A Halloween Scare in Ohio

This Ohio-centric title is just one of two dozen regionally focused Halloween books from James and le Ray, which focus on various North American cities, states, and regions, and are being published simultaneously. “From Akron, Toledo, Columbus, Brook Park,/ A mountain of monsters came out of the dark,” writes James, as the streets of Ohio begin to fill with witches, vampires, banshees, and other creatures. The frightened child narrator hides indoors: “I froze for a moment, as quiet as a mouse./ Yes, I could hear noises from inside the house!” James makes occasional mention of Ohioan cities, street names, landmarks, and famous residents, but there is little to distinguish the setting from any other suburban neighborhood. The cut-and-paste nature with which the book’s Ohio references are stuck in keeps it from feeling in any way special or specific. Ages 3–up. (Aug.)