It’s a special moment when you find yourself frantically typing on your Blackberry as you spit blood into the sink in the bathroom at work. Oh, and there was that part where I had to walk 8 blocks post torn stitches because 3 cabs in a row illegally refused to serve me and my service dog. My loathing for my fellow man, it grows.) So I think getting this book comes from the same impulse that saw me making mac-&-cheese to painfully eat a few days ago. Comfort food.
And . . . aww. All of them. Chester’s wild theories, and Howie the puppy who is just so very dumb. One of the kids in the family wins a contest, and gets a visit from the author of his favorite scary books. And the story is about creativity, about where imagination comes from, and how that’s not always a good place. It’s funny in the kid slapstick way of these books, but a little sad around the edges, because it’s Harold’s last book. He’s getting old, you see.
I’m almost glad this one wasn’t around when I was eight. I would have read it again and again, I would have loved it, but I wouldn’t have understood it, not really. Not the Poe references, or the sadness.
The National Library Service was my voice in the wilderness. They recorded books! Full length! And mailed them to me and let me read them for free! My mother ordered for me when I was very little, but I took over pretty fast – when I was seven or eight, maybe. The cassettes (and records, I am not kidding about this, I grew up in the 90’s and I still had to read books on vinyl) would come in the mail, in these distinctive snap plastic cases. I remember once I was hanging out with my best friend in second or third grade. We were having fun, doing kid things, and then the mail came, and there were books! Ten of them all at once that I’d never read before! (One of them was Jane Langton’s A Diamond in the window, which I would subsequently read roughly a biollionty times, I remember that very distinctly). And my friend was like, “so we’re going rollerblading, like we said?” And I was like, “no, I have books, you need to go home now,” and I kicked her out so I could read.
Anyway. The actual point is, the National Library Service is catching up with the twenty-first century ten or twelve years late, and digitizing the collection for download. Which means not only am I getting access to high-quality audiobooks again (I gave up on the cassettes years ago), but I’m also getting access to old favorites, read in the same old, loved voices. Certain passages of things I can mentally replay twenty years later, down to the last intonation.
The Bunnicula books are like that. I wore those tapes out. Harold the writerly dog, Chester the imaginatively paranoid cat. Bunnicula the vampire bunny, Howie the hapless puppy, all their misfortunes and adventures. That time Chester the Cat tried to steak Bunnicula with, you know, a steak. That time they all got boarded while the family was on vacation and there were so many shenanigans.
This is the last book in that series. I didn’t read it as a kid because it only came out in 2006. I downloaded it from the NLS today. I had oral surgery last week, and I’m having the sort of bad recovery that involves bad narcotics reactions, work emergencies, and torn stitches. (It’s a special moment when you find yourself frantically typing on your Blackberry as you spit blood into the sink in the bathroom at work. Oh, and there was that part where I had to walk 8 blocks post torn stitches because 3 cabs in a row illegally refused to serve me and my service dog. My loathing for my fellow man, it grows.) So I think getting this book comes from the same impulse that saw me making mac-&-cheese to painfully eat a few days ago. Comfort food.
And . . . aww. All of them. Chester’s wild theories, and Howie the puppy who is just so very dumb. One of the kids in the family wins a contest, and gets a visit from the author of his favorite scary books. And the story is about creativity, about where imagination comes from, and how that’s not always a good place. It’s funny in the kid slapstick way of these books, but a little sad around the edges, because it’s Harold’s last book. He’s getting old, you see.
I’m almost glad this one wasn’t around when I was eight. I would have read it again and again, I would have loved it, but I wouldn’t have understood it, not really. Not the Poe references, or the sadness.
January 26, 2022
Ugh. Why oh why do we get a different narrator on the FINAL book of the series?! What?! I was so disappointed by that. So it made this book hard to get into because the characters' voices were not the same. And I didn't love the story line. It was okay but nothing stellar for the final book of the series.
