ALA Booklist (Sun Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2002)

What seems to be a one-note book with fun illustrations and clever names for kids to chatter aloud takes an inspired jog midway that will keep kids laughing and also put their brains to work. A little boy goes trick-or-treating, promising his mother that he will knock only on doors of the people he knows in the apartment building where he lives. He begins on the second floor, with Knicker Knocker's door, then Slipper Slopper on floor three, and so on, getting treats each time. But when he reaches Magic Merlin's door, treats become tricks and suddenly everything's Wackbards. He gets Beanut Putter, Ceanut Pups, and Parmel Cops from his costumed neighbors. What's a hungry trick-or-treater to do? Meisel's cartoon illustrations take full advantage of the topsy-turvy story, adding lots of comic holiday detail to keep little ones alert. The fun is in the pictures, and the challenge is in figuring out the visual joke and the backward names.

Horn Book (Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 CST 2003)

When a boy goes trick-or-treating in his apartment building, Magic Merlin casts a backwards spell, so that the names of the treats are switched around. Caramel Pops become Paramel Cops, Licorice Twists become Twicorice Lists, and Peanut Cups become Ceanut Pups. The story is slight, but it's amusing to figure out the switches and observe how Meisel portrays them in his cheery illustrations.

Kirkus Reviews

Readers will revel in the alliterative names and twisted phrases but the enjoyment will be superficial unless they can figure out that the "ceanut pups" are the "peanut cups," and other such treats are turned "wackbards" by Merlin's spell. Martin and Sampson, who have recently collaborated on several titles ( I Pledge Allegiance , above, etc.), tell of a young boy going trick-or-treating in his apartment building. On each floor, a costumed resident gives him a treat, until he reaches the apartment of Magic Merlin, who gives him a trick instead of a treat. Back down the boy goes, this time collecting a wacky trick instead. "Belly Jeans" replace the "Jelly Beans." "Stocolate Chicks" come in place of "Chocolate Sticks," and so on until the boy returns to his own apartment with a bag full of puppies, cars, and chickens and then his father's hug breaks the spell. The realistic watercolors depict neighbors in silly Halloween costumes and images of spiders and pumpkins on sweaters and ties. The story itself, though, is a somewhat confusing gimmick that may defy comprehension by primary-aged readers and will not interest most of the older readers, who will see through its contrived story line and all-too-convenient conclusion. (Picture book. 5-7)

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

Counting and word games result when a trick-or-treater makes the rounds of his 10-story apartment building. On his way upstairs, the junior Dracula gets Licorice Twists, Chocolate Sticks and so forth, but, on the top floor, a gleeful neighbor in Merlin guise sends him "<EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">WackBards!" The boy proceeds in reverse, receiving Stocolate Chicks, Twicorice Lists, etc. Meisel (<EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">How to Talk to Your Cat) gamely draws a crateful of chicks, elaborately scrawled lists, etc., and Martin and Sampson's (previously teamed for <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">I Pledge Allegiance, reviewed August 26) expertly cadenced inside-out wordplay could prove habit-forming. Ages 4-8. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(Sept.)

School Library Journal

Gr 1-3-Martin and Sampson aim their book at children who enjoy hearing, or trying to get their own mouths around, silly words. Trick-or-treating in his apartment house with his mother in tow, a young "Dracula" collects treats on each floor, until a magician on the 10th hits him with a trick: "Now everything is WACKBARDS!" As the child makes all of his previous stops in reverse, instead of Jelly Beans, he gets a stream of "Belly Jeans": likewise, Chocolate Sticks change to "Stocolate Chicks," Caramel Pops to "Paramel Cops," and so on. Meisel keeps the tone light in his spacious, simply drawn cartoons, portraying everyone wearing maskless costumes and, generally, smiling as armies of little blue jeans, police officers, and other wacky offerings march into the lad's apparently bottomless sack. And, it takes only a paternal hug at the end to break the spell, leaving the diminutive Count and his parents happily contemplating a teetering mountain of sweets. Children will giggle, and salivate, too, at this sugary bit of Halloween foolery.-John Peters, New York Public Library Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.