The Wonders of Weiner Dogs: Dozens of Dachshunds by Stephanie Calmenson

THE DACHSHUNDS ARE COMING! THEY ARE ON THE WAY.

WHERE WILL THEY GO ON THIS BEAUTIFUL DAY?

The first solo dachshund is dashing, dressed to the nines in top hat and tux, followed by a duo of weiner dogs in their buns, with all the trimmings! Then come a trio of ice cream cone dachsies with cherries on top, trailed by four regal dachshunds in ermine and crowns.

It's clearly a parade of all kinds of dachshunds, shiny black shorthairs, sleek as wet seals, classy long-hairs with wavy long locks, and game day pooches in helmets and caps, waving shakers and brandishing baseball bats.

EIGHT STYLISH DACHSHUNDS SASHEY THROUGH THE CITY.

IN ALL KINDS OF HATS, THEY'RE SO HANDSOME AND PRETTY.

Then come ten soaring superhero hounds, masked marvels and caped crusaders, followed by eleven prehistoric dino-hunds and a dozen racing dachsies, saddled and bridled to finish the race. Where are they all heading, you ask? For what do they all bark?

It's DACHSHUND DAY down in the park, in Stephanie Calmenson's latest Dozens of Dachshunds: A Counting, Woofing, Wagging Book (Bloomsbury Books, 2021).

In rhyming couplets as bouncy as their subject, and with jolly illustrations of every weiner dog imaginable by artist Zee Persico, this brand-new book has oodles of applications, from teaching counting from one to a dozen, to sorting varieties of adorable dachshunds and all sorts of people who love them for their small size and big personalities.

Young primary students will want to sing along with Calmenson's closing song: "We love dachshunds, short and long. / They are bold, and they are strong. / They are loyal. They are proud. / They may be small, but their barks are LOUD!" Adds Booklist, "Delightful dachshund facts round things off in the back matter".

Share this one with a couple of famous weiner dog picture books, such as Margret and H.A. Rey's evergreen Pretzel (Curious George) and Dav Pilkey's hilarious classic Halloween tale, The Hallo-Wiener.

Puttin' On The Ritz! Peppa Pig and the Halloween Costume by Neville Astley

"I LOVE TRICK-OR-TREATING" SAYS PIPPA.

"AND JACK O' LANTERNS.

AND I LOVE DRESSING UP!"

Ah, that's the pressing, ever-present problem! What to wear?

To scare or not to scare. That is the question.

Peppi inspects the contents of the family costume box.

"I KNOW! I WILL BE A PIRATE!"

"BUT I'M GOING TO BE A PIRATE!" DECLARES DANNY DOG.

Well, that's out, thinks Pippa. Back to the box!

A clown? Nope, Pedro Pony already has dibs on that one. A nurse, maybe? Suzy Sheep nixes that. Okay. There's always a witch with a tall, pointy hat and broom. But WAIT! Candy Cat has already called that one! Little George's suggestion is no surprise:

"DINO-SAW!"

No, no, no, and NO! None of those will do!

Peppa briefly entertains the thought of being a carrot! But Rebecca Rabbit has already claimed that costume. Of course she has.

Will Peppa Pig have a wardrobe malfunction on Halloween? Or will Peppa think outside the costume box in this latest installment in Peppa's holiday adventures? For the big reveal when it's time to hit the trick-or-treating trail, Peppa Pig and the Halloween Costume (Candlewick Press, 2018) has Peppa wearing a less-than-unconventional costume, but with some surprising accessories. Youngsters who are still undecided and dithering over what to wear for Halloween will find Peppa's dilemma familiar. Pair this one with Astley's popular Peppa's Halloween Party. (Peppa Pig: 8x8) for a Halloween duo.

Party with Penguins: Harriet Gets Carried Away by Jessie Sima

HARRIET LOVED COSTUMES!

It's not just that she's sometimes of a mind to climb in a costume for Halloween, or for a fun dress-up play date with a friend, or a special birthday bash.

HARRIET WORE COSTUMES ALL THE TIME.

That's right. Harriet dresses like a dragon for an appointment in the dentist's chair. At the park she's a fairy queen with a dark side, black bat wings.

But today is party day, and Harriet dons her all-purpose costume to run to the corner grocery for snacks. Disguised and decked out in a penguin suit with a red bowtie, she's just realized she forgot the party hats when she finds herself swept up by a passel of penguins--the real kind! Does Harriet need a permit for a penguin parade?