May 31, 2023
More of a 4 in comparison to the rest of the series ONLY because there is a different narrator in the audiobooks for this last book and I hate that! 😭 The characters sound different and it just felt weird to listen to but the story itself was still great so I’m still giving it a 5.
February 14, 2015
These books are such fun, light reads with a morbid twist.
February 1, 2017
Well, it's been a wild ride, guys. When I went to reread Bunnicula I only had the vague idea that a sequel existed, and never imagined the series would be 7 books long. I also never imagined the the series would be such a beautiful, and ultimately effective series at detailing how people change over time and some of the deeper ways relationships evolve. It's a great series from start to finish, and one I'm glad kids have. Bunnicula Meets Edgar Allan Crow was a beautiful end to it all, and a great book about writing.
When Pete wins the FleshCrawlers write-in contest and gets M.T. Graves to visit his town nobody expected that he'd want to stay with them, nor that he'd bring along his faithful companion Edgar Allan Crow. Chester, knee-deep in his own neurotic tendencies, things there's something off with the author. Graves seems to have taken an unhealthy interest in Bunnicula, after all, and why is it every animal in the FleshCrawlers series ends up a victim. Could he be up to no good? And beyond that, just what's in the bag he won't let anyone touch, and what does he mean when he says he writes from his own personal experiences...?
This is a good book about writing, and how much people change over time. I was touched by revelation about Graves, and more than a little moved by the whole Edgar Allan Crow arc. The Editor's Notes, likewise, were read with just a touch of melancholy as it now truly is over. Harold is getting old, after all, and change isn't always a bad thing. We learn, and we grow, and somehow we always tend to get by all right.
What a great journey for anyone willing to take it. I'm so glad books exist.
When Pete wins the FleshCrawlers write-in contest and gets M.T. Graves to visit his town nobody expected that he'd want to stay with them, nor that he'd bring along his faithful companion Edgar Allan Crow. Chester, knee-deep in his own neurotic tendencies, things there's something off with the author. Graves seems to have taken an unhealthy interest in Bunnicula, after all, and why is it every animal in the FleshCrawlers series ends up a victim. Could he be up to no good? And beyond that, just what's in the bag he won't let anyone touch, and what does he mean when he says he writes from his own personal experiences...?
This is a good book about writing, and how much people change over time. I was touched by revelation about Graves, and more than a little moved by the whole Edgar Allan Crow arc. The Editor's Notes, likewise, were read with just a touch of melancholy as it now truly is over. Harold is getting old, after all, and change isn't always a bad thing. We learn, and we grow, and somehow we always tend to get by all right.
What a great journey for anyone willing to take it. I'm so glad books exist.
November 13, 2015
We loved this whole series. The girls and I laughed at several spots and got really attached to the characters. I am certain that the girls will reread this series over and over again as they grow. (And I'm glad I had an excuse to read it myself, because it's a super cute children's series)
June 14, 2010
This book contains the Ultimate Koan: To eat chocolate...alone...behind a closed door...had it come to this?
---
My review? Well, I'll just copy-and-paste what I e-mailed to a friend earlier this morning:
I read Bunnicula Meets Edgar Allan Crowe last night and...in its way...it was sad. It is the capstone to the series, as Howard (the dog) can no longer write because of arthritis: but he had to tell this final tale. :(
Chester is as insane as usual. And Edgar Allan Crow turns out to be quite (wait, did I misspell "crow" there? As in Cameron Crowe? Counting Crowe? Haw! Caw! Caw! Taking flight into the vanilla skies of long decembers) the bright bird.
For now, let's nevermind evermore the fact that M.T. Graves - while supposedly a stand-in for R.L. Stine is actually illustrated to resemble Neil Gaiman.
The only desperate part of the book - where the author reaches - is in the last sentence of his thumbnail biography on the last page:
He lives in New York and shares his home with one dog; two cats; his partner Mark; and when she comes to visit, his grown-up daughter, Zoey.
Okay. Wow. Your ma could learn a thing or two about Booking a Guilt Trip from James Howe. Yowza.
