Young readers just starting chapter books will enjoy this ‘getting ready for Halloween’ short chapter book with only 48 pages. The illustrations have just the right amount of chubby green boogeymen with horns on their heads and a friendly helpful ghost to make this a seasonal winner and a winner in family dynamics.

Damien Q. Boogey has a secret, but before he tells us, his father yells, for him to come down stairs. Damien’s father is furious to read Damien “applied to be an apprentice candymaker.” (18) How can the son of the boogeyman have a son who is a candymaker? This is horrible. Dad wants Damien to follow in his family’s footsteps. Though Damien is terrified of his father, he stands up to him and declares, ” It’s my dream.” (19) The argument is on until Georgia, the ghost (and a former resident of the house), steps in and suggests Damien “shows you his SKILLS in the kitchen? He is quite talented, you know.” (28) Damien puts his Granny’s skills to the test and makes a cupcake his father states is better than Granny’s. Success!