2013, Fiction
WISE Score
The five little monkeys decide that swapping costumes is the best way to fool their babysitter and their mom on Halloween night.
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If your kid already likes the Five Little Monkeys series, this is a no-brainer for the October rotation. It’s predictable, rhythmic, and safe.
It doesn't reinvent the wheel, but Eileen Christelow knows exactly how to pace a book for a kid who is just starting to understand that Halloween is about more than just candy. It’s a workhorse of a picture book that will survive a dozen repeat readings without making you want to hide it behind the couch.
Perfect for the 2-to-5 crowd. It’s simple enough for a toddler to follow but has enough 'plot' to keep a kindergartner engaged during a seasonal read-aloud.
Classic preschool humor centered on family dynamics and harmless mischief. The monkeys are playful, and the 'trick' is innocent and age-appropriate.
The plot hinges on the creative use of costumes and identity-swapping, which mirrors how kids actually play during Halloween.
It's a picture book for toddlers. No scary elements, no violence, and no content concerns whatsoever.
Excellent for early literacy, counting, and pattern recognition. It also helps kids process the concept of 'tricks' versus 'mean behavior' in a safe context.
The Five Little Monkeys series has been around since the late 80s, and for good reason: it taps into the repetitive, rhythmic structure that preschool brains crave. Five Little Monkeys Trick-or-Treat follows the established formula but adds the seasonal hook of costume-swapping.
What makes this one work is the 'Lulu' factor. Introducing a babysitter adds a layer of social dynamic that kids find interesting—it’s a different kind of authority than a parent, and the monkeys (predictably) try to see what they can get away with.
From a literacy standpoint, this is pure language comprehension building. The syntax is repetitive, the illustrations clearly mirror the text, and the narrative arc is easy for a child to predict. It’s the kind of book that helps a kid transition from just looking at pictures to actually 'reading' the story along with you. It isn't a deep philosophical dive like Where the Wild Things Are, but it’s a solid, reliable tool for building a love of books.
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