Groggle's Monster Halloween

Description

Groggle met Snarlina at her house one spooky night. A swarm of bats was fluttering. The moon was shining bright. When Groggle and Snarlina get dressed up to go trick-or-treating on Halloween, they hope to fill their pails with yummy loot from all their spooky neighbors. After a quick wardrobe malfunction, which Groggle smartly sets right, they're off to see the werewolf, the witch, the mummy, and the ogre. But no matter whose house they visit, Groggle just can't control his monster appetite! Snaaarf! Slobber! Cruncha-muncha! Crispy bones, lizard tails, spider pops, slugs and snails . . . Groggle gobbles them up before they even land in his pail! At the end of the night, Snarlina sifts through her treats while Groggle watches on, having eagerly eaten all his treats. Can friendship save this spooky holiday? Find out in this monster of a tale.

Diana Murray is a poet and picture book author whose other books include the bestselling Unicorn Day series, Grimelda: The Very Messy Witch, and Pizza Pig. She grew up in New York City and still lives nearby with her husband, two children, and a treat-loving dog. Bats Langley is a painter, sculptor, writer, illustrator, toy designer, and creator of many things. Bats, a Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) grad, frequently contributes illustrations for the covers and interiors of Scholastic, Spider, Ladybug, and Cricket magazines. His art has shown in galleries across the United States and the world. He illustrated Groggle's Monster Valentine, the first in the series, and was the author/illustrator of Alice's Adventures in #Wonderland. Bats created the cover art for Scary Stories to Tell on The Pod, a podcast hosted by SNL head writer Anna Drezen and TV writer Andrew Farmer. He lives with his husband, Nicholas, on the island of Manhattan. They both enjoy cooking, reading, and watching the owls, which live in a sanctuary on a neighbor's roof, swoop in their backyard.

"Halloween night comes to life with rollicking colors in this sweet, deliciously monstrous friendship tale. Trick-or-treating has never been so scrumptious!" --Kim Ventrella, author of The Secret Life of Sam "It's no trick, this book's a treat! Your little monsters will gobble it up!" --Tara Lazar, author of 7 Ate 9 "K-Gr 2-The two furry monsters from Groggle's Monster Valentine return in this colorful, eye-popping ode to Halloween. Blue, bespectacled Groggle and pink, one-eyed Snarlina delight as their trick-or-treat pumpkin pails fill up with deliciously creepy goodies such as crispy bones, lizard tails, and spider pops. Snarlina saves her treats, but monstrously-hungry Groggle devours everything on the spot, even his pail. The lively rhyming text is punctuated by the sounds of the little monster overindulging: 'Squish! Squash! Slurrp! Burrp! Oops!' The words stretch out across a vibrant spread. The illustrations are packed with fun details, including a mummy wrapped in a spa towel with cucumbers in place of eyes and a tattooed werewolf wearing a flowered oven mitt. Covering mostly familiar Halloween territory, the story branches out to include sweet messages about friendship. When Snarlina's mermaid crown breaks, Groggle fixes it; and when Groggle is left at evening's end with nothing left to eat, Snarlina shares her goodies because, 'That's just what good friends do.' VERDICT More fun than fright, this story's lively rhyming text and bold illustrations make it a good choice to read aloud to a group." --School Library Journal Praise for Groggle's Monster Valentine "Vibrant drawings, drenched in deep purples, blues and pinks, create a fantastical atmosphere filled with clever details. Groggle's hilarious antics, along with lots-to-look-at art, make this a page-turner your little monster will delight in." --Mia Geiger, The Washington Post "Bats Langley's illustrations jump from the page as Groggle rushes to impress his friend. You may want to have craft supplies at the ready in case Groggle's sweet poems inspire your tot to whip up his or her own card." --Real Simple Magazine