For those who don't embrace the Halloween holiday, a Christian alternative to the seasonal thrills and chills (see Children's Forecasts, p. 77) can be found in Melody Carlson's When the Creepy Things Come Out, illus. by Susan Reagan. Rhyming text introduces a young narrator who gets scared by the sights and sounds of Halloween ("Wild things prowling/ Monsters growling!/ Some are green!/ Some look mean!/ Arrgh!!!!"), then calms down and fortifies himself with prayer. (Broadman & Holman, $12.99 32p ages 4-10 ISBN 0-8054-2687-6; Sept.)
Marianna Mayer adds to her list of picture book reference works about biblical themes with the beautifully designed Remembering the Prophets of Sacred Scripture. Elegantly printed with red and gold accents, the text reviews the contributions of the prophets, from Moses to Elijah and Elisha, from Amos to Malachi. As in past volumes, Mayer pairs her writing with masterpieces of European art, so that insets and single pages introduce works by Rembrandt, Renaissance paintings, illuminated Bibles, Byzantine mosaics and more. (Penguin Putnam/Fogelman, $16.99 32p all ages ISBN 0-8037-2727-5; June
