Heebie-Jeebie Jamboree

by Mary Ann Fraser

Elementary Reader which enhances basic decoding and supports reading comprehension.

Genres: Halloween, Picture Books, Childrens, Juvenile, Holiday, Adventure

Paperback

First published July 1, 2011

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brother and sister Sam and Daphne head to the Heebie-Jeebie Jamboree one Halloween night in this entertaining holiday picture book from author/illustrator Mary Ann Fraser. Held in the local graveyard, this spooky spectacle was put on by the local monsters, and included fun rides—a merry-go-round with skeleton horses!—a circus with gross treats like eyes cream, a witches' brew-off, and a fun crypt. Also on offer were a goblin pie contest, a haunted house, and a spectral rock-and-rock concert. As the night drew to a close, and everything faded away, the children headed home, tired but happy...

Heebie-Jeebie Jamboree is the first book I have read from Fraser, whose work was unknown to me when I picked it up from my library's Halloween display a few weeks ago. I enjoyed it quite a bit, appreciating the author's inventive Halloween take on classic fun fair activities. The accompanying artwork, done in acrylics, was colorful and fun, with a speckled quality that at times made me think of the pointillist technique. In any case, while this isn't destined to become one of my own holiday favorites, it does offer solid Halloween fun, and is one I recommend to picture book audiences with a taste for tastes that are a little but spooky and a lot bit fun.

[Set · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations are not detailed enough for my taste but it's original in style and it does have a Halloween feel. A girl and her brother are invited to a Halloween theme park/carnival out of thin air. She goes through many attractions while looking for her lost brother.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 STARS

Cute idea but fizzled out a bit in the end. A little girl and her brother receive tickets (out of thin air!) to the Heebie-Jeebie Jamboree. It's lots of fun, of course, full of ghoulish guests and creepy twists on classic carnival attractions (like a carousel made of skeleton horses). I think the little boy wandering off and getting lost interrupted the flow of the story and there was not enough resolution to it (or consequences for his behavior) for it to be a real conflict. Kids who enjoy a little creepiness and have fun at carnivals and the like will probably enjoy it. Otherwise, I think there are better Halloween books out there.

[Mia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this one! Two little kids receive mysterious tickets to the Heebie-Jeebie Jamboree. The event resembles that of a circus or carnival, but things get sticky when Daphne loses sight of her brother Sam. Nice full-page illustrations, but perhaps better for a one-on-one than a big storytime.

[Molly Cluff (Library!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bunch of spooks show up for a one-night-only party/carnival! Little Daphne looses her little brother and spends her night looking for him among the other attractions. Very playful, a little spooky, and would do for storytime in a pinch! I wanted to be invited!

[Dedra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the word choice... "under a butterscotch moon."

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Creative use of both Halloween and county fair imagery to create a supernatural celebration. This one was fun. I liked that the "rodeo" involved busting flying brooms rather than animals!

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very cute story. It had little unexpected surprises in it.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's Halloween, and Daphne and her little brother Sam receive invitations to a ghostly gathering. They quickly become separated with Sam wandering among the ghouls, and Daphne trying to find him. While the storyline is fairly simple with some interesting word play--"Eyes cream!" (unpaginated), Daphne being addressed as "little ghoul" (unpaginated), and a fortune teller who predicts that Sam is "in for a bumpy ride" (unpaginated) before he climbs aboard a spook-filled roller coaster--there are all sorts of visual treats in the illustrations: "Rest in Pieces," "Doug McGrave," and "Bea Reitbach" on a tombstone. The acrylic illustrations show a "butterscotch moon" (unpaginated) and plenty of orange pumpkins everywhere. This one will appeal to kids getting ready to shout out "Trick or Treat" very soon.

[Storytime Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this cute book by Mary Ann Fraser, a young girl named Daphne and her brother Sam, get tickets to a Halloween carnival called the Heebie-Jeebie Jamboree. They are whisked off into a carnival consisting of warlock rodeos, witch’s brew-off, a Rolling Bones concert, and a tricky hall of mirrors. Getting caught up with all the various activities in the carnival, Daphne seems to lose Sam in a crowd. So she sets off in the Heebie-Jeebie Jamboree in search of Sam, and finds other tricks and treats along the way.

The illustrations, which are also done by Mary Ann Fraser, are bright, colorful, and very detailed.
This is a great book for any child looking for some Halloween adventure.

[Sandie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My daughter and I both enjoyed this story...I might have enjoyed it more then her!

Its a fun little story about a brother and sister who get tickets to go to a amusement park or carnival kind of thing for ghosts, witches and other creepy creatures. It kind of reminded me of the Cirque Du Freak series/movie where the show came at midnight, also Something Wicked this Way comes. It was a pretty cute story.

Fun play on words, easy to read and great artwork!

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Daphne and little brother Sam on Halloween night have two tickets to the Heebie-Jeebie Jamboree float into their hands and the are off to a graveyard where the Jamboree whic looks like a carnival is in progress. Of course the illustrations of the carnival are all Halloween themed. Good Halloween read, but most children will not get some of the humor, like the Skeleton Clown selling "Eyes Cream".
Loved that the end papers were nicely illustrated.

[Aleece · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story about Daphne and Sam and how they mysteriously come across tickets to the Heebie-Jeebie Jamboree. While it started out cute the two get separated and Daphne spends most of her time looking for Sam. While she explores the Jamboree to find him I wished the book was more about them enjoying the party together instead of it being a search for her brother.

Overall it is cute and would be good for kids that enjoy fun light Halloween stories.

[Samantha Hodge · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute, lighthearted read. Two kids pull tickets to the Heebie-Jeebie Jamboree out of the air on Halloween night. The Jamboree is basically an amusement park for ghosts and goblins. The illustrations are fun and will keep both kids and adults amused (like the concert for the "Rolling Bones"). My favorite are the headstones for Doug McGrave and Bea Reitbach. :)

[Jennybug · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a cute book with nice art work. I liked some of the play on words. The concessions sell: Eyes cream! Candy corn dogs! and Barbecue bat wings! Although, it did not really hold Sawyers attention.

[Jeanette Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is about a brother and sister who are invited to a spooky amusement park on Halloween. Cute references to spooky lingo. The brother wanders off and gets lost but the siblings are reunited in the end.

[Miri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A girl and her little brother find two tickets to the Heebie-Jeebie Jamboree, a carnival for real ghouls and ghosts. The pair have a great time in the contests and on the rides.

This story has bright colorful artwork, it isn't spooky at all, a fun choice to read at Halloween.

[Donalyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pleasant enough, but not remarkable book about two siblings who visit a haunted carnival. Low scare value and cute illustrations.

[Shelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

One day two young siblings find a magical tickets blowing in the breeze to the Heebie-Jeebie Jamboree. Hold on to each other kids! Getting separated can prove to be a bit scary.

[Ardis · Rating 2 out of 5]

The illustrations were very nice, but so much more could have been done with the story and the text.

[Jaime · Rating 3 out of 5]

My daughter loves this halloween themed book! The illustrations are great!

[Alisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun book, especially with some spelling and jokes for adults as well, but it is a fun book about 2 kids that get a ticket to a fun jamboree with Halloween characters.

[Mariah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed pretending to be at the Heebie-Jeebie Jamboree with Daphne and Sam.

[Kaye · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is weak, but the illustrations are fun. My three year old girls are obsessed with this book, and relish the opportunity to say "monocle" whenever they see a man wearing it in the pictures.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of Ray's favorites

[Elisabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing special - but it will be something new to offer this year.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cheerful, fun story about trick-or-treating siblings.