Let’s Get Spooky

Gr 2-4–In the tradition of “Where’s Waldo?” and similar seek-and-find books, readers are invited to visit six spooky places. Delving briefly into the psychology of why people enjoy being scared and the relief then found in safety, the conversational narrator next introduces each location. For each one, an initial spread notes some related spooky factoids. Following is an intricately detailed, full-bleed spread presenting a wealth of visual fun for exploration. The first three locations, Dracula’s Castle, a graveyard, and a haunted forest, start out less scary because they are filled with mostly fantasy figures, such as skeletons DJing a vampire party or in sombreros for Día de los Muertos. Moving into dark streets, an abandoned house, and a warlock’s tower becomes somewhat more frightening because more humans are in peril. Although there are menacing details, like a burglar with a knife on dark streets or the warlock’s caged captives, there is also humor in the details, such as one or more active raccoons in every large illustration. The narrator checks in before moving on, giving anxious readers the opportunity to choose a different book. There is a short list of items to look for, but no answers are provided.