Halloween is full of surprises

One Witch

Laura Leuck, illustrated by S.D. Schindler

Walker & Co.: 32 pp., $15.95

Laura LEUCK’S (“Goodnight, Baby Monster”) smooth counting rhyme tracks a witch as she collects nasty “goodies” from ghosts, goblins and the like. “Two cats / inside a pail / gave the witch / a fish’s tail. / Three scarecrows / stuffed with straw / gave the witch / a blackbird’s claw.” After hoarding nine icky ingredients, the witch concocts a potluck stew and issues invitations; the rhymes now let readers count down, from 10 to one. “(Everybody loved it too!) / They saved the last bowl just for ... / you!” S.D. Schindler’s (“Runaway Pumpkin,” also reviewed here) closely observed, echoes-of-Gorey images make good on the surprise conclusion: The witch abruptly turns to the unsuspecting audience, proffering a steaming dish. Ages 3-8

*

Annie Was Warned

Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Alfred A. Knopf: 30 pp., $15.95

Annie’s parents caution her against going to the “creepy old Montgomery Mansion,” but she’s not one to turn down a dare. “Annie was warned ... but Annie wasn’t scared,” Jarrett J. Krosoczka (“Bag- head”) intones atmospherically as slanting, curving spreads depict her slinking down deserted streets, ducking tree branches, checking over her shoulder and beaming her flashlight at a black cat: “But Annie wasn’t afraid of anything! After all, she was born on Halloween night.” At last she grimly approaches the house’s dark door -- and a gatefold opens on a surprise birthday party. Krosoczka advances his story with sly agility, adding a subtle visual clue too. A delicious mix of suspense and wit. Ages 4-8

*

The Runaway Pumpkin

Kevin Lewis, illustrated by S.D. Schindler

Scholastic/Orchard: 32 pp., $15.95

In Kevin Lewis’ (“Chugga-Chugga Choo-Choo”) rhyming tale, it is Halloween day when an enormous pumpkin bounces downhill and through the Baxter family farm. At the sight of this “thumpety/ bumpety/ thumpin’/ bumpin’/ round and rolly/ runaway pumpkin!” the Baxters think not of personal safety but of Granny’s pumpkin recipes. S.D. Schindler (“Skeleton Hiccups”), in amusing but untidy compositions, gives each person an astonished expression and a thought-balloon flash of pumpkin bread, soup or pie. Crisis averted, the resourceful family carves a humongous jack-o’-lantern while Granny bakes. A solid choice for children who prefer a slapstick celebration to chills and thrills. Ages 4-7

*

Little Lit: “It was a dark and silly night ... “

Edited by Art Spiegelman and Francoise Mouly

HarperCollins/Cotler: 48 pp., $19.99

For this third “Little Lit” anthology, Art Spiegelman and Francoise Mouly asked contributors to start a story with the phrase “It was a dark and silly night.” Diverse participants, including Patrick McDonnell (“Mutts”), J. Otto Seibold and Vivian Walsh, achieve results that range from outstanding to so-so.

In the standout category, Lemony Snicket and “Evil Eye” artist Richard Sala make “silly” an acronym for “Somewhat Intelligent, Largely Laconic Yeti.” A girl searches for this snow-covered beast, and the strangely uplifting outcome will surprise those who expect a series of unfortunate events. William Joyce, in a mock-1909 newspaper strip, makes a happy return to the artwork of his “Leaf Men.” His outrageous tale of “Giggle-illium, the long-searched-for silly atom” does homage to cartoonist Winsor McCay and the sci-fi of Melies and Verne.

Less successful is an entry that comes courtesy of Neil Gaiman (“Coraline”) and Gahan Wilson, who draws big-eyed, troll-like kids. In their ghoulish tale of a tot party in a zombie-filled graveyard, no one comes to harm; instead, the nostalgic corpses demand a singalong of “Alexander’s Ragtime Band.” Surreal turns by Joost Swarte and Carlos Nine also disappoint, but an ineffably weird reprint of a 1952 “Jumpin’ Jupiter” comic by Basil Wolverton recalls early Dr. Seuss. As usual, there are a couple of games too. The endpapers, designed by Martin Handford (“Where’s Waldo?”), picture monsters invading a city inhabited by the Little Lit characters (as well as humans). Barbara McClintock (“Dahlia”), in her singular neo-Victorian style, creates side-by-side images of a teddy bear picnic and challenges readers to “Find the 12 differences.” This alternately cute and creepy volume lives up to its subtitle. Ages 4-up

*

On My Way to Buy Eggs

Chih-Yuan Chen

Kane/Miller: 36 pp., $15.95

In the age of malls and Wal-Marts, a Taiwanese girl’s blithesome errand feels like a joyful celebration of childhood. Young Shau-yu relishes the simple pleasures of her walk. She “follows the cat’s shadow. He’s walking on the roof.” In the artwork, Chih-Yuan Chen depicts their shadows aligned on the sidewalk. He honors this unassuming tale with a homey, natural look composed of line drawings and cut corrugated paper and adheres to a central palette of olive, gray and brown tones. So when the heroine gazes through a blue marble, and Chen transforms the spread into an azure-colored environment, readers see what she sees: “The world becomes a blue ocean world. ‘I am a little fish, swimming in the big, blue sea.’ (Shau-yu means ‘little fish.’)” Shau-yu stepping on falling leaves sounds like “people eating crunchy cookies.” And when she dons a pair of glasses she finds, the shopkeeper plays along (“And maybe your little girl, Shau-yu, would like some chewing gum?”).

After a series of these small, gem-like moments, Shau-yu returns with the eggs her smiling father has requested, telling him, “Hello! I’ve had such a busy day.” Chen’s streamlined, blocky style keeps the focus on the human interactions and emotions rather than the setting. With gentle humor, this timeless tale demonstrates how children largely live in -- and appreciate -- the moment. Ages 3-6