Happy Haunting, Amelia Bedelia: A Classic I Can Read about Halloween for Kids (Ages 4-8)

Amelia Bedelia #20

by Herman Parish, Lynn Sweat (Illustrator)

Trick or treat! Amelia Bedelia wants to help prepare for the big Halloween party, but how can she follow directions when nothing is as it seems?

Genres: Halloween, Childrens, Picture Books, Fiction, Holiday, Humor, Kids

64 pages, Paperback

Published July 25, 2006

About the author

Herman Parish (born 1953) is the author of Amelia Bedelia children's book series, nephew of original author, Peggy Parish. Having grown up with his aunt’s tales of Amelia’s humorous misadventures, Herman decided to carry on the legacy after his aunt’s death in 1988. He did not wish to entrust the future of the series into the hands of a children’s author outside of the family. Since Peggy had the summers off from teaching, she was able to stay with the Parish family for extended periods of time, allowing Herman and Peggy to develop a close relationship. More importantly, this gave Herman a chance to keenly observe Peggy during her writing processes, gaining great insight to the road ahead of him. To carry on the essence of the series, Herman thoroughly examined his aunt’s work and did his best to capture what exactly made the character of Amelia Bedelia such a hit. Having editor Susan Hirschman and illustrator Lynn Sweat in common with his aunt helped to make the transition. He has added thirteen more books to the series. Herman is a resident of Princeton, New Jersey, and travels to libraries and schools across the United States, speaking and inspiring young children. The importance of revising and editing is often stressed during these dynamic lectures. He has presented to students in more than 22 states.

-Wikipedia

***The photo at left is of Herman with his aunt, Peggy Parish, in 1985.

Reviews

[Manybooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

With the 20th Amelia Bedelia chapter book, with the published in 2004 Happy Haunting, Amelia Bedelia (and that Happy Haunting, Amelia Bedelia is in my humble opinion early independent reading from about the age of five to eight or so, but that this story would also work quite nicely as a fun read-aloud for story time at home, at the library, in the classroom), Herman Parish's simple but expressive text (and Parish being the nephew of original author Peggy Parish) and Lynn Sweat's colourful accompanying artwork show how Mr. and Mrs. Rogers and their maid Amelia Bedelia celebrate Halloween (but of course that like with all of the Amelia Bedelia stories, there are in and with Happy Haunting, Amelia Bedelia a multitude of rather silly mistakes being made, a number of humorous misunderstandings that arise and also some potentially problematic remarks uttered by Mr. Rogers about their maid that need explaining and also require an apology).

Now considering that Amelia Bedelia ALWAYS takes things literally and is depicted as CONSTANTLY not understanding and being unable to accept idioms, nuances, jokes and the like in each and every Amelia Bedelia book (and of which there are a huge amount), one might well think that Mr. and Mrs. Rogers would somehow (and sometime) learn to choose their words a little more carefully when they speak with or give instructions to Amelia. But well, Parish absolutely and totally textually demonstrates in the Amelia Bedelia books he has penned (very much like his Aunt Peggy before him), and yes, therefore also in Happy Haunting, Amelia Bedelia that Amelia's employers never really manage to learn how to converse with Amelia Bedelia without creating unfortunate misunderstandings (and while this is of course the main part of the humour of the Amelia Bedelia series, even my inner child kind of wonders why Mr. and Mrs. Rogers never truly figure out how to give their maid only literal instructions that cannot easily be misinterpreted). Thus as examples (and actually only some of many) Mr. Rogers in Happy Haunting, Amelia Bedelia asking Amelia, asking the maid to hand him a hammer but to first crack the window open a bit naturally makes "I take everything literally" Amelia Bedelia break the window with the hammer and when Mrs. Rogers asks Amelia to add some leaves to the Halloween party table, a big pile of autumn foliage ends up in the centre of the table (funny to be sure but perhaps also a bit groan-worthy at times).

But indeed, when Herman Parish in Happy Haunting, Amelia Bedelia has Mr. Rogers making an off-colour comment about Amelia Bedelia's clothing, that she is supposedly already wearing a Halloween "costume" with her old fashioned maid garb, yes, while this might be meant as a joke, since Amelia cannot grasp the nuances of humour, she does not laugh but instead feels insulted, albeit Amelia Bedelia also has the last proverbial laugh in Happy Haunting, Amelia Bedelia, since her creepy scarecrow outfit is showing by Parish truly frightening the Halloween party attendants and also then gets her an award for best costume, and with Happy Haunting, Amelia Bedelia ending not just happily (and with Mr. Rogers apologising regarding his snarky and sarcastic comment about Amelia's clothing) but also with a few more misunderstandings and inadvertent faux pas, like that the remaining worm casserole (made of spaghetti) has in Happy Haunting, Amelia Bedelia been added to by Amelia Bedelia with actual worms (since with her penchant for taking everything literally, Amelia of course thinks that Mrs. Rogers made her Halloween party "worm casserole" with real, with bona fide worms).

