Ladybug Girl and the Dress-up Dilemma

What does one dress up as for Halloween when one spends the other 364 days of the year in a ladybug outfit? That’s the question facing Lulu as she tries to come up with the perfect costume, even though it’s already Halloween day. A robot costume made from a cardboard box isn’t the most mobile option, and there’s a critical flaw in the Chaplinesque getup she puts together next: “A silent movie star can’t ask for candy!” A trip to an apple orchard, where Lulu helps a small girl who gets lost in a corn maze, leads to an epiphany—one that probably won’t surprise many of Ladybug Girl’s fans. Soman’s watercolors are right at home with autumn’s muted hues (the slightly melancholic orchard scenes are especially lovely), helping make this thoughtful story another winner for Ladybug Girl. Ages 3–5. (Aug.)