Covid anchor in time:
We are more than nine months into the pandemic, and the outbreak is rising alarmingly, especially here in the Midwest. I live in an area where patients are being admitted to an emergency hospital tent on the state fairgrounds. Very little in life is normal. Families are changing plans from lifetime traditions surrounding Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Hanukkah celebrations. None of this is easy, but it is necessary.
In light of these larger concerns, Halloween should be a minor consideration. And yet...
Breaking with tradition feels WRONG, it can cause anger, pain, disappointment, and depression. Here's a book with an upbeat take on the idea that it is worth the effort to adjust your frame of mind in the face of negative struggles.
In an effort to preserve some joyful childhood traditions, social media is exploding with clips of people who will deliver Trick-orTreat candies to costumed kiddos via chutes, catapults, corn hole tosses, and mechanical extension arms.
THE SHARING PARTY is written by prolific picture book author Brigitte Weninger and illustrated by Eve Tharlet. It is far from a traditional Halloween story, but it reflects any number of elements typically found in those more familiar tales. This gentle friendship story is set in Fall harvest time, centered on a beloved tradition shared with friends. For reasons not at all related to Covid restrictions, their party is ruined. 
Minedition. October, 2020
The six woodland friends are rendered in image and text with charmingly distinct and well-developed personalities, each of which may remind you of a child you know. Max mouse is the take-charge little fella with big ideas for organizing and hosting an APPLE PARTY. His friend Henry Hedgehog is an eager helper and together they trek into the woods to harvest apples from Max's "secret" tree. (Friends share secrets.)
The apple tree is bare. the twosome are sad. On their return home they see that Rico Dormouse has the apples, and claims them all for himself!
Max cancels the party in anger. Henry seeks an alternative solution, telling others along the way about the situation. Before you know it, Molly Mole, Freddy Frog, and Belinda Blackbird are working together to create a NEW party. They also confront Rico, who makes amends and contributes the apples to their efforts. Only then does Henry face his own feelings of self-doubt. Max finds Henry and helps him contribute to their cooperative success.
Hmm... what does that have to do with Halloween? Well, if Halloween isn't about sharing, I don't know what is. Plenty of curmudgeonly adults insist that Halloween is only about candy and cavities, but it is actually about the planning, the group experience, the giggles and goodies, the anticipation, expeditions, and surprises. All that and more are elements of this appealing story. These six woodland characters are as delightful for their spirit and collaboration as they are in their expressive illustrations. That is saying a lot- just take a look at that cover!
The creators are both from Europe, and their gentle dialogue, story development, and winsome characters combine in an old world style within a fresh story. Rico's insistence that the apples are his because he did the work suggests a touch of THE LITTLE RED HEN. The collective contributions to their eventual party have the spirit of STONE SOUP. And each personality suggests the quirks and qualities of little ones who, as we know, react to challenges quite differently. Their mutual support, forgiveness, shared work, and enjoyment of each others' company offer a model for all of us. The final endpapers even provide a link to a recipe for the party fare and a challenge math question.
The bottom line is that this book reminds us to make the best of difficult situations, turn to friends to help solve problems, and appreciate the value of shared experiences. If that means creating new traditions, dispensing candy at the end of a catapult, or creating a concoction of treats from what we can find in the cupboard, have fun with it! Celebrate what you have and who you can be with while doing so, even if that is on a digital platform. Things change. We are adaptable creatures, too, and have the ability to meet challenges. Friendship and sharing are traditions that we should never abandon.
I received this book from the publisher with no promise of a review, but it is a fun picture book to support. I hope you agree.
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