And yes, and finally, Lynn Sweat's artwork for Happy Haunting, Amelia Bedelia, her pictures, they both nicely mirror Herman Parish's words and they also add to and expand on the story (and especially with some nicely clever Halloween costumes, which are visually delightful and all might inspire kids as they prepare for their own trick-or-treating). Four stars for Happy Haunting, Amelia Bedelia, warmly recommend (although Happy Haunting, Amelia Bedelia and the other series books are definitely story and illustrations combinations that have a definite upper age limit in my opinion and that children above the age of eight or nine will likely start finding Amelia Bedelia and her exploits and shenanigans rather dragging, overly silly and increasingly unbelievable).

[Bev Walkling · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had fun reading this book to my grand children (ages 5 & almost 8). I had certainly heard of Amelia Bedelia books before, but I am not sure that I have read any. I quickly learned that with Amelia there is one thing you can count on, she takes what people say very literally. It makes for a humorous (if somewhat predictable) story which left all 3 of us laughing.

[Shiloah · Rating 4 out of 5]

We sure love Amelia Bedelia.

[Toni Facteau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy Haunting, Amelia Bedelia by Herman Parish is published by Scholastic Inc. in 2005. There are 64 pages in this book and I gave it 4/5 stars because I think Amelia Bedelia is hysterical and she takes everything so literal and makes it a funny story. The genre is fiction, the grade level would be 2-5th grade, the Lexile is 480L and the Guided Reading Level is K.

This Amelia Bedelia book is how Amelia Bedilia had gotten ready for Halloween with Mr. and Mrs. Rogers. She helped both of them decorate their house as a haunted house. Of course she takes some of her chores that she was asked to do, such as "crack open a window" or "put a leaf on the table". She then was able to disguise herself since she always wore costumes, and you have to be different on Halloween. Amelia had a great time at the Halloween house with Mr. and Mrs. Rogers.

The activity that I would have my students do would be to have a figurative langugage worksheet to show similies, idioms, and metaphors.

The CCSS for this activity would be CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.5
Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.5.A
Explain the meaning of simple similes and metaphors (e.g., as pretty as a picture) in context.

This would go hand and hand with the activity to help students practice figurative langugage.

[Brittni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read during a quick break at work lol
Amelia is so literal. She was not as batty in this book as she usually is, but she did get some quick payback. Also, her employers were more lenient than usual. They were full of the Halloween spirit.

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mixed-up Amelia "cracks" a window to let in some air, adds a "leaf" to the table, and makes some gruesome goodies to get ready for Halloween. But, when party time rolls around, nobody can find Amelia Bedelia.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

read with my grandson when he was visiting

[Diana S]

I love Amelia Bedelia!

[Rayjan Koehler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute Halloween book for kids. Was the same kind of book I had expected though I hadn't read an Amelia Bedelia book in years. My baby niece liked me reading this to her.

[Jennifer (JenIsNotaBookSnob) · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the better ones of the later Amelia Bedelia books. The first few books are great, then there's a whole bunch of later ones that feel mass produced, then there's the latest version with the redesigned characters which I have yet to read and can't really weigh in on. Of that mass produced cluster, this one manages to still be fun, though not like the originals.
It still feels a bit more like a product, but, it has a lot of the fun of the early ones and kids will enjoy the prank Amelia gets to be a part of.

[Joey Gremillion · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is one of those I remember fondly from childhood (others include Henry Huggins and Beezus and Ramona). Amelia Bedelia, the sweet, bumbling housekeeper with a heart of gold and a brain of straw who made the BEST lemon meringue pies. STILL the best phonetic and reading practice books ever.

[Katelynn Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book would be good to read to a classroom during Halloween. It was easy to follow and silly twists with each page. To "cracking open a window" to the "eyeballs". This silly book would make all kids laugh at what Amelia does. It would be a good book to pause when Amelia does something silly and ask them what Mr/Mrs Rogers really meant.

[Bobby Adkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was very good for younger kids. The text was very simple but would help the student. The font was also printed big enogh for any one who struggle at seeing. Overall, i would highly recommened this book for anyone who is new at reading.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My children (ages 4, 6, and 8) are obsessed with all things Halloween. This is a cute book that helps to teach them about idioms because Amelia Bedelia takes everything so literally. They like the twist at the end.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as many fun word plays and a certain amount of mean-spiritedness in this one. Not one of the better entries in the series.

