Ghost in the House

PreS-Gr 2—"There's a ghost in the house/In the creepy haunted house/On this dark, spooky night, all alone./And he goes slip-slide/With a swoop and a glide/Until suddenly he hears… a groan!" The next page reveals a skinny mummy with an egg-shaped head; together they prowl around the house until they find a monster. The group discovers a skeleton and then a witch. But the last creature they find is the most frightening of all: a boy! The discovery sends the five creatures running from the house in a panic as the child calls, "Good night!" At first, the ghost and his friends are worried about who they will meet around the next corner, but smile when they encounter another of their ilk. This cumulative counting story consists of full-spread, digital artwork that features nonthreatening creatures set against smudgy backgrounds that evoke the feeling of an old, abandoned house. The simple rhyme has a bouncy rhythm that would make this book an enjoyable read-aloud for a not-so-scary storytime. This slightly spooky tale does not mention Halloween, so it can be enjoyed year-round.—Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, CT