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Wishbone Super Mysteries #1
The Halloween Joker
As Halloween approaches, a practical joker targets the kids of Oakdale, and the jokes are starting to get out of hand, so Wishbone and his friends set out to find the joker before the special costume party is ruined.
255 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 8, 2025
A Quickie Review
I don't usually do Halloween-themed media, but, I made an exception for this mystery based on the beloved PBS Kids show...and I was glad I did! Fun, exciting, and with a convoluted plot, this was a blast. I hope to find more Wishbone Super Mysteries at the library or elsewhere.
Score: 4/5
I don't usually do Halloween-themed media, but, I made an exception for this mystery based on the beloved PBS Kids show...and I was glad I did! Fun, exciting, and with a convoluted plot, this was a blast. I hope to find more Wishbone Super Mysteries at the library or elsewhere.
Score: 4/5
November 1, 2024
Cozy nostalgic Halloween read! I love how the Wishbone Mysteries still dive into a classical tale, even if Wishbone's not portraying a book character.
Samantha is reading the story of Dracula and finds similarities between each section she's currently reading and the current mystery of Oakdale's Halloween prankster. The hints we get into the story of Dracula come from her perspective rather than Wishbone's perspective. Although he's still very much present and begging for the nearest crumb!
I'll give all Wishbone books 5-stars, understanding that these are children's chapter books. I did however read many of these over and over as a kid, so younger me approves.
Samantha is reading the story of Dracula and finds similarities between each section she's currently reading and the current mystery of Oakdale's Halloween prankster. The hints we get into the story of Dracula come from her perspective rather than Wishbone's perspective. Although he's still very much present and begging for the nearest crumb!
I'll give all Wishbone books 5-stars, understanding that these are children's chapter books. I did however read many of these over and over as a kid, so younger me approves.
November 1, 2018
So, I've been doing a #halloweenbookchallenge and found this at my mom's house with some of my old books from my childhood so decided to give it a read. I honestly didn't remember much from way back when and was curious about it. For a Wishbone book.... There wasn't very much Wishbone. Most of the book is told about Sam, a friend of Wishbone's owner.
Obviously this book doesn't get to dark since it's for younger kids, but some parts felt almost.... Lame? Still an interesting story, and a good read for this time of the year. 🍂🍁🎃👻 I thought it was cute and it made me miss the show, even though it's set up differently.
Obviously this book doesn't get to dark since it's for younger kids, but some parts felt almost.... Lame? Still an interesting story, and a good read for this time of the year. 🍂🍁🎃👻 I thought it was cute and it made me miss the show, even though it's set up differently.
November 4, 2024
Almost as damaged as the regular Joker
October 16, 2024
I've been home sick the last three days from work. I've spent my time on the couch reading children's books. I read three Nancy Drew books and yesterday I read The Halloween Joker. I wanted simple books that I didn't have to think too hard about.
We have a Little Library on our street. My husband picked up this Wishbone and the Nancy Drew books recently. I'm not sure why since our children are young adults in their late 20's x2/early 30 x1. My kids used to watch Wishbone, which means this stay at home mom did too. I remember my kids really enjoyed the shows, me too. I really don't remember much, other than Wishbone being the main character in the cast of young actors and he helped solve the mysteries.
This is my first Wishbone book. I guess my children didn't read them? Chances are, I would had too. It was a fun read, though, of course, not realistic as the adults/parents knew the practical joker was stalking their children and what parent wouldn't step in? These adults/parents let it happen and their children capture the joker.
It being Halloween, it seemed appropriate to read The Halloween Joker. Wishbone, Joe, Samantha, Kepler and David are all preparing for the big pre-Halloween costume party at Mr Del Rio's Oakdale Sports & Games store, once an old fire station. Samantha seems to be the main character in this story. She ends up also being the main target by the practical joker who feels it's fun pulling mean and scary jokes on her and the gang. With Samantha reading the book, Dracula, it ties into the story of what the practical joker is doing and the story of Dracula. Wishbone is the secondary character in this story.