The press of penguins sweeps Harriet along. What about her party hats?

"WHERE ARE WE GOING?" SHE QUERIES.

Will Harriet be forced to march as an incognito penguin back to Antarctica? Not if she can hail a ride with a passing orca, in Jessie Sima's Harriet Gets Carried Away (Simon and Schuster, 2018). All's well that ends well, with an elaborate alfresco affair on the rooftop. But is that her friend Olivia in a wolf suit, followed by a pack of little howling wolves? Despite which diva has the, er, wildest costume, it's the party of the season with Harriet in charge, and with the help of the illustrations of clever cartoon drawings of Jessie Sima, it's a party no one will want to miss. Publishers Weeklycalls "Harriet's intrepid adventure a delightful readaloud."

Ding Dong! Who's There? Pete the Cat: Trick or Pete--A Lift-the-Flap Book by James Dean

Pete the Cat is excited to go trick or treating in his superhero costume.

Pete likes everything about Halloween--except the possibility that he's going to see something truly scary.

"Don't worry," says Pete's dad. We have our flashlight!"

But it's dark outside and the wind is going "Whooooo!" and something is rustling those dry leaves in the trees.

Oh, look! It's just an owl. That's not too scary!

Pete's trying to be brave and fearless, as behooves a superhero in a cape, but there are a lot of spooky possibilities on Halloween night, which give author James Dean a lot of ways to use the flaps in this inexpensive holiday paperback to suggest what may be lurking behind each well-placed flap. When he rings the first doorbell, Pete hears scary noises coming from behind that door. Who's there?

It's just his school friend Callie Cat, costumed as a witch. Not scary!

Callie tags along as Pete approaches the next house. But what's that tall figure moving in the yard?

Look! It's a scarecrow!

"Phew! That's not too spooky!"

And approaching another door, Pete spies something glowing with a flickering light and frightening faces. Look!

"Cool!" says Pete. "Jack O' Lanterns!"

But behind him! What's that? A dog in a tutu? Silly, not spooky!

"Oh! Just my friend Emma!"

There's even Grandma in a ghost costume to discover, as Pete meets and greets all the usual suspects out for trick-or-treat fun, in James Dean's Pete the Cat: Trick or Pete (HarperFestival, 2017). Dean's inexpensive little paperback is a fine treat for preschoolers who are still not too sure about venturing out in the dark, as it introduces youngsters to all those sights and sounds that abound on the trick-or-treat route. Dean's Pete the Cat is a popular guide for preschoolers and primary school kids wherever they go, and this one should be read soon to would-be Halloween goers.

Whose Boo Is Whose? Hooray for Halloween Curious George

ONE DAY CURIOUS GEORGE AND HIS FRIEND THE MAN WITH THE YELLOW HAT WERE ON THEIR WAY TO A PARTY AT MRS. GRAY'S HOUSE.

The house is a bit spooky--tall and dark, with pointy gables. And the door is opened by... a witch! And inside George catches a glimpse of a mysterious mummy!

But behind her witchy mask, Mrs. Gray is quite jolly.

DON'T BE AFRAID, GEORGE.

DID I FORGET TO TELL YOU THIS IS A COSTUME PARTY?

Kind Mrs. Gray sends George upstairs, where she says he can pick something to wear from a trunk full old costumes. George is excited. He finds cowboy duds, complete with lasso and cowboy hat, and tries to see what he looks like in the Mrs. Gray's bureau mirror, but he's too short to see himself.

Wait! He climbs up on her bed and starts to jump up and down until he bounces high enough to see his reflection. But, oh, no! He bounces too high and lands on the bedside table--CRASH! and slides off, tangling himself in the little white tablecloth.

"WAS THAT A GHOST?" SOMEONE DOWNSTAIRS SHOUTS.

A ghost? George is scared. He takes the fast way down the stairs--WHOOSH! sliding down the banister rail, tablecloth and all. One of the guests sees him, wrapped in white, and screams. YIKES!

"IT IS A GHOST!"

No. It's just a naughty little monkey! The party goers soon see it's only George under there, dressed as a Wild West buckaroo, and the party is saved, in Margaret Weston's Hooray for Halloween, Curious George (Houghton Mifflin Clarion), with bobbing for apples and jack-o' lanterns, and a contest to choose the best costume. George wins two prizes, one for each of his costumes, and a good time is had by all.

