Kirkus Reviews

Selznick ( Barnyard Prayers , p. 120, etc.) illustrates this beguiling tale of a monster-mad lad with a mix of lurid film stills and masterfully rendered, dramatically under-lit portraits in pencil. Inspired by the classic movies of horrormeister Lon Chaney, Halloween-born fifth grader Alonzo so yearns to be known as "The Boy Of A Thousand Faces" that he's compiling a photo album of self-portraits in monster makeup. In the end his dream comes true, in a way, after vague but chilling rumors of a strange beast in town propel Alonzo to instant notoriety as a monster expert and one of his Polaroids is printed in the newspaper as a purported picture of the prowler. This inspires nearly every local trick-or-treater to dress as a monster come Halloween. Who is responsible for this amazing happening? Ah, only the Shadow knows. Readers will practically hear the sinister organ music rising behind this tribute to the ghoulish delights of monster mania and those old black and white screamers—the cover and the interior illustrations guarantee a ready-made audience. Nicely done. (Fiction. 9-11)

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

A 10-year-old boy born on Halloween has an imagination on overdrive and an obsessive love of monsters. "Characteristically detailed and moodily lit, Selznick's closely focused drawings approximate the pleasurable melodramas of the scary movies the hero so enjoys," said <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">PW. Ages 8-up. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(Sept.)

Horn Book (Sun Apr 01 00:00:00 CST 2001)

Dramatic black-and-white pencil drawings, which are often (appropriately enough) close-ups of faces, generate a deliciously eerie atmosphere for this story about a monster-movie-obsessed boy who lives "in a town where no one believed in monsters." Unfortunately, the plot is more convoluted and contrived than spooky as it reveals how the boy and a mysterious neighbor turn their fellow citizens into believers.

School Library Journal

Gr 2-5-Selznick has his finger on the pulse of kids and what they love. Alonzo, almost 11 and obsessed with horror movies, faithfully watches Monsters at Midnight on Channel 37, which broadcasts such reruns as Frankenstein, Dracula, and Phantom of the Opera, hosted by Mr. Shadows, who has become the boy's idol. The young protagonist secretly makes up his face to capture the look of some of the scariest of these fictional monsters, and keeps a Polaroid snapshot of each of his creations. His goal is to create 1000 different visages, inspired by the legendary Lon Chaney, "The Man of a Thousand Faces." Without giving away the very soul of the story, suffice it to say that the boy finds out the surprising true identity of Mr. Shadows and has a thrilling Halloween. Selznick's realistic pencil drawings of close-up faces, from Alonzo's extraordinary made-up monsters to the kindly Mr. Shadows, are expressive and suit the story's mood. This suspenseful book is a fine read-aloud and an excellent choice for reluctant readers.-Barbara Buckley, Rock- ville Centre Public Library, NY Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.

ALA Booklist (Fri Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2000)

Born on Halloween, 10-year-old Alonzo King believes in the unbelievable. Inspired by the late movie star and makeup master Lon Chaney, Alonzo dreams of being "The Boy of a Thousand Faces." With a little paint and a lot of imagination, he transforms himself into monsters and memorializes his guises with his mom's Polaroid camera. After his friend Mr. Blake gives him stamps commemorating famous horror movies, Alonzo decides to mail a photo of his scariest face to his hero, the masked Mr. Shadows, host of the TV horror show Monsters at Midnight. Nothing happens for awhile. Then The Beast comes to town, and monster expert Alonzo is the only one who can solve the mystery of the dark, lurking presence. Selznick's low-key but engaging story and his witty, eye-popping, black-and-white illustrations (including cinematic close-ups of the characters), combine to serve up a splendid celebration of the mysterious power of the imagination--for Halloween and all year round.