---
My review? Well, I'll just copy-and-paste what I e-mailed to a friend earlier this morning:
I read Bunnicula Meets Edgar Allan Crowe last night and...in its way...it was sad. It is the capstone to the series, as Howard (the dog) can no longer write because of arthritis: but he had to tell this final tale. :(
Chester is as insane as usual. And Edgar Allan Crow turns out to be quite (wait, did I misspell "crow" there? As in Cameron Crowe? Counting Crowe? Haw! Caw! Caw! Taking flight into the vanilla skies of long decembers) the bright bird.
For now, let's nevermind evermore the fact that M.T. Graves - while supposedly a stand-in for R.L. Stine is actually illustrated to resemble Neil Gaiman.
The only desperate part of the book - where the author reaches - is in the last sentence of his thumbnail biography on the last page:
He lives in New York and shares his home with one dog; two cats; his partner Mark; and when she comes to visit, his grown-up daughter, Zoey.
Okay. Wow. Your ma could learn a thing or two about Booking a Guilt Trip from James Howe. Yowza.
October 6, 2015
What a delightfully twisted and entertaining tale!
I haven't picked up a Bunnicula tale in quite a long time. When I spotted this on the Halloween Library shelf, I felt compelled to take it home with me. (Some magic perpetrated by Bunnicula, maybe?)
Bunnicula doesn't have a huge role in this, as, (if I remember correctly), he didn't in the other two books I've read. The story centers around a cat, a couple of dogs, their human owners, and a mysterious author of children's horror stories who visits them; and yet, Bunnicula is certainly a driving force.
Chester, the ever-persistent and suspicious cat, urges Harold (a dog who only wants to sleep and eat), to do all he can to save Bunnicula from certain doom. What follows is a series of missteps, mishaps, and rather funny moments culminating in a few secrets being revealed.
I haven't picked up a Bunnicula tale in quite a long time. When I spotted this on the Halloween Library shelf, I felt compelled to take it home with me. (Some magic perpetrated by Bunnicula, maybe?)
Bunnicula doesn't have a huge role in this, as, (if I remember correctly), he didn't in the other two books I've read. The story centers around a cat, a couple of dogs, their human owners, and a mysterious author of children's horror stories who visits them; and yet, Bunnicula is certainly a driving force.
Chester, the ever-persistent and suspicious cat, urges Harold (a dog who only wants to sleep and eat), to do all he can to save Bunnicula from certain doom. What follows is a series of missteps, mishaps, and rather funny moments culminating in a few secrets being revealed.
October 27, 2019
This series is just adorable. I think the author was wise in knowing when to finish strong. But Bunnicula, Chester, Harold, and Howie will live in our hearts forever!
I'd rate this book a PG.
I'd rate this book a PG.
June 18, 2024
Bunnicula Meets Edgar Allan Crow by James Howe is the final book in the entertaining middle-grade Bunnicula series. Pete has won a contest, and the prize is a visit to his school from M.T. Graves, Pete's favorite author of the best-selling Fleshcrawlers series. The Monroe family is thrilled because M.T. Graves plans to stay with them while he is in town. Harold and Howie are excited, in particular Howie since he is also a fan of the Fleshcrawlers series. Of course, Chester is convinced they are all doomed because M. T. Graves is bringing his pet crow, Edgar Allan Crow. According to Chester, crows are omens. It does not take long for Chester to become suspicious of their dark and brooding guest, who appears to have a keen interest in the Monroe pets, especially Bunnicula.
In spite of this novel being the last in the series, I was excited to finally read this story. I was so curious to see what James Howe had in store next for our furry friends living in the Monroe household. I am a HUGE fan of Edgar Allan Poe, so it warmed my heart that M.T. Graves's pet crow is named Edgar Allan Crow. I love the play on words in the title as well as the literary references, including the author's reference to himself. Like the last two novels, this story is a bit more serious but touching with melancholy undertones surrounding the mysterious author. This tale is about experiencing change when entering a new stage of life, facing fears, and feeling inspired to try something new. I also find it refreshing that Chester now looks out for Bunnicula alongside Harold and Howie instead of finding ways to get rid of Bunnicula.
