BAT BONES AND SPIDER STEW

paper 0-440-41440-7 Henry is going home with his new friend, Artie Doomsday, for the first time, and he’s worried. It’s Halloween, Artie’s old house is on Haunted Hill, his sister looks like a vampire, and his grandmother is dressed like a witch. Henry develops the hiccups from nervousness, but discovers that Artie’s family is perfectly nice, and despite their names for food, it’s all ordinary fare, such as french fries. Hiccups cured, Henry and Artie set out for trick-or-treating. Into this pleasant First Choice Chapter Book, Poploff (Tea Party for Two, 1997, etc.) deftly inserts a series of kid-pleasing Halloween jokes—“What’s a ghost’s favorite drink? Ghoul-Aid”—certain to make adults groan. Basso’s funny cartoon illustrations are energetic and will have children snickering over the silliness. (Fiction. 6-8)