There is a side story and one that I appreciated a lot. Someone is dumping poisons into the duck pond, Wishbone's favourite place. He comes across this one day and is alarmed at what damage it is causing to the water, the plants, the animals, and the fish. He has to somehow tell Joe. I think this subplot is very important and a great introduction for children to learn of dumping poisons into the waters and the consequences it causes to the habitat and environment.
It wasn't too hard to figure out who the joker was. I figured it out as soon as the person was introduced. After all, I am 58 and this book is geared for elementary/middle age children.
Fun story.
We have a Little Library on our street. My husband picked up this Wishbone and the Nancy Drew books recently. I'm not sure why since our children are young adults in their late 20's x2/early 30 x1. My kids used to watch Wishbone, which means this stay at home mom did too. I remember my kids really enjoyed the shows, me too. I really don't remember much, other than Wishbone being the main character in the cast of young actors and he helped solve the mysteries.
This is my first Wishbone book. I guess my children didn't read them? Chances are, I would had too. It was a fun read, though, of course, not realistic as the adults/parents knew the practical joker was stalking their children and what parent wouldn't step in? These adults/parents let it happen and their children capture the joker.
It being Halloween, it seemed appropriate to read The Halloween Joker. Wishbone, Joe, Samantha, Kepler and David are all preparing for the big pre-Halloween costume party at Mr Del Rio's Oakdale Sports & Games store, once an old fire station. Samantha seems to be the main character in this story. She ends up also being the main target by the practical joker who feels it's fun pulling mean and scary jokes on her and the gang. With Samantha reading the book, Dracula, it ties into the story of what the practical joker is doing and the story of Dracula. Wishbone is the secondary character in this story.
There is a side story and one that I appreciated a lot. Someone is dumping poisons into the duck pond, Wishbone's favourite place. He comes across this one day and is alarmed at what damage it is causing to the water, the plants, the animals, and the fish. He has to somehow tell Joe. I think this subplot is very important and a great introduction for children to learn of dumping poisons into the waters and the consequences it causes to the habitat and environment.
It wasn't too hard to figure out who the joker was. I figured it out as soon as the person was introduced. After all, I am 58 and this book is geared for elementary/middle age children.
Fun story.
August 31, 2025
A staple of my childhood, the Wishbone books introduced me and many of my friends to the world of classic literature. Revisiting this book was a fun way to look back on that as well as look forward to the Halloween season this year.
March 2, 2023
This book is difficult to believe, but it is provoking.
February 19, 2025
Very first chapter book I read by myself as a kid. Full on nostalgia
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 19, 2025
This had a diverse array of characters, & drawings,
but not enough diversity in the names of characters.
I had gotten bored, and decided to not finish the book.
Sorry yy chao.
but not enough diversity in the names of characters.
I had gotten bored, and decided to not finish the book.
Sorry yy chao.
September 9, 2013
The narrative follows Samantha Kepler the majority of the time, with little branches of the story that show us what Wishbone is up to, particularly early on. Later in the book, when the Halloween Party at Oakdale Sports and Games commences, it's a bundled narration that shows our trio of puppy-loving friends as they solve the mystery. There were a few times when I read this that I thought, "Wow, this is pretty scary!" If I were those kids, I would've been afraid of the joker, too! It never got too dark, of course — this is for kids — and the ending wrapped it all up without the usual plot-holes you might find in anything more complex and thematically more adult.
Speaking of adult, the book used to propel Sam's fright is none other than Bram Stoker's Victorian classic, Dracula! I don't know which version Sam was reading, but how she ever managed to read so much of that book in so little time is beyond me! I've read Dracula, and it wasn't the kind of book whose prose could be downed copiously, but sipped abstemiously. I like to think she was reading one of those edited and retold versions. But there was enough Dracula in this to make me stop and think, "Oh, yeah... I remember that part!" At the end of the book is a fantastic line that sums up all that Dracula was when it first appeared in 1898, and a hundred years later, 1998, when The Halloween Joker appeared: "Dracula was really a symbol for the evil that still exists in the world."
Unlike the show, there are no scenes from the past that star Wishbone. This might be the way all the Wishbone books are written, I don't know (this was my first), but I thought it was an interesting angle. With this straight modern story, with no costume or scene changes, we don't feel that we're being subjected to a Wishbone television episode that was just transformed into words. Though I doubt there are many parents my age out there who have kids old enough yet to enjoy watching Wishbone and reading Wishbone books, nevertheless those of us that fondly remember the show will enjoy having these extras episode-esque stories to peruse.