James Howe’s storytelling is superb. Eric Fortune is responsible for the impressive illustrations. Patrick Mulvihill narrated the last audiobook in the series. Kudos to him for doing a decent job but he is no Victor Garber. This book is well-written and has plenty of humor, heart, mystery, and adventure. I love knowing where the characters ended up and what their future plans entailed, including the editor of Harold's books. What a satisfying ending to such a gratifying middle-grade book series! These four furballs will forever have a special place in my heart. And, I am looking forward to reading more adventures in the Bunnicula universe.
In spite of this novel being the last in the series, I was excited to finally read this story. I was so curious to see what James Howe had in store next for our furry friends living in the Monroe household. I am a HUGE fan of Edgar Allan Poe, so it warmed my heart that M.T. Graves's pet crow is named Edgar Allan Crow. I love the play on words in the title as well as the literary references, including the author's reference to himself. Like the last two novels, this story is a bit more serious but touching with melancholy undertones surrounding the mysterious author. This tale is about experiencing change when entering a new stage of life, facing fears, and feeling inspired to try something new. I also find it refreshing that Chester now looks out for Bunnicula alongside Harold and Howie instead of finding ways to get rid of Bunnicula.
James Howe’s storytelling is superb. Eric Fortune is responsible for the impressive illustrations. Patrick Mulvihill narrated the last audiobook in the series. Kudos to him for doing a decent job but he is no Victor Garber. This book is well-written and has plenty of humor, heart, mystery, and adventure. I love knowing where the characters ended up and what their future plans entailed, including the editor of Harold's books. What a satisfying ending to such a gratifying middle-grade book series! These four furballs will forever have a special place in my heart. And, I am looking forward to reading more adventures in the Bunnicula universe.
May 2, 2022
Can it get better than Bunnicula meeting a crow named Edgar Allan Crow? No!
December 26, 2025
The final Bunnicula volume was a pretty fun read if not a spectacular one that finally answered a few lingering questions, set the emotional stakes and perfectly get us to the finish line.
February 12, 2013
"Bunnicula is the kind of story that does not age, and in all probability, will never die. Or stay dead, anyway..." Neil Gaiman
"Bunnicula was one funny, scary, must-read vampire bunny when he first showed up. He hasn't changed a bit. Very scary. Very funny." Jon Scieszka
"As a kid, I saw the classic movie Dracula and became instantly afraid of vampires. Many years later, I read the classic children's book Bunnicula. Now- in addition to vampires- I am also afraid of bunnies. I hope you're happy Jim." Barbara Park
"James Howe is the king! Bunnicula rules!!!" Dav Pilkey
The above endorsements should give you an idea of how great this book is, as well as the entire series. Pete and Howie's favorite author, M.T. Graves (get it? empty graves?) is coming to stay with them and then speak at Pete's school. But he seems to have an odd and disturbing fascination with the Monroe's pets, especially Bunnicula. Does Mr. Graves have nefarious intents? Of course, Chester thinks so and once again enlists the help of Howard and Howie in uncovering Mr. Graves' evil plot.
First I would like to make a personal comment. M.T. Graves looks a lot like Neil Gaiman to me. Coincidence? Read the book and you can be the judge.
The last installment of the Bunnicula series was so good. M.T. Graves is a hilarious character. He is overly dramatic, even... when he... speaks. He loves... to make dramatic... pauses. Yeah, it's pretty funny. And I am only a little bit embarrassed to admit that I looked up M.T. Graves and FleshCrawlers to see if they were really books because they sounded so good. Unfortunately they are not. But they should be. I mean who can resist a book about steel-plated Crypto-Fleas sent from another- well I'm not sure from where because Chester cuts Howie short on that one.
Moving right along... I am sure you will be thrilled to know that the humor continues throughout the book:
Ahh, Howie never gets old. And that is not even the funniest part of the book. Trust me, you'll be giggling left and right.
