Novak (The Pillow War) turns the habits of zombies, witches, werewolves and other creatures from haunting to hilarious in this tale of an annual monster bash. As wart-nosed and pop-eyed witches Wizzle and Woddle prepare to host the party, they discover photos from last year's soiree that make them reconsider the guest list. "Those zombies kept dropping their eyes into the punch bowl," they recall, and "the skeletons kept calling everyone Fatso." The pair posts one sign after another ("No zombies allowed"). Whimsically patterned spreads reminiscent of Tedd Arnold's work depict enlarged snapshots of their friends' shenanigans against backgrounds of Pepto-Bismol pink and scaly green. Two cartoon-like zombies—one holding his eyeball and the other with only a tattered sleeve where an arm should be—mug for the camera in one; in another, swamp creatures party in the toilet and tub. But when the witches recognize each other as the culprits in a pair of pranks, the guest list grows once again, and a fun punchline offers a clever coda. Novak skillfully balances the gruesome factor with a spoof on spookiness while delivering a message about acceptance and tolerance with a very light touch. Ages 3-6. (Sept.)
