The skillfully executed artwork adds a zesty dollop of suspense to a familiar story line. —The Horn Book
The darkly muted oil pastel illustrations augment the ghoulishness of the tale, with a hidden clue leading readers from one double-page spread to the next. The creatures are suitably gruesome, but because of their friendly expressions should be nonthreatening. A definite hit for holiday story programs. —School Library Journal
Hillenbrand… is ever a master of twilight imagery, and his eerie old house, elaborate mythical creatures, and panoply of costumed children are touched with humor but are also genuinely creepy in a way that makes it truly satisfying when the monsters are tamed and routed. —Bulletin Of The Center For Children’s Books