Another thing I found myself doing is crying. Yes, you read the correctly. I got all weepy at the end and was a little embarrassed because I have been reading the series aloud with my 9 year old daughter. My voice started cracking and I began to sniffle. What happens at the end, combined with the fact that this is the last in the series, just sent me over the edge. I turned my head in an attempt to hide my teary eyes from my daughter; I think I pulled it off because she didn't seem to notice, although I did hear a suspicious sniffle or two from her, so maybe she had the same reaction.
As I have previously mentioned, I highly recommend this series; it is a wonderful series to read aloud with your children. It is intelligent and hilarious; my daughter and I frequently laughed out loud. I wish it would have never ended.
I would like to leave you with the following quote that I think sums up the entire series very well:
To answer the questions- all the time...
"Bunnicula was one funny, scary, must-read vampire bunny when he first showed up. He hasn't changed a bit. Very scary. Very funny." Jon Scieszka
"As a kid, I saw the classic movie Dracula and became instantly afraid of vampires. Many years later, I read the classic children's book Bunnicula. Now- in addition to vampires- I am also afraid of bunnies. I hope you're happy Jim." Barbara Park
"James Howe is the king! Bunnicula rules!!!" Dav Pilkey
The above endorsements should give you an idea of how great this book is, as well as the entire series. Pete and Howie's favorite author, M.T. Graves (get it? empty graves?) is coming to stay with them and then speak at Pete's school. But he seems to have an odd and disturbing fascination with the Monroe's pets, especially Bunnicula. Does Mr. Graves have nefarious intents? Of course, Chester thinks so and once again enlists the help of Howard and Howie in uncovering Mr. Graves' evil plot.
First I would like to make a personal comment. M.T. Graves looks a lot like Neil Gaiman to me. Coincidence? Read the book and you can be the judge.
The last installment of the Bunnicula series was so good. M.T. Graves is a hilarious character. He is overly dramatic, even... when he... speaks. He loves... to make dramatic... pauses. Yeah, it's pretty funny. And I am only a little bit embarrassed to admit that I looked up M.T. Graves and FleshCrawlers to see if they were really books because they sounded so good. Unfortunately they are not. But they should be. I mean who can resist a book about steel-plated Crypto-Fleas sent from another- well I'm not sure from where because Chester cuts Howie short on that one.
Moving right along... I am sure you will be thrilled to know that the humor continues throughout the book:
"They have plans for him, Harold. They wanted to see if he was as unusual as Pete's letter made him out to be. That's why Miles asked for undressed salad to be available at all times and for Bunnicula to be placed in his room."
Howie began giggling.
"What is so funny?" Chester asked.
"Undressed salad," Howie said, and the giggling got louder.
Ahh, Howie never gets old. And that is not even the funniest part of the book. Trust me, you'll be giggling left and right.
Another thing I found myself doing is crying. Yes, you read the correctly. I got all weepy at the end and was a little embarrassed because I have been reading the series aloud with my 9 year old daughter. My voice started cracking and I began to sniffle. What happens at the end, combined with the fact that this is the last in the series, just sent me over the edge. I turned my head in an attempt to hide my teary eyes from my daughter; I think I pulled it off because she didn't seem to notice, although I did hear a suspicious sniffle or two from her, so maybe she had the same reaction.
As I have previously mentioned, I highly recommend this series; it is a wonderful series to read aloud with your children. It is intelligent and hilarious; my daughter and I frequently laughed out loud. I wish it would have never ended.
I would like to leave you with the following quote that I think sums up the entire series very well:
Did you ever find yourself doing something that, even while you're doing it, you're asking yourself, "How did I get myself into this? Have I lost my mind?" Well this was one of those moments.
To answer the questions- all the time...
January 8, 2016
I have adored Bunnicula & the adventures of Harold and Chester for a long time. I read a lot as a kid, but no other book or series has held as much fondness for me over the years as these. So when I discovered that I had missed the stories that had come out once I made it to high school, I was overjoyed and picked up copies of all of the books to read them again. I wonder how many books from my youth would hold up as well to the memories as these have.
