"HALLO-WHAT?"

Marceline, a junior witch, has never heard of Halloween. "Hallo-what?" she asks. She climbs into her grandmother's lap to learn about the holiday as well as popular superstitions involving "evil spirits" and a legend of the jack-o'-lantern. Desmoinaux (Mrs. Hen's Big Surprise), who illustrates in a peppy cartoon style, makes noticeable omissions (e.g., Grandma sends Marceline trick-or-treating without explaining the "trick" part). Unfortunately, the premise itself—of a child unfamiliar with Halloween—rather awkwardly betrays this book's provenance as a French import. Ages 4-8. (Sept.)