Ms. Capeci carried the voices of Sam, Joe and David well. Her characterization of Wishbone was strong, cute; he said many things that I could imagine Larry Brantley's intonations emoting. I loved the few scenes with Wanda Gilmore. Wanda was such a vivid character in the show, it takes little effort to make her jump off the page. I chuckled to myself over Ellen Talbot's (Joe's mom) frequent absences. I don't know if this just became a running-gag that Ms. Capeci incorporated to amuse herself, or if it was just my pleasant mood as I read the story taking hold of me.
Speaking of adult, the book used to propel Sam's fright is none other than Bram Stoker's Victorian classic, Dracula! I don't know which version Sam was reading, but how she ever managed to read so much of that book in so little time is beyond me! I've read Dracula, and it wasn't the kind of book whose prose could be downed copiously, but sipped abstemiously. I like to think she was reading one of those edited and retold versions. But there was enough Dracula in this to make me stop and think, "Oh, yeah... I remember that part!" At the end of the book is a fantastic line that sums up all that Dracula was when it first appeared in 1898, and a hundred years later, 1998, when The Halloween Joker appeared: "Dracula was really a symbol for the evil that still exists in the world."
Unlike the show, there are no scenes from the past that star Wishbone. This might be the way all the Wishbone books are written, I don't know (this was my first), but I thought it was an interesting angle. With this straight modern story, with no costume or scene changes, we don't feel that we're being subjected to a Wishbone television episode that was just transformed into words. Though I doubt there are many parents my age out there who have kids old enough yet to enjoy watching Wishbone and reading Wishbone books, nevertheless those of us that fondly remember the show will enjoy having these extras episode-esque stories to peruse.
Ms. Capeci carried the voices of Sam, Joe and David well. Her characterization of Wishbone was strong, cute; he said many things that I could imagine Larry Brantley's intonations emoting. I loved the few scenes with Wanda Gilmore. Wanda was such a vivid character in the show, it takes little effort to make her jump off the page. I chuckled to myself over Ellen Talbot's (Joe's mom) frequent absences. I don't know if this just became a running-gag that Ms. Capeci incorporated to amuse herself, or if it was just my pleasant mood as I read the story taking hold of me.
July 1, 2017
For the fans of the television show this book was actually a let-down in my opinion. It kept the actual characters, the same background and the general feel of the show itself but against the title of the actual series - Wishbone - the lovable pooch wasn't an actual main character at all.
For those who haven't seen the show the show is based off a cute terrier book-reading pup who tells the story of whatever may be happening against the background of a particular book where he is playing the main character. It was a great show that introduced children to some of the harder to read and dry "Classics".
Unfortunately in this book Wishbone was a third wheel for the most part who just occasionally was able to get out on his own occasionally. And instead of Wishbone telling the tale it was not his owner but his owner's best friend who for the most part was relating the tale of Dracula. All in all I was very disappointed with this read.
For those who haven't seen the show the show is based off a cute terrier book-reading pup who tells the story of whatever may be happening against the background of a particular book where he is playing the main character. It was a great show that introduced children to some of the harder to read and dry "Classics".
Unfortunately in this book Wishbone was a third wheel for the most part who just occasionally was able to get out on his own occasionally. And instead of Wishbone telling the tale it was not his owner but his owner's best friend who for the most part was relating the tale of Dracula. All in all I was very disappointed with this read.
April 8, 2012
"Yeah, and he's been scaring a lot of people!"
"Good."
"What if we don't want to be scared?"
"Alright, sure. And I've got a great idea, how about we have Thanksgiving dinner without the turkey, or better still, let's go to sleep at eight New Year's Eve!"
"Good."
"What if we don't want to be scared?"
"Alright, sure. And I've got a great idea, how about we have Thanksgiving dinner without the turkey, or better still, let's go to sleep at eight New Year's Eve!"
April 27, 2009
I still love wishbone. how could one not? he's adorable and smart.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews