IF YOU'RE SPOOKY AND YOU KNOW IT

The classic movement song gets a thrilling twist.

Nearly every child in America knows the song “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” and most enjoy clapping hands, stomping feet, and spinning around to its rhythm. This board book adapts that rhythm and filters it through the creepy hues of Halloween. Verses include “If you’re spooky and you know, it clap your hands,” “If you’re naughty and you know it, snap your fingers,” and “If you’re hairy and you know it, jump up and down!” Each verse is accompanied by an illustration of different traditional Halloween monsters, including vampires, werewolves, and mummies, getting in on the fun. It’s unclear whether the double-page spreads include multiple iterations of one monster or several separate, identical monsters. Little readers who are developmentally inclined to believe the latter may be confused when they reach the final double-page spread, which features one each of all the adorable monsters at one big Halloween party dancing together. The illustrations are colored with the usual green, purple, and orange–heavy scheme most Halloween books employ. Adults looking for an amusing way to introduce small children to the tricks and treats of Halloween will find this mostly fills the bill.

A delightfully creepy spin on an old favorite.