ALA Booklist

Christelow's five little monkeys are natural tricksters, making them perfect subjects for a Halloween story. Lulu, their favorite babysitter, is a diligent but relaxed chaperone, the perfect candidate for one of their tricks. But wait, does she have a trick of her own? The subtle twist at the end of the story, along with pictorial hints, will encourage discussion of just how much she and Mama know about the fivesome's shenanigans. Young readers will enjoy Lulu's efforts to keep track of her young charges, dressed tonight as a banana, ghost, goblin, princess, and alien. But when they decide to change costumes with a robot, television, grapes, pumpkin, and blue bunny, the fun begins. The energetic siblings in full costume dominate every page, along with their obliging friends. The illustrations, executed digitally in pen, ink, and color, begin with pumpkins and bats on the endpapers (symbols that continue throughout the book) and conclude with recipes for eyeball cookies and worm juice, perfect Halloween treats for readers as well as monkeys.

Horn Book

It's Halloween, and the five little monkeys are eager to trick-or-treat. With babysitter Lulu as the group's chaperone, the monkeys venture into the night and encounter several costumed friends. Mischief ensues as the trick-or-treaters swap outfits in a furtive masquerade. Playfully illustrated with a colorful parade of animals and disguises, it's a lighthearted Halloween farce.

Kirkus Reviews

Christelow's rambunctious monkeys are decked out in their costumes and ready to play an elaborate trick that may end up jeopardizing any treats they might receive. Mama makes sure her little ones are ready when Lulu the babysitter arrives to take them out on Halloween night. Their costumes: banana, alien, ghost, goblin and princess. "Don't lose the rascals!" Mama cautions. All goes well until one monkey decides to switch costumes with a friend. Now that monkey is a blue bunny instead of an alien. The other monkeys think this is "SO funny" and follow suit. Though Lulu notices, like all great babysitters, she does not spoil the fun--at first. But the look in her eye foreshadows a comeuppance for her young charges. Suddenly Lulu announces that it is time for the new banana, ghost, goblin, alien and princess to go. "We have to get home for a big Halloween treat!" Suddenly, the disguised monkeys worry that they are going to miss something special and quickly follow Lulu and their friends to the house. Crafty Lulu and wise Mama soon sort out the confusion, and the mischievous bunch is quickly forgiven as they sample some tricky treats of eyeball cookies and worm juice. Fans of the author's previous monkey titles will welcome this silly new tale, but adults wishing for a safety message warning against similar copycat antics will be disappointed. (recipes) (Picture book. 4-7)

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

Christelow-s popular Five Little Monkeys enjoy nothing more than getting into mischief, and they accomplish plenty of it on Halloween night as they trick-or-treat with babysitter Lulu. At first, the monkeys are dressed as a banana, alien, ghost, goblin, and princess, but once they-re out on the streets, they start switching costumes with fellow trick-or-treaters, leading to five little cases of mistaken identity. Mama knows what-s what, though. -There must be some mistake,- she tells the five monkeys through narrowed eyes, after they appear on her doorstep in new costumes. -Because I am the mama of a banana, alien, ghost, princess, and goblin. And they are already home.- An all-s-well ending and some Halloween recipes wrap up this gently naughty romp. Ages 4-8. (Aug.)

School Library Journal

PreS-K Another winner in the further adventures of the familiar five. It's Halloween and the siblings are excited to choose their costumes-alien, banana, ghost, goblin, and princess-and go trick-or-treating with their babysitter, Lulu. While traversing the neighborhood, each monkey sees a youngster with an even-better costume and manages to switch, so all five of them have "tricked" Lulu along the way. The adults figure out what's going on, and the five little monkeys get a taste of their own medicine when it appears they will be left out of the big treat awaiting them at home. After a mild admonishment from Mama for trying to hoodwink Lulu, the five and their friends celebrate the holiday with treats. The digitally rendered pen, ink, and color illustrations showcase a variety of simple, homemade costumes and ideas for a holiday celebration. Eyeball Cookies and Worm Juice, anyone? Recipes at the book's conclusion tell how to make the yummy treats for would-be tricksters. Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WI