EEK! Halloween!

PreS-K—The chickens know that something odd is going on. A duck wearing gigantic monster feet? Pumpkins with eerie faces? Their anxiety mounts until a friend pops up to reassure them: "Relax, silly chickens! It's Halloween." This bite-size board book is infused with the sense of whimsy that fans of the author's work have grown to appreciate. She pairs readable text in verse with winsome, thick-lined, round-eyed illustrations to create a delightful introduction to this potentially frightening holiday. Readers will love the cast of enticing creatures—a pig wearing a chicken suit, a large elephant in a mouse costume, a pair of grinning felines in wizard and witch hats, and the soft-bellied chickens (an endearingly expressive bunch, looking around uncertainly and grimacing forlornly)—each placed against a simple backdrop. Boynton maintains a slightly eerie mood but keeps everything just gentle enough to appeal to the intended audience.