The Big Monster Bake
This happy, colourful book is bound to put you in the Halloween mood! Two little monsters have been busy baking a cake and decide to ring their neighbour’s doorbells to offer each a slice.
A mixture of both fiction and non-fiction, this book imparts information about autumnal festivals celebrated in different countries. Behind each door in the neighbourhood is a family that celebrates the season in their own unique way, each epitomised by their own special celebratory food. Readers will enjoy turning the page to see what creatures may be living next door and what delicious sweet confections they’re serving up.
All the well-worn Halloween tropes make an appearance from ghosts to vampire bats, and the colour palette used is decidedly seasonal full of purples, oranges and greens. The illustrations are playful and certainly imbue a spooky yet cosy Halloween feeling as the protagonists are hosted in each house. An informative section is included at the end of the book where more elaboration is given about the different festivals and there are even some recipes to try from the story. This is a useful addition as the story itself only has time to lightly touch upon each tradition and more explanation is needed about each different culture.
Although not a massive leap from the usual Halloween fare, the multicultural emphasis of this book sets it apart and it would be a worthwhile introduction to the season of Halloween as it is celebrated worldwide.