This was one of the books that I did not read when I was younger, but I think it very well may be one of the best books of the series. The idea of Edgar Allan Crow itself is genius, and the build up of the mystery surrounding the bird and the author M. T. Graves is very well done. The unrolling of all the mystery and the author's persona at the end however is even better.
Wrapping all of that though is yet another level of transformation. Harold's "editor" starts the story, wondering if he is making the right choice by moving from publishing to farming sheep. Then Harold shows up with a new manuscript, which ends up being his last as he passes the baton to Howie. Perhaps being older now I take more notice of these "passing of ages" in my own life, as I admit I wouldn't have paid much mind to this wrapping, in fact I often skipped "editor's notes" and such in the books I read. But reading this now, it was perfect.
This was one of the books that I did not read when I was younger, but I think it very well may be one of the best books of the series. The idea of Edgar Allan Crow itself is genius, and the build up of the mystery surrounding the bird and the author M. T. Graves is very well done. The unrolling of all the mystery and the author's persona at the end however is even better.
Wrapping all of that though is yet another level of transformation. Harold's "editor" starts the story, wondering if he is making the right choice by moving from publishing to farming sheep. Then Harold shows up with a new manuscript, which ends up being his last as he passes the baton to Howie. Perhaps being older now I take more notice of these "passing of ages" in my own life, as I admit I wouldn't have paid much mind to this wrapping, in fact I often skipped "editor's notes" and such in the books I read. But reading this now, it was perfect.
Read
February 20, 2013The theme of this book is "anything can be real" this is because there is a cat called chester and a dog called harold. chester is always telling scary story's from a book and harold does not no what to think. as chester is telling scary story's they find out that the author of the book that chester is reading from, is coming to the hotel that they are in. There is something very strange about him. he is always asking to have one on one time with chester and harold and so they find out there is something really strange about him!!!!!!!
December 29, 2016
A touching end to the series. There weren't really loose ends to tie up, but this book just feels feels like a suitable ending, like even though their lives go on, there's no more that really needs to be said.
They randomly changed readers for this audiobook so I read the printed version, but that was nice because it's illustrated, because it's a simple story and quick read, and because the book jacket mentions James Howe's partner and I never knew he'd come out.
They randomly changed readers for this audiobook so I read the printed version, but that was nice because it's illustrated, because it's a simple story and quick read, and because the book jacket mentions James Howe's partner and I never knew he'd come out.
May 5, 2019
Normally I would not be expecting much from a book written so long after the original series 'ended', but this was actually really enjoyable. It is a bit weird because it's longer than all the other ones and I don't care much for the new art style, but the plot itself is fun and I like that we get a book now where Chester is actively trying to 'help' Bunnicula instead of hurt him.
June 21, 2019
Compared to Bunnicula Strikes Again, which was originally meant to conclude the series, Bunnicula Meets Edgar Allan Crow feels like a bit of an anticlimactic end to the series. There are plenty of good ideas in it, but it fell flat for me in a way the others haven't, and diverged oddly from them by having the humans witness(but not really react to) some of the strange phenomena at the end.
The character of Edgar Allan Crow was a fun idea, but I would have liked him to feature more as a real character in the story. Instead, the main new character here is the author M.T. Graves, a character who gave me a great deal of secondhand embarrassment on his behalf. he is just a rather uncomfortable character to read about.
Chester for once appears to be thinking the most rationally out of everyone in this story, even though there turn out to be innocent explanations for M.T. Graves' odd behavior. I can understand the Monroe parents dismissing strange things like dehydrated vegetables and nocturnal rabbits, but I would have expected them to show a bit more critical thinking when it comes to a complete stranger inviting himself to stay in their house.
I still have very mixed feelings on this book, since it retains the lovable main characters and playful humor of the other stories, but I find Bunnicula Strikes Again to be much stronger as a series finale. Bunnicula Meets Edgar Allan Crow is a story younger Bunnicula fans will likely enjoy, but it doesn't hold up nearly as well as its predecessors.