[Zozo · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you could give six stars, I would give six because she's always hilarious.

[Rachel Gillespie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book because it was so funny and very cute to read!

[BookWormYami · Rating 5 out of 5]

I use to love stories about Amelia Bedelia as a child. And this Halloween story brought joy to my inner child.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The surprise twist at the end. I never read these books. But they are interesting.

[O · Rating 5 out of 5]

Legal!

[KaitandMaddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amelia Bedelia seems a bit mean-spirited, tbh, with Mr Rogers calling her batty and insulting her clothing. The scarecrow costume was funny.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars
Amelia Bedelia literally takes on Halloween

[Johnboy Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

😆 🤣 😂

[Anna Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read the first 10 pgs with Cecilia on 26 Feb 2025.
Read to pg 50 with Cecilia on 5 Mar 2025.


Amelia Bedelia is up to her confusing self for Halloween at the Brown's house.

[Martin]

Title: Happy Haunting, Amelia Bedelia
Author: Herman Parish
Illustrator: Lynn Sweat
Genre: I Can Read
Theme(s): Halloween, Costumes, Puns
Opening line/sentence:
When Amelia Bedelia arrived for work, she could not believe her eyes.

Brief Book Summary:
Amelia Bedelia helps the Rogers get ready for their Halloween Party. Mrs. Rogers helps Amelia find a costume and scare the “fearless” Mr. Rogers on a fun-filled Halloween night filled with creative costumes and treats.

Professional Recommendation/Review #1:
Lisa Larremore (The Lorgnette - Heart of Texas Reviews (Vol. 17, No. 4))
Amelia Bedelia is very distressed about the Rogers house until she finds out that they ve dressed it up for Halloween. Amelia Bedelia tricks Mr. Rogers, which makes a cute ending to a funny story. Students will love all the Halloween ideas, including the scary food, and can create plans for their own Halloween parties. This is an entertaining Halloween book Amelia Bedelia style.

Professional Recommendation/Review #2:
Challenged by her literal interpretation of almost everything she hears, Amelia Bedelia has provided many laughs through the years. This title is a level 2 in the I Can Read! series and provides emerging readers an opportunity to be smarter than Amelia as they anticipate what she will do next. When asked by Mr. Rogers to crack a window, it has gotten very warm in here. Readers will know that Amelia will use the hammer in her hand to crack the window. In this installment, the Rogers are planning a Halloween party for the neighborhood with decorations, goodies, and a prize for the best costume. Mr. Rogers insults Amelia by saying that she wears a costume everyday. Amelia does not consider her maid s uniform to be a costume, and decides to find something suitable. Mr. R. has also bragged that he is not afraid of the scary scarecrow that cousin Alcolu has contributed as a decoration. The neighborhood children s costumes are very creative, I particularly enjoyed the girl in a dress covered with rubber ears -- I m all ears! Needless to say, Mr. Rogers gets his usual come-up-ance when he is, indeed, frightened by the scarecrow -- Amelia has donned the scarecrow s clothes and rises up screaming booooo! She is awarded the costume prize and everyone has had a great time -- especially enjoying all of the food that Amelia has prepared. Serving the worm casserole after cleaning up, Amelia tricks Mr. Rogers by telling him that she had run out of spaghetti and used real worms instead! This title will serve to reinforce reading skills with lots of picture clues and it is filled with great ideas for costumes and scary foods to serve at your own Halloween party.

Response to Two Professional Reviews:
Both reviews thought that the book gave great ideas for creative Halloween costumes and scary Halloween foods. The first review focused more on the entraining elements of the book and the creative ideas that were mentioned. On the other hand, the second review briefed more on the classic puns Amelia Bedelia falls for in the story and the fact that the book works for early readers.

Evaluation of Literary Elements:
The book had a simple plot that focused on getting ready for the Halloween party by giving plenty of examples of Halloween customs and decor. As all Amelia Bedelia books are, the story was filled with puns, which she always takes literally. Amelia Bedelia’s interpretation of these puns gives laughs and instructional opportunities. Children can become familiar with different expressions and learn what they do and do not mean. The words are written in a big font with simple dialogue and fun pictures.

Consideration of Instructional Application:
I would add this book to my classroom library during Halloween time. Before reading it out loud, I would have the children think and discuss their favorite Halloween costumes to activate their schema. After reading the book, I would have them draw and write about their favorite costume they have worn or seen or would like to wear. The book will give them ideas. I would also use the book to introduce our classroom costume contest.

