What’s Halloween without monsters growling, black
cats snarling, and wolves howling? You and your
child can count on these things – literally!- in
"Night- Time Numbers", a story book which seems very
appropriate for the season. Starting with one
monster in the pale moonlight, children can read
about and count numerous gruesome (and adorable!)
creatures that lurk in dark corners or in toy chests
(although explaining to my 5 year old that six
sharks can’t really get into your bathtub was a bit
of a project!).
The book, part of the “Barefoot Beginners” line for
new readers, presents a simple but entertaining
story illustrated by colorful collages of skeletons,
spiders and all things spooky. The story reads well
and holds the interest of all ages, although some of
the collage pictures may be a bit abstract for the
“read-to-me” set. Still, my children loved
identifying and counting the gremlins and ghouls as
the story progressed, and trying to guess what scary
folk will be revealed by each turn of the page. But
rest assured….the story ends with the presence of
angels all around, protecting young readers from
nightmares, creatures under the bed and all those
other things that go bump in the night. This “happy
ending” makes this book a great bedtime story for an
October evening.
By Susan L. Roth
Reviewed by Mary Dixon Weidler
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