Ralph Masiello's Halloween Drawing Book

Gr 2–4—A spooky cover invites budding artists in for lessons on how to draw some of their favorite autumn icons. Keeping introductory information to a minimum, the author gets right to the point. The step-by-step drawings define new lines in red, avoiding any extra scribbles completely and eliminating the need for frustrating erasures. Easier characters lead to more complicated ones and occasional optional details are included for inspiration-fancy finials for gravestone posts or a top hat for a skeleton. Opposite most lessons is a completed drawing showing how the art looks fleshed-out in color. The tools used are listed at the bottom of these illustrations. Several full compositions are included. The culminating spread pulls all of the elements together into one inspirational whole. Like most good Halloween books, this one won't lose its appeal in November.—Carol S. Surges, McKinley Elementary School, Wauwatosa, WI