The Mystery of the Haunted Farm by Elys Dolan
2016; Johns Hopkins University Press; Volume: 69; Issue: 11 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1353/bcc.2016.0649
ISSN1558-6766
Autores Tópico(s)Gothic Literature and Media Analysis
ResumoReviewed by: The Mystery of the Haunted Farm by Elys Dolan Deborah Stevenson, Editor Dolan, Elys The Mystery of the Haunted Farm; written and illus. by Elys Dolan. Nosy Crow/Candlewick, 2016 [32p] ISBN 978-0-7636-8658-1 $17.99 Reviewed from galleys R Gr. 2-4 Something has gone horror-ifically wrong at Farmer Greg’s farm, so he calls in the Three Pigs Ghost-Hunters to investigate the situation. They’re baffled that the Phantom Finder 5000 doesn’t register any paranormal activity when faced with zombie ducks, howling ghost cows, and sinister green slime. A mysterious chicken coop reveals the truth—an “underground fear factory” created by the barnyard animals to scare off a terrible beast that appears on the farm. Moonlight comes and the frightening creature proves to be Farmer Greg, who turns into a werewolf, but the three pigs discover that he’s a friendly and trainable wolf, so they save the barnyard after all. Don’t think too hard about the ridiculous plot—the fun here lies in the supernatural barnyard bedlam, displayed in oversized spreads crammed full of speech balloons and subplots. Readers familiar with Dolan’s Weasels (BCCB 2/13) will recognize the chaotic comedy and cunning animal characters, and they’ll know to search the spreads for rewarding detail: the snail who repeatedly scoffs at the frenzy, the source of the sinister slime (let’s just say it’s gross), the media hattips ranging from The Shining to Frankenstein to, of course, Ghostbusters (“I ain’t afraid of no goat!” says a fearless pig). For those who prefer Halloween silliness to Halloween spookiness, this will be right up their alley. Copyright © 2016 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
Referência(s)