This second installment of MonsterStreet was my cup of tea. I always love a story about trick-or-treating and making the effort to fully enjoy the Halloween experience at all ages. This one reminded me a bit of The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury, which is one of my favorite childhood books.

This story follows Fisher, a young boy whose parents recently divorced. He just wants to stay in one town, make friends, and live a normal life. When Halloween comes around, Fisher befriends a group of boys called "The Halloweeners" and joins them for a trick-or-treating contest against other kids to see who can get the most candy. Fisher's mom is dead-set against Halloween though, and this causes some animosity and the need to sneak around. When the Halloweeners start their Halloween night escapades, some special candy in front of a known witch's house transforms them into the monsters they dressed up as, and Fisher needs to find a way to save them and the town before it's too late.

I enjoyed the touching story about Fisher and his mother, and the personal insight into the kids' lives and how they feel within their family units and school. This nuance makes these stories feel a lot more adult than most children’s horror stories. I think it's important that kids learn about loss, grieving, acceptance, and becoming confident in who they are, and that's what J.H. Reynolds brings to the table in this MonsterStreet series.

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Written by Samantha

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