Five Little Monkeys Trick-or-Treat

by Eileen Christelow

Overview

Five excited little monkeys dress up for Halloween. They are going trick-or-treating with their favorite babysitter, Lulu. “Ghost, princess, goblin, banana, and alien,” Mama reminds her. “Don’t lose the rascals!” But soon those mischievous monkeys meet other costumed friends and decide to try “the best Halloween trick ever!” Will Lulu be fooled? Or will those five little rascals get tricked by their own monkey business?

Vibrant, silly, and perfect for reading aloud, this non-scary Halloween story is sure to delight fans of this best-selling series. Includes recipes for “eyeballs” and “worm juice” so kids and their grownups can make their own holiday “trick” treats at home.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781328869272
Publisher:	Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication date:	07/17/2018
Series:	A Five Little Monkeys Story Series
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	186,155
Product dimensions:	10.00(w) x 8.00(h) x (d)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Eileen Christelow was born in Washington, D.C. and grew up in a family of avid readers. It was in high school that she first made the leap from reader to writer, publishing her first stories in her high school’s magazine.

After studying art history and drawing in college, she discovered a love of photography and began building a career as a photographer. Her interest in children’s books was always strong, and after the birth of her daughter, she began thinking about writing one of her own. Her first book, Henry and the Red Stripes, was published in 1981.

Since then, she has written and illustrated numerous best-selling picture books including ten popular books about the Five Little Monkeys, Letters from a Desperate Dog, and Vote! She lives with her husband in Dummerston, Vermont, and you can learn more about her life and work on her website, www.christelow.com and on www.fivelittlemonkeys.com.

Editorial Reviews

Christelow’s popular Five Little Monkeys enjoy nothing more than getting into mischief, and they accomplish plenty of it on Halloween night as they trick-or-treat with babysitter Lulu. At first, the monkeys are dressed as a banana, alien, ghost, goblin, and princess, but once they’re out on the streets, they start switching costumes with fellow trick-or-treaters, leading to five little cases of mistaken identity. Mama knows what’s what, though. “There must be some mistake,” she tells the five monkeys through narrowed eyes, after they appear on her doorstep in new costumes. “Because I am the mama of a banana, alien, ghost, princess, and goblin. And they are already home.” An all’s-well ending and some Halloween recipes wrap up this gently naughty romp. Ages 4–8. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

"Another winner in the further adventures of the familiar five."
—School Library Journal

"Fans of the author's previous monkey titles will welcome this silly new tale."
—Kirkus

"[A] gently naughty romp."
—Publishers Weekly

"Christelow's five little monkeys are natural tricksters, making them perfect subjects for a Halloween story."
—Booklist

"Playfully illustrated with a colorful parade of animals and disguises. . . . A lighthearted farce."
—The Horn Book Magazine

From the Publisher

Five Little Monkeys” series fans will find this new Halloween story a real treat because it is full of tricks. The five little monkeys each dress up, becoming banana, alien, ghost, goblin and princess for trick or treating with their babysitter Lulu. When alien spies leopard dressed as bunny, they decide to trade costumes as a trick on Lulu and soon they have all switched costumes with other friends. They are in for the biggest trick because Lulu takes the current banana, alien, ghost, goblin and princess home for a special treat and the five little monkeys are left out. When they knock on the door, even Mama pretends not to know them at first, but then she laughs and takes them in. In the end all ten trick-or-treaters get a spooky edible treat, eyeballs and worm juice. Lulu provides the recipes for the reader to enjoy as well. Readers will have fun with the five little monkeys as they switch costumes and think Lulu will not notice that the banana now has a big alligator nose sticking out of the costume and the princess now has the white wings of a crane. Christelow’s bright illustrations invite the reader right in to share the good times. When Lulu and Mama turn the trick on them and they all look so sad, the reader can chuckle at them and sympathize too. Then, the question is, “Will Mama leave them outside?” Happily she does not and even the readers can end up with a delicious ending to a Halloween trick or treat. This book is a treat for anyone’s little monkey. Reviewer: Stephanie Leddy; Ages 4 to 7.

Children's Literature - Stephanie Leddy

PreS-K—Another winner in the further adventures of the familiar five. It's Halloween and the siblings are excited to choose their costumes-alien, banana, ghost, goblin, and princess-and go trick-or-treating with their babysitter, Lulu. While traversing the neighborhood, each monkey sees a youngster with an even-better costume and manages to switch, so all five of them have "tricked" Lulu along the way. The adults figure out what's going on, and the five little monkeys get a taste of their own medicine when it appears they will be left out of the big treat awaiting them at home. After a mild admonishment from Mama for trying to hoodwink Lulu, the five and their friends celebrate the holiday with treats. The digitally rendered pen, ink, and color illustrations showcase a variety of simple, homemade costumes and ideas for a holiday celebration. Eyeball Cookies and Worm Juice, anyone? Recipes at the book's conclusion tell how to make the yummy treats for would-be tricksters.—Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WI

School Library Journal

Christelow's rambunctious monkeys are decked out in their costumes and ready to play an elaborate trick that may end up jeopardizing any treats they might receive. Mama makes sure her little ones are ready when Lulu the babysitter arrives to take them out on Halloween night. Their costumes: banana, alien, ghost, goblin and princess. "Don't lose the rascals!" Mama cautions. All goes well until one monkey decides to switch costumes with a friend. Now that monkey is a blue bunny instead of an alien. The other monkeys think this is "SO funny" and follow suit. Though Lulu notices, like all great babysitters, she does not spoil the fun--at first. But the look in her eye foreshadows a comeuppance for her young charges. Suddenly Lulu announces that it is time for the new banana, ghost, goblin, alien and princess to go. "We have to get home for a big Halloween treat!" Suddenly, the disguised monkeys worry that they are going to miss something special and quickly follow Lulu and their friends to the house. Crafty Lulu and wise Mama soon sort out the confusion, and the mischievous bunch is quickly forgiven as they sample some tricky treats of eyeball cookies and worm juice. Fans of the author's previous monkey titles will welcome this silly new tale, but adults wishing for a safety message warning against similar copycat antics will be disappointed. (recipes) (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews