DOG AND BEAR

Dog and Bear return just in time for Halloween.

Halloween is coming, and the duo goes to find costumes. Dog is hilarious as a mustard-topped hot dog, while Bear has selected a superhero outfit. In the dressing room, Bear spots his reflection in the mirror but mistakenly thinks it is another bear that looks exactly like him. When Bear invites Dog to investigate, they come to the same wrong conclusion. The second chapter finds Dog and Bear at home on Halloween night. The doorbell rings again and again, and each time Dog enthusiastically answers the door. When the visitors ask “Trick or treat,” Dog answers, “Treat, of course” and then takes the candy. (His accumulating pile is awe-inspiring.) In the final chapter, the pals are out trick-or-treating. At the house they approach, a person dressed as a ghost answers the door. The ghost refuses to give them any treats, as they are not properly costumed. But the trick is on him, because Dog and Bear are certainly dressed up—as each other! All the elements that have made these series titles such a hit are here: a generous trim size, brightly colored illustrations executed with acrylics and ink against generous white space and easy-to-read, dialogue-driven text. It’s equally appealing as a read-aloud for the preschool set or as a well-formatted reader for children practicing their new skills.

Seeger’s tricks are readers’ treats.