GOBLINS IN GREEN

From A to Z, the surprises never let up, and neither do the brightly festooned goblins who cavort through the attic of a spying boy and girl, donning a wacky assortment of human costumes in a mirror image of kids on Halloween. Heller (A Book for Woody, p. 384, etc.) creates an intricate challenge for himself: Each letter matches a goblin's name and a modifier, while the costume name starts with the following letter''Xerxes looks eXemplary in an eXtraordinary yoke.'' This results in inventive and vocabulary- building combinations (a red sarong, sorrel trousers, a zebra anorak). Smith also sprinkles in visual puns, hidden art masterpieces, and other delights that will make readers flip back and forth through the pages. The goblins are funny and childlike; if all of their ilk had this much personality, their appearance each year wouldn't be limited to the weeks leading up to Halloween. (Picture book. 4+)