Review of The Longest Halloween

[Nonso Samuelson]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Longest Halloween" by Frank Wood.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Joel Aubrey Franklin is a gentle and good-natured fellow, but he does not strike many in Portersville as hardworking or having any prospects. He always seems to be daydreaming as a way to escape reality. One Halloween night, he is tasked by his mother to look after his younger brother, Jasper, and his two friends, Earl and Dreyfuss. These three naughty boys would make a series of missteps that would put them in mortal danger and require Joel to become a hero quickly.

Meanwhile, the House of Ghouls is getting ready to release the goblins, witches, trolls, ghosts, and warlocks under its roof for their yearly window of mischief—Halloween. However, a goblin known as Googamond hatches a plan with his friend, Orpheus, to never return to the House of Ghouls by making sure Halloween never ends. Googamond’s mission soon sees him come across Joel, Jasper, Earl, and Dreyfuss. What happens next? Does Googamond succeed in his mission? What missteps did Jasper and his friends make? What role does Joel play in this adventure?

The Longest Halloween by Frank Wood is a little adventure story that will excite and entertain. I especially enjoyed the role of the central character, Joel. In my opinion, what made Joel’s character enjoyable was that he was an unassuming personality whose mind always seemed to be anywhere besides reality. He didn’t seem like the kind of person to be saddled with the responsibility of saving his friends, family, and town. Yet, the author used Joel significantly in the main plot without skimping over the character’s “coming of age” as events unfolded. It was interesting to read about Joel as he worked to surpass his own limits and find the strength within to fight the siege of the goblins.

I liked the layout of this book. This is a children’s book, so the author used simple but exciting words in writing this story. I also liked that he included a rich helping of images and drawings to build more excitement and make the story more understandable for children. The story did not lose its sense of adventure as the author took me through different locations, from Portersville to the Grubb Mansion and the Pearlie Gates.

I did not dislike a single thing about this book. The story was inspiring, and the book was exceptionally well edited. I can imagine Joel Aubrey becoming an inspirational figure for many children who’ll read this book. I rate it an unreserved 4 out of 4 stars and recommend it for children 12 years old and younger who love adventure. Parents and guardians of these kids can use this story as a conversation starter to help teach kids about confidence, determination, and other related attributes.

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The Longest Halloween
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Rishi_reviews]

The plot of the book seems quite interesting to me, and as it is a children's book I'll read it to my little brother as well. Thanks for the wonderful review.

[kittykat6132]

The characters seem very interesting.

[Nessa Taylor]

I like a good children's adventure book so this sounds really pleasant to read.

[stamtheo]

A well-written premise that compines adventure and friendship. Children will love it.

[Immaculate06]

Joel's personality is quite intriguing. The book helps to emphasize on the importance of obedience. Good review.