The Crayons Trick or Treat

August 22, 2022
Costumes? Check. Enthusiasm? Check. Door-knocking protocol? Not so much. Halloween night is off to a rough start in this spin-off from Daywalt and Jeffers, in which the crayons make some hilarious missteps when they head out trick-or-treating. Orange, fittingly dressed as a jack-o’-lantern, assures rule-follower Purple, sporting a sharp vampire getup, that the crayon crew knows just what to do, but the group proves unsure what to say when they knock on their neighbors’ doors. Orange tries the first residence, saying “Give us your candy, lady,” as Peach, wearing the crayon box, calls back to the original book, exclaiming, “I’m naked!” Subsequent stops prove equally silly as Purple, alongside bat-winged Black, coaches the pals on the holiday’s conventional greeting, and finally gets everyone in line. This book’s diminutive trim size and classic costumes make for predictably pleasing snack-size fun. Ages 4–8.

September 1, 2022
The Crayons return in time for Halloween as vampire-costumed Purple coaches the dressed-up wax pack through its first trick-or-treating venture. It takes five houses' worth of door-knocks for this skeleton crew of seven to perfect the protocol, with enough outlandish flubs to generate giggles in Halloween-savvy preschoolers. At Door No. 1, Orange, dressed as a jack-o'-lantern, says, "Give us your candy, Lady." At the next, the gang, encouraged by Purple to "think holiday," responds with an impressive array of misguided greetings, including "Merry Christmas!" and "Happy American Cheese Month!" Later, White, levitating impressively in a ghost costume, overreacts to Halloween's "scary" aspect by overwhelming residents with a "BOO!" Peach, unnamed here but recognizably wrapperless from the initial title, exuberantly (and inappropriately) repeats, "I'm naked!" Finally, the troupe perfects its treat-inducing line, though a certain ghost cannot resist an ad lib. This excursion, like many of the holiday-themed Crayon books, has a smaller trim size, a lower price point, and far less complexity than Daywalt and Jeffers' first two Crayon titles. Still, the pair deftly let young children in on the jokes through funny, hand-lettered dialogue and the visually telegraphed, all-in haplessness of this well-branded band. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A laugh-inducing Halloween read-along. (Picture book. 4-6)

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September 16, 2022

PreS-Gr 1-Just in time for Halloween, Daywalt and Jeffers are back with another playful offering. This time, the crayons are going to trick-or-treat, and what a time they will have collecting candy from their neighbors! Yet, as they approach each door, the crayons are uncertain what they should say to receive candy. One by one, each costumed crayon takes a chance at getting candy. The crayons try everything from "Give us your candy, lady" to "Merry Christmas" to "Happy American Cheese Month" and other silly pronouncements. It is the Purple crayon, dressed as a devil, who helps them learn from their mistakes. Young readers will delight in the variety of missteps the crayons make in their pursuit of treats. Also, they will learn a valuable and spooky lesson about politeness. VERDICT With all the artistic consistency and charm of their previous collaborations, Daywalt's and Jeffers's latest is an engaging read-aloud, a worthy addition to Halloween book displays, and a must-have for any library.-Maegen Rose

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2022
The crayons from The Day the Crayons Quit (rev. 11/13) and The Day the Crayons Came Home (rev. 9/15) (among others) are back in this fun-size book. Excited about the holiday, the gang heads out in color-appropriate costumes and high spirits. But Orange (pumpkin), Green (witch), Gray (wolf), and Peach ("I'm naked") don't have a clue about what to say. White (ghost), Black (bat), and Purple (vampire) try to coach them, but it's going to take more than hints like "think holiday" and "be polite." Fans of the colorful cast will enjoy this silly confection.

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)