New South Books
Scallywag Press
October 2026
9781836300373
AUD$29.99, NZD$34.99
I love Jeanne Willis‘ books, though I haven’t read nearly enough of them and Dr Xargle’s Book of Earthlets has been a firm favourite for many years – I can’t even begin to count how many times I’ve shared it with cackling audiences of kiddos. And this new one is not only another delightful addition but a really fun one to share with younger kids who will be just as excited about Halloween as their older sassier counterparts.
In a green, green castle everyone is being spooked by someone or something that keeps shouting ‘BOO!’ but nobody can see who the culprit (except of course, the reader) because he’s just as green as everything else. In fact, each startled inhabitant keeps blaming another. Until, that is, the fool i.e. the jester suggests changing the entire decor of the green, green castle to other colours so that maybe, just maybe the naughty boo-er will be revealed. Who’s the fool now?
This is, like so many of Jeanne’s books just purely good fun and so entertaining which makes such a welcome change from so many ‘worthy message’ books of late [of course they have their place, but really – so does fun and loving a book for that fun!].
Loaded with clever rhyming, and hilarious illustrations and copious amounts of repetition this will easily become a firm favourite and have your audience chanting along with you as you read it. And for those very Smalls who are just finding their way along their reading journey that repetition, pattern and the cast of familiar storybook characters will be a hugely supportive scaffold for their independent reading. Not only that but yes! a very happy Halloween gift!
Definitely a (not green) ghostly 5 👻👻👻👻👻rating for this clever one!
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