Susanna’s Rules for the Halloweensie contest: write a 100 word Halloween story appropriate for children, using the words witch, bat, and “trick-or-treat“. Check out other Halloweensie Contest entries at http://susannahill.blogspot.com/
I’ve been going door-to-door dressed in costume with an open bag for treats most of my life – okay I have enjoyed the custom most of my life! I even got married on Halloween (Happy 21st, hon!). And I’ve only just read that this practice has a name other than ‘trick-or-treating’: guising. Ha! Learn something new every day! New words should be applied freely so as to cement them into one’s vocabulary, so I thought I’d have a little trick-twisting fun with idioms and sayings:
A half truth is a whole guise. (off a Yiddish proverb)
A truth that’s told with bad intent beats all the guise you can invent. (Sorry Bill! ~William Blake, “Auguries of Innocence,” Poems from the Pickering Manuscript)
A guise may take care of the present, but it has no future. (Author Unknown; if you know, tell the author to drop a line!)
Fit to be guised.
Early to bed, early to guise…
Guise to the challenge!
One guise fits all.
Well…
That’s about the guise of it!
Also have to mention a Halloween PB – too delightful to pass up!
Author: Harriet Ziefert
Illustrator: Simms Tabak
Publisher: Candlewick Press, 2007
Age level: 2 and up
Opening: If one little witch meets one little witch, that makes…two little witches going trick or treating.
Why I like it: As you can see on the cover, one little witch is a bit suspicious of the other little witch as they meet their dressed-up friends. A little spooky and a lot of fun, with delightful illustrations from the late Simms Taback, who created over 35 picture books, winning the Caldecott Medal for Joseph Had A Little Overcoat and a Caldecott Honor for There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. Do try an all time favorite of mine Kibitzers and Fools: tales my zayda told me.
Happy Halloween!
julie rowan-zoch 
So awesome, Julie!!!! I just love it! And you made it look like a cat! A shape poem! You are multi-talented.
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The cat appeared on its own, as they are known to do! Thanks Penny.
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Great entry. I agree with Penny. ULTRA-TALENTED. Very inspiring. Thanks to Sandy, I could not get my entry in on time. Furiously working on it right now, but not sure I’ll be able to finish it. Good luck!
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Hope you can unleash the fury in your story Robyn! And that you fared the storm well.
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Oh, I LOVE it, Julie! “A fearless Halloweensie crew!” – genius! 🙂 Thanks so much for entering! (Love the look of that PB too, and I also learned about guising today from Vivian! :))
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I really appreciated this contest – really got me in the mood to go all out with my decorations at home too!
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You are brilliant Julie. I love the poem, the shape and your anniversary date (Happy Anniversary to you and Hubby!).
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Thanks Stacy – please post a pic of your wee iguana!
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Happy anniversary! Great poem – love those progressive forms. And now I can blame the witch for spreading all the dust in my house!
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Ha, ha – the witches pick on the creatives most! Thanks Cathy.
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That is so awesome you should turn this into a picture book!
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Need to get back to comment on yours – my son ‘made’ me hand over the computer after we had a good laugh watching your video – because we loved your eyes and had the feeling you were gonna start cackling any moment!
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I cackle at all times of the day, did I not cackle on there, I must have been scared off by Miss H approaching. it is definitely funnier than it is spooky lol.
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There are so many wonderful things about this post, Julie! Happy Anniversary – a great day to get married, I love your poem (especially in the shape of a cat), and I had no idea that ‘guising’ is another word for trick or treating. Thank you! I love learning new words.
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Yay for new words! (yes, inebriated on treats!)
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Very enjoyable. Watch out for the witch’s brew!
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Thanks Laura!
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What a clever shape poem! Happy Anniversary and Happy Guise Day!
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Just took advantage after I centered the words! Thanks for the happy wishes!
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Ooo, to clever, especially the cat shape! I also, of course, loved your guises!
Happy Anniversary!
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Thanks Joanna – looks like poems are ‘shifters’ too!
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Wow!
That is awesome!
I read it to my husband and he loved it too!
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Thanks! Two ‘fans’ in one household is sweet! Happy Halloween!
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Julie, this is awesome on so many levels. Love the poem and the cat. I love your guise words as well. (Tee hee, couldn’t resist). The picture book looks wonderful, I’m tempted to start collecting again. Happy Halloween and Happy Anniversary!
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So you have an addiction too, eh? After my library renovated they got rid of their discarded books shelf – saved me from a very dusty habit! Lucky for us, there is always someone asking for donated books – makes it easier to think they will find a good home!
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Many of the books that made their way into my daughter’s shelves came well before a baby was even a thought. I haven’t really bought any in a long time however, because we’ve moved too many times over the past few years and I lugged too many boxes of books (of all types) from place to place.
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That is one good thing about moving – it helps lighten the load (or should!). Where are you now?
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Central Massachusetts.
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Went on a camping tour of NE years ago and I would have moved to MA in a heartbeat, but my husband wanted mountains, so here we are!
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Julie, I think you get the prize for going above-and-beyond in this contest — not just a poem, but a shape poem, AND a book review. Great entry. I enjoyed it.
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Hey, that shape was an accident! But a quick creative knows when to take the short-cut to his/her full advantage! I had a whole different image in mind to draw which I may still do, just for the practice, but careful planning never has the energy of a happy accident!
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Great post! Thanks for stopping by.
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Likewise Debra!
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This is so much fun! And I love the cat shape too! Nice work!!
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Thanks for popping in Carla!
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Wow! What a guise for this guising day!! But I see a mouse instead of a cat! You are so very clever! And I like the looks of Two Little Witches. Thanks for sharing it all!
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Love the poem! I also saw the picture as a mouse (before it was changed to the Halloweensie crew). I like that it could also be a cat and that fits with the poetic story, too.
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Julie, the poem is beautiful both in sound and shape. Well done, you!
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Thanks Renee, your comment means a lot to me (I bow to poetry goddesses!).
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Great poem! I like how you put it in the picture to make it look like a cat! 🙂
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That cat just ‘appeared’ Eric!
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This is FANTASTIC, Julie!! Great idea, great words, great story!!
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Thanks Kim, glad you stopped by.
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I love your story. It reminds me of The Napping House. I love those chain-of-event-type tales.
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I love the Napping House too – probably my fav by the Woods.
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I loved your story. You are so brilliant with words and art. Loved how you showcased your poem. So simple, but perfect!
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Thanks Pat – I appreciate that! (sorry, couldn’t help myself!)
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Everyone’s so creative and yours is no exception! So well done! I love it right down to the cat art. Thanks so much for your entry. I like the sound of the picture book, too. 🙂
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Thanks Clar – Susanna’s contests are so much fun!
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Julie…FANTASTIC! The rhyme is meter-perfect…and I loved your use of words and images…can’t get the picture of witches spreading the dirt around…hahaha…they would be quite comfy in my house. 🙂 The shape is awesome…and congrats on your anniversary. 🙂
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Gosh Vivian, thanks – I am always so nervous about meter – I feel like an ‘impostor’ when it comes to rhyme and poetry! So that comment is MUCH appreciated!
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Nice story. The cat shape really tops it off!
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Thanks, for stopping by too!
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Thanks for stopping by my blog, Julie! Looks like we are both all in for November forced marches. 🙂
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novembertogetherness
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Wow, Julie. I love your poem especially that you dressed it up in such an attractive cat’s tail logo looking piece! I can imagine this already published somewhere. You packed a lot of punch in just 100 words. Lots of action and fun! Excellent!
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Greatly appreciate your kind words Romelle!
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