Trunk-or-Treat

Not every trick-or-treater ventures door-to-door. In this seasonal celebration, Ayala-Kronos and Zhai follow a family joining a high-spirited crowd at a local parking lot for an afternoon of “Trunk-or-Treat” festivities. There, “Every trunk tricked out with unique treats,/ so much to see—and nice people to meet!” As kids roam from car to car, the arrayed themes inspire variations on the refrain, “TRUNK-OR-TREAT,/ TRUNK-OR-TREAT,/ give us something....” There’s a Day of the Dead trunk (“something BRIGHT to... SEE!”) and a ghoulish library variation (“something STRANGE to... READ!”). The time of day and the setting largely preclude the holiday’s traditional macabre; instead, the artwork, reminiscent of contemporary animation, supplies a sweet-natured celebration of community spirit and family creativity. Characters are depicted with various skin tones. Ages 4–8. (July)