We all know Halloween now is all about scary things such as ghosts, goblins, and even trick-or-treaters. But what we may not realize is Halloween originated 2,000 years ago and it meant something completely different. I enjoyed reading all about what Halloween meant years ago compared to how we see it now. This book was very educational and I would recommend sharing it with children during Halloween time. I think it would make the perfect book for a lesson during the fall. This book was also filled with illustrations that showed what it was like back then as well. ( )

This book effectively introduces young readers (grades 2-5) to the history of Halloween as it evolved in Europe and eventually made its way to the United States. It begins by explaining its origins in Celtic traditions and provides lots of nifty details about practices and customs associated with like bobbing for apples, lighting fires, or how the holiday got its name or why we use the phrase “jack o’lantern.” It does an excellent job presenting a concise history of how Celtic beliefs (lighting bonfires) overlapped with seasonal Roman rituals (apple harvests) and how both were embraced and assimilated into Christian traditions. It explains how modern Halloween mirth is rooted in old Samhain superstitions. Surprisingly, it discusses negative behaviors sometimes associated with Halloween which do the holiday a disservice; at the same time, an anecdote about a UNICEF fundraising tradition, begun in the 1950's, was a wonderful way to demonstrate how the holiday was in keeping with ancient customs of caring for others who are in need. The only problem which may arise stems from the use of the word “spook” throughout the book (published in 2004). Some readers, teachers, or parents may take exception regarding the use of this word. For some it may be a teachable moment, but others may object outright and ignore the wonderfully fascinating history of this autumnal celebration. ( )

Why do we celebrate Halloween? What is it, exactly, and where does it come from? Carol Greene shares the history of Halloween for young readers, answering these questions. Colorful illustrations resembling chalk art accompany Greene's text, carrying readers from the early days of Halloween as the harvest festival of Samhain to the costume-donning, candy-giving spooktacular it is in the U.S. today. Avoiding some of the highly commercialized elements and darker themes attached to the holiday, Greene delivers the origins of Halloween in a way that is acceptable for small children without being overly simplistic. ( )

Who knew that the history of Halloween extended waaaaay farther back than the All Saints Day warding off of evil spirits? And who could have imagined that a Jack-o-Lantern used to be a Jack-o-Turnip? Apparently, Carol Green did, and she shares tidbits about the history of Halloween in ways that both demystify and intrigue readers both young and, um, more "mature" (such as this one). While not exactly a chapter book, this work organizes the history of Halloween chronologically and gives each "age" a page, making the book's info easily bite-sizeable, and thus a wonderful "read a page a day-able" during the month of October. Highly recommend for the 2nd-5th grade classroom non-fiction classroom. ( )

Halloween goes all the way back to 2,000 years from now. It use to be harvest festivals in Great Britain, Ireland, and Northern France. Halloween has changed so much over the years through so many countries. This book taught me a lot about Halloween that I did not know. Awesome facts. Great book to introduce to children to give them the background on Halloween. ( )