Reviews for Happy haunting, Amelia Bedelia
Publishers Weekly
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Puns and pranks abound in Happy Haunting, Amelia Bedelia by Herman Parish, illus. by Lynn Sweat. Here the heroine's comic misunderstandings take on a spooky bent as she helps prepare for a party (e.g., cracking a window). When Amelia says she doesn't have a disguise, Mr. Rogers wisecracks, "You wear a costume every day," commenting on her anachronistic apparel. But Amelia gets the last laugh. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
School Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
K-Gr 2-The literal maid returns, treating readers to more mishaps and misadventures. It is autumn, and the Rogerses have decorated for Halloween. When Amelia Bedelia arrives for work, she thinks that someone has vandalized the house. Once she learns that the family is having a party, she gets into the swing of things by cracking (breaking) a window and adding leaves to the dining-room table. As darkness falls, the festivities begin. After partaking of the gruesome refreshments, the costume contest is held, but no one can find Amelia Bedelia. Finally, it's revealed that she's been there all along-dressed as a scarecrow. Sweat's amusing watercolor-and-pen illustrations add to the zaniness of the story. Funny signs abound, from the tombstones on the lawn to the descriptions of the gruesome goodies. The costumes that Amelia Bedelia creates for the children are amusing and easy to duplicate. The illustrations extend the wordplay and help beginning readers understand the story. This reader is excellent for children ready for the challenge of learning the difference in meaning between such words as "which" and "witch," visually and semantically. A happy haunting with Amelia Bedelia where the laughs outweigh the screams.-Linda Staskus, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Parma, OH (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Preparing for a Halloween party, maid Amelia Bedelia is asked to crack a window (she uses a hammer) and add leaves to lengthen a table (she uses tree leaves). Otherwise Amelia's customary literal-mindedness is in short supply in a story whose main focus is the trick she plays on her boss. Still, the simple text, genial art, and holiday theme will please fans. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
