A Halloween Treat

Some too-brief Halloween whimsicallity on the one side, and on the other side (literally, as it's a flip-over book) a "curated" (which is to say, "previously published") selection of Gorey illustrations of ghosts. Probably not the best place to start a Gorey experience, but if you're a seasoned Goreyphile then there's nothing not to like.

I adore Gorey and this two-sided book doesn’t disappoint, the illustrations are superb and Gorey’s macabre humour is in evident. A Halloween Treat is the more conventional of the two books, each illustration is one letter of ‘Halloween’, some following a group trick or treating. Flip the book and you have Gorey’s Ghosts, a wonderful jewel of drawings, with ghosts of all kinds appearing in every one. A must for the Gorey fan, and a must read for Halloween.

A few of my favorite things are included in this fun Halloween themed flip-over book. First up, trick-or-treaters are in for a surprise Edward Gorey style when their goody bag is filled with a surprise. (Hint: It isn't candy.) By flipping the pages very quickly there's even a little animation in the corner of this colorful adventure.

Next, flip the book over to check out Edward Gorey's Ghosts. Filled with a variety of characteristic pen and ink images, some illustrations are new and some are more familiar. Assembled together, this collection of ghosts features unearthly fun.

The Bottom Line: This little gem contains plenty of cats, bats, and ghosties. Kids young and old will enjoy Edward Gorey's illustrations and sense of humor. This is a show more great introduction to Gorey's artwork and will inspire a new generation of Gorey fans. Highly recommended for everyone.

This review also appears at the Mini Book Bytes Book Review Blog. show less

A cute holiday-themed Edward Gorey book. On one side are Halloween-themed drawings, on the other a random collection of ghosts drawn by Gorey. I liked the ghosts better. A slight book, but a nice edition to the Gorey collection.

Wonderfully macabre and witty! It is always a joy to discover an Edward Gorey that I haven't read before. I plan on buying this one and adding it to my collection.

Wonderfully macabre and witty! It is always a joy to discover an Edward Gorey that I haven't read before. I plan on buying this one and adding it to my collection.

Wonderfully macabre and witty! It is always a joy to discover an Edward Gorey that I haven't read before. I plan on buying this one and adding it to my collection.