Is it Halloween yet? by Susannah Chambers
Illus. by Tamsin Ainslie. Allen and Unwin, 2019. ISBN:
9781760297404.
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Themes: Halloween, Family. The instructions
for making an origami bat at the end of the book was the first thing
I looked at in this book about Halloween after seeing the sticker on
the back cover. And once there, a piece of squared paper was found
to try it out, and yes it works and will be easy to do with a group
of kids obsessed with this old English and American observance now
being seen more often in Australia. And the whole ritual is
engaging, from making masks and dressing up, to sheets being used as
ghosts, lots of spiders, things that go bump in the night, a host of
bats, Halloween is a time for fun and lots of laughs.
And this is very much promoted in the book, Is it Halloween yet?
Emily asks continual questions from her frazzled Mum, trying to keep
up with the newest arrival in the family. Emily asks about ghosts,
and vampire bats, pumpkins, Jack o' lanterns, witches' cats and
eyeballs, leading the readers to ask their own questions about the
customs of that day and why they are followed.
While some say that Halloween is not Australian and has no place in
our calendar, many children and families are observing the day,
joining in the family fun and togetherness that is promoted. Many
families will make their own costumes, have a Halloween party,
encourage 'trick or treat' in their own neighbourhood, hang bats
from the clothesline and try carving a pumpkin (not as easy as it
looks).
Dressing up is always great fun and this book encourages families to
get involved.
And most people will not care that Halloween predates Christianity
as a night of bonfires for ancient Celts to ward off evil spirits,
becoming part of the Christian tradition on October 31 to rid evil
spirits before All Hallow's Day on November 1, a time of feasting to
honour those saints who did not have a specific day devoted to them.
Whatever its history, it can be a fun time for communities to work
together, make costumes, and have a feast of all things ghoulish,
and read Is it Halloween yet? with lots of fun.
Fran Knight