Los Gatos Black on Halloween

This book is a Pura Belpre Honor Book

Personal Reaction: This illustrator also illustrated Just in Case. They are whimsical and beautifully done. They may be a little dark with a lot of ghosts, skeletons, vampires, and witches, however, it is a Halloween book. Some parents may not want to read it to really young children as it contains verse such as, "the corpses with their cold dead eyes." I wouldn't have a problem with it as the story is about a Monster's Ball and in the end, it's the monsters that are afraid of the trick-or-treaters. It is a rhyming book with Spanish words interspersed throughout the verse. The text lends itself to this amusing little story as it slants and curves giving the rhyme a musical quality. It would be great read-aloud Halloween story to any class. When I read aloud to my students and come across a Spanish word it is always my ELA kids that get a big smile on their faces and correct my pronunciation. This book also has a helpful glossary at the end.

Montes, M. (2006). Los gatos black on Halloween. New York: Henry Holt and Company.