School Library Journal Review

K-Gr 4-"`But I don't know this-this Halloween.' Mama protested." So starts the charming story of Anya and her three siblings celebrating their first Halloween in America. Their mother is extremely shy and frightened by much of what happens in her new country. A neighbor helps her make costumes so that Papa can take the children out trick-or-treating. When he comes home sick, the siblings assume that they will have to wait until next year, but Mama surprises them by saying that she will take them. By the time they get home, each child has shed one costume item, and Mama wears a pink velvet cape with a red wig and witch's hat over her babushka and carries a pitchfork. She looks in the mirror with a smile and says, "Now I know this Halloween." This gentle look at how immigrants feel about living in a new country also offers the message that communication and warmth among people can transcend language barriers. Morin's realistic illustrations perfectly combine elements of Russian culture with the mysterious moods of Halloween. Details in both the text and the artwork set the story firmly in the past. At the back of the book, two pages of questions and activities invite readers to think about their own families and holidays as well as the culture of Anya's family.-Bina Williams, Bridgeport Public Library, CT (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.