The Ghosts Go Haunting

PreS-Gr 2—Ghosts, witches, goblins, bats, and more pay a rollicking visit to M.T. Tomb's Elementary, where the creatures bring smiles to the faces of students while frightening the school staff. Catchy verses written to the tune of "The Ants Go Marching" will soon have listeners familiar with the song chiming in. The action begins with ghosts haunting one by one and scaring the principal. Witches flying two by two zap the lunch milk into witches' brew. Three by three, groaning goblins chase the librarian up a tree. Antics continue up through zombies stumbling, ten by ten. In the surprising and calming finish students, staffers, and creatures amicably join together for a Halloween party. Record's cartoon character images are not overly scary, and school environment details are kept to a minimum, focusing attention on the lively creatures. The illustrations are large enough for classroom sharing. The book jacket with five ghosts approaching the school entrance and pair of mysterious yellow eyes peeking out from within a tree should pique potential readers' curiosity. On the final page, the illustrator provides a mathematics connection with a graphic representation of just how many creatures are the product of each multiple grouping, such as skeletons rattling nine by nine, equaling 81 in all. Verses and artwork merge successfully into a clever, appealing read-aloud or sing along.—Lynn Vanca, Freelance Librarian, Akron, OH