Review by Horn Book Review
Bruce the bear's family of mice and geese tries to get him in the Halloween mood by acting out "The Legend of Soggy Hollow." Mouse Nibbs is the Horseless Horseman (complete with jack-o'-lantern head) and reluctant Bruce plays protagonist "Icky Bob." A romantic scene with Camilla the moose sends him fleeing from her into the forest...alongside the real Horseless Horseman of Soggy Hollow. This tongue-in-cheek retelling of Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" is cleverly faithful to the source material and an excellent addition to the Mother Bruce series. Amusing speech-bubble dialogue, animated character reactions, and seasonally hued action-packed panels help build Higgins's story to a spirited ending for all involved, including readers. Cynthia K. RitterSeptember/October 2023 p.24 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Halloween? Bah, humbug! Everyone's favorite curmudgeonly bear, Bruce, is predictably irritated to find that his least favorite holiday, Halloween, is coming up. Tricks, treats, and visitors? Bruce is not impressed. His chosen family of mice and geese completely disagrees and, to inspire him, decides to dress up and act out a scary story ("The Legend of Soggy Hollow," featuring the Horseless Horseman), with our ursine protagonist in the role of schoolteacher Ichabod Bruce. Text bubbles and boxes further develop the story of these charming characters as they embark, albeit less than happily in the case of Bruce, on a performance that is dramatic, mysterious, and laugh-out-loud funny. Higgins' quirky sensibility is as comical and appealing as ever, and his illustrations are full of kid-friendly and engaging details. Bruce's unwilling foray into acting--which involves a meetup with a possible ghost and an attempt to escape the amorous moose playing his love interest--will have readers dissolving into giggles. They'll delight in the humor of Bruce's less-than-enthusiastic participation, and the story wraps up with a ghostly--but fun--twist. This is a feel-good and funny choice, perfect for Halloween or any time of the year. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Laughter abounds in this spirited tale with a sprinkle of spookiness. (Picture book. 3-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
