Murray’s Howl-o-ween

PreS-Gr 2–A sweet and funny book. Murray is a city dog, so when his owners decide to visit the countryside in time for Halloween, he is decidedly not looking forward to it. Readers will be tickled by the quaint images—the vegetables with funny faces (also known as carved pumpkins), the birds inside the house (bat mobiles hanging from the ceiling), and the park full of vegetables (a harvest maze) all strike fear in the heart of the city dog. Luckily for Murray, Wynona the countryside cat (black, of course! This is a Halloween book), shows him what she loves about being in the country and all the joys of autumn. The sly humor of a pampered dog who prefers the well-known city sounds and smells of cars, fire hydrants, and overflowing trash cans to the unknown countryside plays well as a quietly hilarious throughline. With a few well-placed lines and perfectly captured visual expressions, Keller captures the spirit of Halloween and the fear of the unknown with a gentle and humorous twist. The book shows more than it tells, with the text conveying the inner voice of Murray as he encounters the unfamiliar, therefore scary, markers of a countryside holiday celebration. It is perfect for young readers, who will enjoy all the hallmarks of a Halloween story but also learn the underlying message of how to be open to new things that might seem scary at first, but with time and a kind friend in tow, could be a lot of fun.