Katherine Tegen

Author Katherine Tegen spins a pourquoi tale based on Irish folklore in this spooky Halloween picture-book, which explains how the custom of carving jack-o-lanterns came to be. It is the story of Jack, a mean-spirited, unpleasant, dishonest character, who never loses an opportunity to steal from others. When a strange man with unusual feet and hands offers to buy his dinner one night at the pub, a debt to be paid on the day of Jack's death, that foolish man accepts. But when the devil comes to collect his due, Jack uses a pumpkin to escape the first blow, and is condemned to wander the earth, entering neither heaven nor hell, and guided by that glowing carved gourd...

As the author's brief afterword makes plain, The Story of the Jack O'Lantern is inspired by Irish folklore and folk customs, which were brought to the Americas by Irish immigrants in the 19th century, and which were adapted in this new world, eventually becoming the American custom of carving a jack-o-lantern to mark Halloween. The ancient Celts carved various root vegetables (usually turnips), and placed an ember in them, to ward of evil spirits on Samhain. This custom is refernenced in the Irish folktale about Stingy Jack, who fools the devil, but is eventually condemned to wander the earth with a carved turnip. I enjoyed Tegen's tale, which is delightfully creepy, and found Brandon Dorman's artwork intensely expressive, and very spooky. The cover image on this one really drew me in! The folklorist in me does wish that Tegen had given a textual source, so that I could track down a more traditional retelling of this story, but leaving that quibble aside, this is one I'd recommend, both to those looking for truly spooky children's tales at Halloween, and to young folklore enthusiasts.… (meer)