ALA Booklist (Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 2018)

In this unusual Halloween story, pint-size ninjas gather to go trick-or-treating. Little Kashi wants to be a ninja like her big brother, Yukio, and follows him everywhere, peppering him with questions. She warns him that he is risking danger when he dresses in a bird costume, because of the huge Samurai Scarecrow, who sings a creepy lullaby: "Find me the birds who think I'm decayed . . . / I'll teach them to be scared of me." When Yukio tells Kashi she's not a real ninja, she runs off, inconsolable, while the others race to fill their buckets. A noise startles them. Is it a ghost? A zombie? A hungry werewolf? Much worse! Samurai Scarecrow appears, pouncing on a rueful Yukio and demanding his candy. Children will enjoy discovering the surprising little person who is inside that scarecrow costume. Digital illustrations employ a palette of purple, white, orange, and black. Lively ninja personalities, creepy trees and houses, and a mildly scary scarecrow produce a fun tale for all ninja wannabes.

Horn Book (Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2019)

In young ninja Yukio's second holiday-themed adventure (Samurai Santa), doting little sis Kashi annoyingly emulates all of his Halloween trick-or-treating preparations; her copycat costume is the final straw. But then Kashi cleverly invokes Yukio's spooky urban legend about Samurai Scarecrow to get some well-deserved respect. Thoughtful text design enhances the spare, funny narrative. Digital illustrations in a limited orange-and-purple palette capture the siblings' relatable range of emotions.

Kirkus Reviews

One Halloween, Yukio gets tired of his sister following him around and says some things he doesn't mean.After trying to chase away Santa (Samurai Santa, 2015), Yukio the ninja returns excited for Halloween night. His little sister, Kashi, wants to be just like her big brother. As they prepare for a night of trick-or-treating, Kashi follows her brother around everywhere, asking questions incessantly—and even dressing in the same costume. Yukio has had enough and yells at his sister. Chided by his friends ("Ouch. Too far, dude"), Yukio tries to apologize, but she doesn't want to go trick-or-treating with him anymore. While he and his friends are out, the Samurai Scarecrow—the well-known spooky urban legend—chases them, demanding his candy, which forces him into a decision that teaches him what it is to be a ninja and a brother. Taking inspiration from Japanese urban legends, Pingk creates the eerie Samurai Scarecrow. He uses a palette of black, white, orange, and mauve to convey a Halloween feel. Gray clouds, curvy trees, and ghostly tendrils create spooky landscapes and frames. His focus on small details, such as scatterings of orange feathers, adds to the movement and emotion in each scene. Playful changes in typeface add voice and emphasis. With spooky scarecrows, sneaky ninjas, and sibling tricks, this book has a little something for everyone. (Picture book. 4-8)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

In a visually dramatic Halloween tale (a companion to Samurai Santa), Kashi is eager to take part in all things Halloween with her brother, Yukio. That includes hearing scary stories about the legendary Samurai Scarecrow, who lays in wait for -feathered fools who won-t flee.- Yukio isn-t scared, though. In fact, he dresses as a bird for Halloween; to his annoyance, Kashi copies him, embarrassing Yukio in front of his ninja friends. A mean comment from Yukio to Kashi leads her to tearfully stay behind while the others go out trick-or-treating-until the pumpkin-headed Samurai Scarecrow appears (-Show me the birds no longer afraid.... Find me the birds who think I-m decayed-), and Kashi pulls off a feat that gives her serious sibling cred. Pingk works in dusky purple tones with orange accents; through dynamic use of angle and perspective, motion-filled scenes resemble comic spreads. A sophisticated aesthetic and a highly original monster make this sibling story a memorable addition to a Halloween library. Ages 4-8. (July)