A Creepy Countdown

"A Creepy Countdown" is certainly all that--and more. Writer Charlotte Huck and illustrator Jos. A. Smith combined to produce a truly creepy countdown from 1 to 10 then back to 1 again. This is a lap book so that the child can study the pictures carefully if he or she dares. The images are done in pen and ink on scratch board with an overlay of minimal color (actually a thin frame around each picture). These are truly frightening illustrations. "One tall scarecrow standing on a hill." You know how a clown can be really scary? Try the properly dressed scarecrow propped ominously on a pole, arms extended, legs dangling, hat tipped, coat collar upright in black and white. Ummm, snuggle closer, little one. "Seven ghastly ghosts rising from their bed." Each has red eyes peering from those twisty drape things. Scary! Something scares them on the middle double-spread and they all return page by page from whence they came. A creepy book good for a delicious scare!

A Creepy Countdown involves a scarecrow, two toads, three jack-o-lanterns, four owls, five bats, six witches, seven ghosts, eight cats, nine skeletons and ten mice. I assure you that you're little children will be amazed by the little details of the pencil drawings. What I liked was all of the little grave stones. I was amazed by the excellent rhyming. And if you look very closely at the sides of each page, you can see masks dangling over the trees. Be on the 'look-out' for Jos. A. Smith's drawing book named The Pen and Ink Book. I hope that you have a extraordinary Halloweenific time this Halloween. Boo!

THIS IS AN EXCELLENT HALLOWEEN THEMED COUNTING BOOK. WHILE NOT TIED DIRECTLY TO HALLOWEEN, HUCK'S VERSES AND SMITH'S ILLUSTRATIONS TOUCH ALL THE SCARY BASES - A SCARECROW, TOADS, JACK-O-LANTERNS, OWLS, BATS, WITCHES, GHOSTS, CATS, SKELETONS, AND MICE - IT'S ALL HERE. THE PICTURES ARE TAME ENOUGH NOT TO FRIGHTEN OFF THE YOUNGEST OF LEARNERS WHILE BEING DETAILED ENOUGH TO ENGROSS THE REST. I SPOTTED THIS BOOK WHILE BROWSING THE BOOKSTORE. DID I BUY IT FOR MY CHILDREN? NOPE, THEY'RE ALREADY TEENAGERS. I BOUGHT IT FOR ME AS HALLOWEEN IS MY FAVORITE HOLIDAY AND I LOVED THE ILLUSTRATIONS. AND YES, I COULD ALREADY COUNT. HAPPY HALLOWEEN !