Playful monsters lurch and moan with all their might in this adorable twist on the nursery rhyme "Over in the Meadow."
Counting down from one to ten are a delightful assortment of little ghouls, each anxiously awaiting their parent's cue for them to haunt about.
Instead of "over in the meadow in the sand and the sun" where animals live, the picture book takes place in a forest "where the trees hide the sun" and dark beasts play.
He's standing in front of his big mommy monster and he's at the ready: his legs are planted apart and his eyes are searching hers, waiting for her to tell him what he can do.
As readers turn the page to the next spread, Mommy Monster's one-tooth grin broadens, she arcs her arms over her head and she lumbers forward, making like she's going to get her little monster.
"'Scare!' said the mommy; / 'I scare,' said the one. / So he scared and he scampered / Where the trees hide the sun."
With each spread comes another refrain in the countdown and another family of cuddlesome monsters doing what they do best.
Next, two little ghosts peek over at Daddy Ghost with a mischievous sparkle in their eyes, and excitedly wait for him to cry out for them to start haunting.
Then it's off to the gnarled oak tree where old mother zombie shuffles forward with her tongue hanging out and bony purple arms stretched out in front of her
By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review
Published: September 21, 2011
It’s time to start prepping for the holiday season. First stop: Halloween. No tricks here—only treats!
When witches go riding,
and black cats are seen,
the moon laughs and whispers,
‘tis near Halloween.
~Author Unknown
Our 2011 Halloween book list spotlights everything from growing pumpkins; overcoming fears (a great topic for youngsters that tend to get a little surprised when they no longer recognize their family and friends due to colorful costumes and scary masks); witches; skeletons; cats and bats; and plain-old, creepy stories that beg to be read on a dark night with a flashlight. From babies to beginning readers to middle graders to young adults, TCBR has you covered.
Board Books
Spooky Boo! A Halloween Adventure
by Lily Karr (Author), Kyle Poling (Illustrator)
Reading level: Baby-Preschool
Board book: 12 pages
Publisher: Cartwheel Books; Brdbk edition (July 1, 2011)
Source: Publisher
Publisher’s synopsis: What’s Halloween without a haunted house? Come inside SPOOKY BOO! A HALLOWEEN ADVENTURE – it’s filled with tons of Halloween fun! With spooky lift-the-flaps, icky touch-and-feels, and outrageous mirrors throughout, this is one haunted house that trick-or-treaters will want to visit again and again!
Add this book to your collection: Spooky Boo! A Halloween Adventure
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Little Black Book
by Renee Khatami
Reading level: Baby-Preschool
Board book: 14 pages
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (July 26, 2011)
Source: Publisher
Publisher’s synopsis: Black is the new black in this darkly tantalizing touch-and-feel extravaganza for the senses! Now babies can enjoy this daring color in a novelty board book chock-full of gorgeous, full-color photographs. There are textures to touch, a flap surprise, and the scratch ‘n’ sniff scent of sweet licorice that you can almost taste!
Add this book to your collection: Little Black Book
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How many times has your query letter been rejected? Authors Pamela Jane and Deborah Guyol submitted Pride and Prejudice and Kitties 75 times before literary agent James McGinniss decided to represent the book..jpeg?picon=3103)
