Hot Rod Hamster and the Haunted Halloween Party!
(Hot Rod Hamster)

K-Gr 2--Join Hot Rod Hamster as he exchanges his racing jacket for a blue Mohawk and guitar in this Halloween-themed special. When Hot Rod Hamster is invited to a Halloween party, he and his friends choose rock star-themed costumes and even create their own band complete with instruments and original songs. On their way to the party, however, they run into some trouble when their car breaks down. Luckily, a group of friendly ghosts come to their rescue, and the grateful musicians invite them to be their backup singers, resulting in great delight for all. The familiar "Which would you choose?" that we have come to expect from Hot Rod Hamster books will make a great question when read aloud to children. However, there is some confusion between narration and speech bubbles. Dialogue between characters often throws off background text, particularly when a rhyme spans more than one page. VERDICT Busy words and pictures may make this a challenging book for some readers, but children will greatly enjoy the vibrant colors and animated expressions of the friendly and familiar characters.--Maria Alegre, The Dalton School, New York City