How to Draw a Happy Witch and 99 Things That Go Bump in the Night

Gr 1—3—In his second adventure, Little Man, a cat, goes on an all-night Halloween prowl that takes him through the forest to a costume ball. As in How to Draw a Sailing Cat (Sterling, 2009), there are only one or two sentences per page, but the authors manage to give the feline a charmingly jaunty personality. The book is illustrated with simple line drawings created with pencil, pastels, and a Mac in rich autumn hues. Embedded in the pictures are instructions that show readers how to draw Little Man and many of the things he encounters. The result is a hybrid picture book and step-by-step drawing manual. A few of the featured items, like the witch and the jack-o'-lantern, have a strong connection to Halloween, but most of the subjects come from nature, like a field mouse and an oak tree. The book is inviting, unintimidating, and accessible to young or reluctant artists. Advanced artists may be more interested in Curt and Kelley Visca's How to Draw Holiday Symbols (Powerkids, 2004), which does not have an endearing story, but does have slightly more challenging drawing projects.—Donna Cardon, Provo City Library, UT