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Twisted Sistahs: The True Story of the First Halloween...honest!
Three beautiful sisters have so many marriage proposals that they throw a party on October 31st, inviting all their suitors and, although they're still unable to accept anyone, they decide to have the party every year on the same date.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published August 28, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 23, 2021
The three Ghoulyah sisters - Talulah-Rose, Agnes-Beulah, and Jezebel-Peculiah - were astonishingly attractive witches. With raven hair and green skin (Talulah-Rose), braided whiskers (Agnes-Beulah), and a wrinkled face with furry eyebrows (Jezebel-Peculiah), they had no shortage of 'mistahs' courting them. Unsure of just who to choose as mates, these 'twisted sistahs' decided to throw a ghoulish party, and survey their suitors. The resultant bash was such a success - as a party that is, rather than a match-making venture - that it became an annual tradition known as Halloween...
After reading Mark Kimball Moulton and Karen Hillard Good's Miss Fiona's Stupendous Pumpkin Pies and finding it moderately enjoyable, despite some problems with the text - the rhyme scheme was rather awkward, and the rhythm had more than a few hiccups - I was curious to see what I would make of this other Halloween title from the same author/illustrator duo. Unfortunately, I thought Twisted Sistahs was a bit of a mess, and with the exception of the artwork, which I found enjoyably quirky, I was not at all impressed. The text was overly long, I think, and more to the point, it read poorly. The rhyme scheme often felt forced, with sentences clearly being shoehorned into the 'correct' position - "So they made a big, old 'X' mark through October thirty-first, / then consulted their address book and they soon became immersed" - and there were some odd word choices - can someone be 'statuesquely' thin? - that jarred me out of the narrative.
All in all, this was a disappointment - I'm surprised to see how highly other reviewers have rated it - and although I'm happy to have added it to my 'witchy-witches' shelf (what can I say? I'm a bit of a completist), cannot really recommend it.
After reading Mark Kimball Moulton and Karen Hillard Good's Miss Fiona's Stupendous Pumpkin Pies and finding it moderately enjoyable, despite some problems with the text - the rhyme scheme was rather awkward, and the rhythm had more than a few hiccups - I was curious to see what I would make of this other Halloween title from the same author/illustrator duo. Unfortunately, I thought Twisted Sistahs was a bit of a mess, and with the exception of the artwork, which I found enjoyably quirky, I was not at all impressed. The text was overly long, I think, and more to the point, it read poorly. The rhyme scheme often felt forced, with sentences clearly being shoehorned into the 'correct' position - "So they made a big, old 'X' mark through October thirty-first, / then consulted their address book and they soon became immersed" - and there were some odd word choices - can someone be 'statuesquely' thin? - that jarred me out of the narrative.
All in all, this was a disappointment - I'm surprised to see how highly other reviewers have rated it - and although I'm happy to have added it to my 'witchy-witches' shelf (what can I say? I'm a bit of a completist), cannot really recommend it.
July 22, 2008
This has to be my number one favorite story book of all time! A really neat message accompanied by awesome artwork. I discovered it when my son was very little and my adoration for it has only grown over the years especially now that I have a daughter. This is a hilarious and sarcastic rhyming book about 3 witch sisters and the first Halloween. Any mother- especially those with daughters- will relish the envied physical aspects of the Ghoulyah sisters whose names I wish I would have referred to while pregnant with my daughter! Caution to the younger set: this is absolutely NOT scary, but it is fairly wordy, including some obscure vocabulary that not all of the elementary kids will get. Trust me, it doesn't matter. A fun, fun book to read aloud at Halloween and all year round. I refer to my daughter as "Sistah" just about as often as I use her real name.
September 4, 2018
This was a patron request purchase. The content is a bit much for the picture book group. I know parents will have a problem with the "Sucking face with Leaches." Significant text. Consider this an additional purchase.
November 24, 2019
Cute, original, wee bit long for a bedtime story if you like to stick to short(ish) stories. Personally, I like bedtime stories to be a little shorter. My 4 year old liked it. Her words “it’s nice!” And the artwork is great! I love how unique and creative this book is as a whole.
April 21, 2019
Good story but I didn't understand who was the last guy.
Short but full of entertaining details.
The illustrations are very awesome!
Short but full of entertaining details.
The illustrations are very awesome!
July 5, 2019
Wonderful illustrations. Great Halloween tradition for the family.
October 26, 2023
https://www.goodreads.com/review/edit...#
Great fun, for older children, but I had a good time reading it.
Great fun, for older children, but I had a good time reading it.
September 10, 2010
Marginally non-fiction. Very funny.
November 11, 2014
This is just plain fun...for little kids to adults. Everything is backwards. The sisters are holding a party to see who they might marry. Every page is hilarious.
September 28, 2009
A cute, cute story and I love the illustrations.
November 21, 2009
Anything Halloween is great to me.
November 23, 2009
This is a great book about witchy sister-hood! I love it!!!
August 19, 2012
A mmmmarvelous annual giggle & smirk! Great illustrations and fabulously fun rhyming rhythm.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews