So the first time you hear the concept of Halloween when you're a kid, your brain can't even understand it. "What is this? What did you say? Someone's giving out candy? Who's giving out candy? EVERYONE WE KNOW is giving out candy? I gotta be a part of this!" In his first picture book, comedian and bestselling author Jerry Seinfeld captures on the page his hilarious views on Halloween, from Superman costumes that look like pajamas to the agony of getting bad trick-or-treat candy. Seinfeld's tale resonates with vivid experiences of a night every kid loves. Both kids and adults will eat up Jerry's distinct and unwritten rules of Halloween. Hamilton King award-winning illustrator, James Bennett's outlandish illustrations perfectly depict these unique observations, reminding us why Jerry Seinfeld is still the funniest man alive. If the only "really clear thought" you had as a kid was "Get candy," you'll be at one with comedian Jerry Seinfeld's first children's picture book, Halloween . This nostalgic view of Halloweens past will ring true with everyone who remembers the trials and tribulations of trick-or-treating--from the stupid masks with thin gray rubber straps and cheap little staples to the humiliation of having to wear a winter coat over your store-bought Superman costume. Of course, the smart-alecky Seinfeld puts his own stamp on things in a voice that is so distinctly his: "Come on lady, let's go! Halloween, doorbells, candy, let's pick it up in there." He wants "name candy" only, make no mistake, and even trick-or-treats with an organizational cabinet on wheels, with drawers labeled "Crunchy Things," "Sour Things," "Rejects," etc. James Bennett's exaggerated, hilarious, expressive illustrations of the young Jerry (yes, it looks exactly like him) suit the over-the-top story to a T. Unusual child's-eye perspectives on parents (and friends up the sidewalk who won't wait up) add energy to a book that is already sugar-charged. Like Jerry's standup routines, Halloween focuses on the minutiae and will make you laugh even if you try to resist. (Ages 6 to adult) --Karin Snelson Grade 2-4-Seinfeld's reminiscences of Halloweens past have an adult sensibility, a 60s' nostalgia that is not likely to appeal to today's kids. The story, as such, rambles terribly and the whiny narration fails to draw readers in. Also, putting the keywords in oversized orange type-"get candy" (Seinfeld's mission), "Bing-Bong" (doorbell), "Halloween," "fantastic," etc.-is annoying. Bennett's bright oil paintings are excellent, and the close-eyed, big-headed caricatures sport interesting perspectives that may appeal to elementary schoolers. The coat-over-disappointing-costume dejection scene, Jerry's disdain of the ubiquitously despised Circus Peanuts, and a jaded, older Seinfeld perfunctorily demanding candy certainly capture the spirit, and greed, of the holiday and provide humorous slice-of-life glimpses. But despite Bennett's empathic art-he draws a great Superman, Seinfeld's costume hero-the graphics can't save this meandering memory of juvenile role-playing. John Sigwald, Unger Memorial Library, Plainview, TX Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. K-Gr. 3. The premise is funny, and the art is fantastic. But this picture book, copped from an old routine of Seinfeld's, still sounds as though its audience is adults. For Seinfeld, Halloween is about the candy: getting it, getting some more, and eating it. He'll do anything to please the "fools" who are unbelievably "GIVING AWAY CANDY." At first, his costumes are "ghost, hobo . . . the worst," but he knows that someday he will be in a Superman suit, and one day he is. Unfortunately, he's also stuck wearing his winter coat. That particular tragedy will resonate with kids, as will Seinfeld's request that "We are going for name brand candy only." But why leave in lines like, "Remember the rubber band on the back of those masks?" For most readers that was probably last Halloween. Bennett's artwork, seemingly done on the computer, stars a young Jerry dead ringer who is by turns sly, combative, hopeful, hungry, despondent, and funny. The spreads are the very essence of inventiveness, as when Superman flies through the air wearing a replica of Jerry's corduroy jacket. Forget preschoolers, this is for kids old enough to have honed their wit. Ilene Cooper Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved Jerry Seinfeld, the Emmy award-winning comedian, writer and actor, starred for nine years in Seinfeld, one of the most acclaimed sitcoms of all time. He is the author of a previous #1 bestselling book for adults, Seinlanguage, and a one-man HBO special, "I'm Telling You For the Last Time." He resides in New York with his wife, Jessica, and a young daughter, Sasha. James Bennett has illustrated for many major publications, including Time, Sports Illustrated, Business Week, and Mad Magazine. Last year he received the Hamilton King Award from the Society of Illus