This light-hearted look at scary get-ups is best for reading to the youngest would-be Halloween celebrants who often find the concept of people costumed as scary vampires and ghosts a little off-putting when it comes time to venture out on Halloween. As usual, Curious George again shows them the way in this easy-going story which even doubles as an easy reader for primary graders.

And . . . there's a treat for all inside--Halloween stickers, lots of them, to decorate handmade crafts and cards!

BOO! Guess Who? Little Blue Truck's Halloween by Alice Schertle

Little Blue Truck
and his good friend Toad
are going to a party
just down the road.

"Beep! Beep! Beep!"

says Little Blue.

"It's Halloween! You come, too.

Brightly colored leaves are swirling in the breeze, and jack o'lanterns grin from gateposts and dooryards, as Toad drives Little Blue Truck down the road. Who's that ahead?

Who's this clown
with the big red nose?
and a cap that jingles
wherever he goes?

Under the mask,
who do you see?

"Baa!" says the sheep.
"It's me! It's me!"

One by one, the costumed animals are waiting by the road--Duck in a tutu, a queenly Cow in a crown, Pig with scraggly hair under a tall, pointed black hat, Hen in a feathered pirate hat, and Horse sporting a dragon's fiery breath, wings, and spiked tail. Little Blue Truck stops for each one to ask "Who do you see?" and each party-goer is found under the flap saying "It's me!" Soon Little Blue's loadbed is full of costumed friends who unload at the barn to sample the treats and dance to the music.

The barn is jumpin' and the party is in full swing. But where are Toad and Little Blue Truck?

And who is that looking like a giant ghost--with great big glassy glowing eyes?

Under that sheet it can only be...

It's you-know-who!

"Beep! Beep! BOO!"

In a delightfully designed board book edition, it's Alice Schertle's Little Blue Truck's Halloween (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016), all ready to introduce preschoolers to the custom of dressing up to celebrate Halloween. There are clues for the youngest toddlers visible under each disguise, and a lift of each super-sturdy flap reveals the animal's distinctive sound (Quack! Moo! Cluck!) as he or she unmasks and offers an ID. Author Alice Schertle is a past master of of jolly-metered quatrains and predictable rhymes which offer pre-reading skills for tots which also help the emergent reader solo on this story, and with the familiar illustrations of Jill McElmurry, this new one, out in plenty of time to have on hand for the spooky season, adds to the admirable list of books in the Little Blue Truck series.

Sorry to end on an old cliche'.
But there's only one thing I can say!

Little Blue Truck's Halloween is adorable!

Can't Scare Me! Not Very Scary by Carol Brendler

Dear Melly,

Please come tonight. I have a surprise for you!

Your Ghouly Cousin,
Malberta

It's an invitation from her favorite cousin, and on Halloween night. too. Malberta is the surprise queen! Melly Monster can't wait!

She sets out through the early twilight. The bats are already flitting, and it's gloomy and dark under low clouds. And what's following her through the gloom?

It's just one black cat.

"THAT'S NOT THE LEAST BIT SCARY," SAID MELLY, FEELING VERY BRAVE.

But then as the black cat continues to shadow her, she sees two skittish skeletons who fall in line behind.

"NOT QUITE SCARY," SAID MELLY, AS SHE SHUDDERED FROM HER HORNS RIGHT DOWN TO HER HEELS.

But then she feels her fur standing straight up, because the gang of strangers keeps growing behind her--three wheezy witches, four mournful ghosts, five grimy goblins, six sullen mummies, seven fierce fruit bats, eight spindly spiders, and as Melly begins to run toward Malberta's house, nine rambunctious rats scamper to fall in line.

There's a pattern in her retinue, and Melly has to admit that the scary factor is rising! As she unlatches Malberta's gate, the air behind her is filled with ten vexing vultures, and she has to admit that although it's not VERY SCARY, her fangs just might be chattering as she rings Malberta's spooky doorbell!

But in Carol Brendler's not-too-scary story, Not Very Scary (Farrar, Straus and Giroux,2014), there is, of course, a party waiting for Melly, as well as for all her seasonal followers, inside Malberta's dark house, with games like bobbing for crawdads and pinning the drool on the ghoul waiting for them to make merry. In this jolly little cumulative Halloween counting book, Theodor Seuss Geisel award-winning artist Gary Pizzoli provides the treats, dishing up just the sort of (not very) scary denizens for the evening in all the appropriate colors, and Melly's black-clad three-eyed cousin is the hostess with the mostess! "A terrific Halloween title to share with those readers who prefer giggles to shivers," croaks Kirkus Reviews.