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Horn Book (Spring 2005)

Preparing for a Halloween party, maid Amelia Bedelia is asked to crack a window (she uses a hammer) and add leaves to lengthen a table (she uses tree leaves). Otherwise Amelia's customary literal-mindedness is in short supply in a story whose main focus is the trick she plays on her boss. Still, the simple text, genial art, and holiday theme will please fans.



Publishers Weekly (August 9, 2004)

Puns and pranks abound in Happy Haunting, Amelia Bedelia by Herman Parish, illus. by Lynn Sweat. Here the heroine's comic misunderstandings take on a spooky bent as she helps prepare for a party (e.g., cracking a window). When Amelia says she doesn't have a disguise, Mr. Rogers wisecracks, "You wear a costume every day," commenting on her anachronistic apparel. But Amelia gets the last laugh. (Aug.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.



School Library Journal (August 1, 2004)

K-Gr 2-The literal maid returns, treating readers to more mishaps and misadventures. It is autumn, and the Rogerses have decorated for Halloween. When Amelia Bedelia arrives for work, she thinks that someone has vandalized the house. Once she learns that the family is having a party, she gets into the swing of things by cracking (breaking) a window and adding leaves to the dining-room table. As darkness falls, the festivities begin. After partaking of the gruesome refreshments, the costume contest is held, but no one can find Amelia Bedelia. Finally, it's revealed that she's been there all along-dressed as a scarecrow. Sweat's amusing watercolor-and-pen illustrations add to the zaniness of the story. Funny signs abound, from the tombstones on the lawn to the descriptions of the gruesome goodies. The costumes that Amelia Bedelia creates for the children are amusing and easy to duplicate. The illustrations extend the wordplay and help beginning readers understand the story. This reader is excellent for children ready for the challenge of learning the difference in meaning between such words as "which" and "witch," visually and semantically. A happy haunting with Amelia Bedelia where the laughs outweigh the screams.-Linda Staskus, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Parma, OH Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information

[Angela Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy Haunting, Amelia Bedelia tells the story of how Amelia Bedelia helps to make Halloween extra special. At he beginning of the story Amelia does not understand why the Rogerses have vandalized their own house. They explain that they are celebrating Halloween and throwing a costume party. As usual, Amelia takes all of their instructions literally. One example is she is asked to put an extra leaf in the table and she gets leaves from outside and puts them on the table. She is also asked to crack a window, so naturally she just breaks the window. Later in the story, She gets offended with Mr. Rogerses tells her she doesn't even have to dress up because she wear a costume every day. Amelia ends up dressing up as a scarecrow and haunting the party throughout the night. The illustrations in the book are very simple and they go well with the simple language and vocabulary used in the book. The illustrations are very helpful to the book as well because it shows that Amelia does not understand the idioms that the Rogerses use. She takes all of her directions literally. This book would be a good one to read to students in 3rd or 4th grades. It could be accompanied by a lesson on idioms and how sometimes people don't mean exactly what they say.

[Claire Binkley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book unbelievably cute! I had been looking for an Amelia Bedelia book ever since I had started volunteering at this library, since A. B. was such a figurehead of my childhood, which might explain some of the literalism I've been accused of harboring.

(One of my Russian instructors also goes by A. B., Alisa Bernardovna, so thoughts of the fun I've had with her, like when we went to the U.N. and to the Met in New York, contributed to the positive feeling this book brought this morning.)

Today I pulled Halloween-themed literature from the shelves for the children to enjoy, and this was one of the first ones I had picked up. Sadly, most of my list of things I had read I left there, so I am going off memory and what I'd written into my planner.

(The spoiler I'm cautious about is in this paragraph)
So, I have always adored Amelia Bedelia - I could identify with her in this book since people were asking if how she normally looked was just a costume, and no, it's just how she always looks - much like how I am sometimes - this was fun, though, as when I'd been advising people on Halloween a few years back to be wary of Communism's eminent return, I think they were puzzled as to whether I'd been acting.

Happy haunting, indeed!

[Stormi (StormReads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now this one is for those a little bit bigger but still a child's book and it is 64 pages. So I have never read an Amelia Bedelia book before but I know they are very popular. There are something like twenty in this series and from just reading this one I can tell they all must be a lot of fun. Amelia helps the Rogers in their home and on her way there she sees that it looks really odd. She thinks someone has messed up their home but what has happened is the Rogers are getting ready for Halloween.

Amelia bungles some things along the way but she finally gets the hang of this Halloween party and is very delightful and run. Amelia cracks me up because she takes things that the Rogers say so literally. Like cracking the window, you will have to read it to find out what that means! 4.5 stars!