It's time to shout-out another book birthday! Today's read slides into this week's Halloween spirit...while hinting at Valentine's Day? I find the mix smile worthy and a bit quirky, but hey, monsters need love, too. I'm expecting all sorts of fun and humor in this book. Also, there should be some warmth and 'love'.
Let's settle down into those chairs and see what this book holds.
BE MY HOWLENTINE
by Dona Herweck Rice
Illustrated by Kelly Kennedy
Curiosity Unlocked Books
Picture Book
36 pages
ages 4 to 8
A feel-good mashup of two favorite holidays—Halloween & Valentine’s Day
In Monster Town, every day is Halloween, until Wolfie O’Howler falls head-over-paws for the witch next door. Determined to show Selena Witchington how much he cares, Wolfie hatches a plan to bring Valentine’s Day to town for the very first time. He and his monster friends work together to create a celebration that’s equal parts spooky and sweet, with heart-eyed jack-o-lanterns, mummy-wrapped gifts, and a serenade under the full moon.
This charming tale blends the excitement of Halloween with the warmth of Valentine’s Day, offering a story that sparks laughter, empathy, and a genuine love of reading. Children ages 4–8 and their grown-ups will love the clever wordplay, expressive artwork, and the spirited residents of Monster Town. Join the fun!
You’ll love the spirited residents and playful storytelling—perfect for Halloween, Valentine’s Day, and any monster-themed storytime.
Reading can spark clever wordplay as well as conversations about holidays and courage, and extend the fun beyond the book with creative and engaging ideas for classroom or at-home activities
Be My Howlentine is a fun, emotionally intelligent story that kids and adults will love.
MY TIDBITS
Spooky monsters and creepy haunts slam against unexpected moments of hearts and love to create a fun mix.
Halloween and Monster Town are as intertwined as can be until Wolfie hears a song and his heart goes pitter-patter. He's not sure what these feelings mean until he sees his new neighbor and knows that he's in love. He tries his best to carefully and secretly lay hints of his budding affections, but nothing runs smoothly. Since Halloween dreariness and scares are all he knows...and he's aware that these aren't going to help him this time...he decides to reach out to the rest of the town for help.
This is a lovely read for the Halloween season! At first, I wondered if this read would snuggle too close to Valentine's Day, but it stays firmly planted in the spooky and monsterly realm while adding a dash of the lovey-dovey holiday. And it does it in such a fun way. Wolfie is a wonderful werewolf, and it's easy to root for him as he tries his best to figure out how to approach the love of his life. The monsters of the town come along with Halloween goodness in creepy style. Vampires, skeletons...everything is represented to let creepy fun radiate from every page. But of course, these monsters are a community. All are ready to help Wolfie as best they can, highlighting teamwork and the fun of trying something new.
The illustrations present Monster Town with Halloween goodness and make it a place that readers might want to visit. The color tones remain in the dark, dreary direction with details of ghostly shadows and creepy corners at every turn of the page. Even when the pink hearts mix in, it's like dabs of sudden color which doesn't drown out the original feel of the town completely. There are so many things to explore that readers will come back and study the scenes themselves.
This makes a lovely read-aloud as the story runs smoothly and keeps a quick-pace. It fits the age group well and will keep even more reluctant readers' attentions. At the end of the book, the author adds several activities which can make this book into an entire theme. So, there's a lot to enjoy in these pages.
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