Spooky Sums and Counting Horrors

Although wordier than most 1-2-3 stories, this conversational paper-over-board volume prompts readers to count decorations and guests at a haunted party. Gillieron's upbeat teacherly voice urges listeners to enumerate "glary fairy lights," "glow-worm lanterns" and dancing spiders: "What a lot of legs—too many to count. But I can see five spider webs—can you?" Cobb's (Tongue Twisters to Tangle Your Tongue ) airy gouaches balance the lengthy sentences with floaty, bright details. She nimbly pictures rosy-cheeked ghosts, a witch playing air-guitar on her broom and a skeleton jangling the bone-xylophone. Note to the squeamish: "mousehead biscuits" and "frogs' feet fizzy drinks" are the least appetizing aspects. Ages 6-10. (Sept.)