Graphic Book Review: Trick ‘r Treat
Zombos Says: Excellent
"I can't believe you would do such a thing. Are you daft? I ask you to read to our son's fifth-grade class and you pick this?" Zimba held up Wildstorm's Trick 'r Treat graphic novel; actually more like waved it violently, really. She paced back and forth in her frustration.
"None of the students wanted to ride the bus home," added Mrs. Crabtree, Zombos Junior's teacher. "Not after you told them about those unwanted children intentionally sunk into a rock quarry by their bus driver. And after that one about the evil kid-killing school principal–what were you thinking?–they scream every time Mr. Whiffle walks past in the hallway. I don't dare send any of them to his office now." Mrs. Crabtree took a deep breadth. "Thank the lord you didn't read them a story about the cafeteria having monster food or something. They're now so frightened of their own shadows because of that horrid comic book you brought."
"Graphic novel," I corrected her. I always love correcting teachers. I enjoy an occasional I-told-you-so, too.
"And then you had to show them all those unpleasant cartoon pictures of dead kids' heads, and blood, and that horrid little misbehaving beast, Sam, running around causing mayhem." Mrs. Crabtree took another breadth and folded her arms tighter. "I don't know why you couldn't just have read It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown or something enjoyable and not so scary. They love those well-behaved Charlie Brown and Linus, and how Linus sucks his thumb like a baby and waits for the Great Pumpkin to bring treats. You could have brought a blanket like Mrs. Zombos does and mimicked Linus sucking his thumb while waiting for the Great Pumpkin. It always gets a laugh. My students are not laughing now." Mrs. Crabtree took a deeper breadth and, this time, waited for penance, contrition, or somesuch from Zombos.
It did seem like a long wait.
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