Over in the Hallow
Chronicle Books/Raincoast Books
Age 3-5. 5-8
36 pages
written by Rebecca Dickinson, illustrated by Stephan Britt
Synopsis from Raincoast Books:
Over in the hollow, where the cobwebs are spun, Live a giant mother spider and her little spidey one. Who else lives over in the hollow? A papa mummy and his little mummies two, a mama owl and her little owlets three…and more! And they all have something to say, whether it’s to hoot, to howl, to hiss, or to yowl. Inspired by Olive A. Wadsworth’s classic counting rhyme, ‘Over in the Meadow’, Over in the Hollow is a spooky take on the popular Appalachian poem. A wonderful read-aloud, the playful rhyme and repetition will delight readers of all ages who enjoy a fun — not scary — approach to the world of ghosts, werewolves, and the like.
Kids will enjoy the fun Halloween themed rhyme as they count the creepy critters and ghoulie ghosts on each page. The images are fun and not scary making it a great read-aloud book for all ages.
All three of my kids loved Over in the Hollow. It’s a great way to get into the Halloween spirit without scaring anyone. My son especially enjoyed reading the rhyming line and the line that each of the creatures’ kids said. The rhymes were easy cues to the kids as to what number came next (for early counting). Along with a fun rhyme, Rebecca Dickinson also included great dialog for fun out loud sound effects. My youngest enjoyed howling and stomping along with the book. The words roll out of your mouth in a fun lyrical way, making it a joy to read over and over again. And S.britt’s illustrations of the different creatures were fun caricatures. My kids enjoyed picking out which cat or ghost or pumpkin they would be since each creature was different.
You can add Over in the Hollow to your personal library by visiting your local book store or visiting Raincoast Books. Visit our Kid’s Books section for other great book recommendations. What are you reading with your kids?
I have to thank Crystal at Raincoast Books for my review copy.