The character of Edgar Allan Crow was a fun idea, but I would have liked him to feature more as a real character in the story. Instead, the main new character here is the author M.T. Graves, a character who gave me a great deal of secondhand embarrassment on his behalf. he is just a rather uncomfortable character to read about.
Chester for once appears to be thinking the most rationally out of everyone in this story, even though there turn out to be innocent explanations for M.T. Graves' odd behavior. I can understand the Monroe parents dismissing strange things like dehydrated vegetables and nocturnal rabbits, but I would have expected them to show a bit more critical thinking when it comes to a complete stranger inviting himself to stay in their house.
I still have very mixed feelings on this book, since it retains the lovable main characters and playful humor of the other stories, but I find Bunnicula Strikes Again to be much stronger as a series finale. Bunnicula Meets Edgar Allan Crow is a story younger Bunnicula fans will likely enjoy, but it doesn't hold up nearly as well as its predecessors.
September 1, 2019
This adorable story is the seventh in a series that I’d never heard of before, but I didn’t have any trouble picking up on the story or its characters. A Snape-y looking author of Goosebumps-style childrens lit and his creepy silent crow come to visit a young fan, whose household includes a menagerie of household pets, one of whom is the narrator. The pets are alarmed by the intense interest this author shows in Bunnicula, the family’s vegetarian vampiric bunny, and do their best to foil his nefarious plans, although they aren’t quite certain what “nefarious” means.
Disappointingly, Bunnicula doesn’t actually have much to do in this story, but it was still a lot of fun for this grown-up to read. I think little-girl-me would have loved it.
Audiobook, borrowed from my public library via Overdrive. Patrick Mulvihill’s reading was a little stilted, but effective.
I read this book for the Booklikes Halloween Bingo 2019, for the square Thirteen: Read any book that relates to bad luck, superstitions, including (but not limited to) black cats, ravens or crows, or the unlucky number 13, either in the title, series, book cover or page count. The pet crow for whom the story is named meets criteria for the square.
Disappointingly, Bunnicula doesn’t actually have much to do in this story, but it was still a lot of fun for this grown-up to read. I think little-girl-me would have loved it.
Audiobook, borrowed from my public library via Overdrive. Patrick Mulvihill’s reading was a little stilted, but effective.
I read this book for the Booklikes Halloween Bingo 2019, for the square Thirteen: Read any book that relates to bad luck, superstitions, including (but not limited to) black cats, ravens or crows, or the unlucky number 13, either in the title, series, book cover or page count. The pet crow for whom the story is named meets criteria for the square.
August 19, 2021
This is the seventh book in a chapter book series, and further adventures of Bunnicula, a very unusual bunny in the Monroe household.
Pete Monroe won a school contest, and is excited that his favourite author, M. T. Graves, will be speaking at their school and staying at their house! But M. T. Graves does not seem to be who Pete expected him to be. Chester the cat is suspicious that the author and his crow have nasty plans for Bunnicula. Howie and Harold - the canines of the family - are not so sure, at first.
Fun and spooky story for middle grade and up.
Pete Monroe won a school contest, and is excited that his favourite author, M. T. Graves, will be speaking at their school and staying at their house! But M. T. Graves does not seem to be who Pete expected him to be. Chester the cat is suspicious that the author and his crow have nasty plans for Bunnicula. Howie and Harold - the canines of the family - are not so sure, at first.
Fun and spooky story for middle grade and up.
October 7, 2025
Difficult to rate properly as the change in narrators for this final book really threw me off. They took a different approach for the characters and it kind of ruined it for me. I wish I had left off with the previous book as the last as the ending seemed more appropriate for the series. This one was just...odd.
November 2, 2021
Cross Bunnicula with Poe with RL Stine, and you have this delightful book.
December 25, 2022
Far from my favorite Bunnicula but still quite cute.
January 8, 2023
Read aloud with friends. I found the ending moving and I enjoyed watching the parody of R.L. Stein grow from a throwaway joke to a real, complex character.
October 16, 2023
Audiobook
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