The perfect book for kids who love dragons and mild tacos. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.īeloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery-and fear-out of Halloween costumes. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too.

‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. Yet there are moments of greater promise-the ad on the back cover, with its zinelike look the girlcentric endpapers (rainbows! cupcakes! butterflies! stars! goat?!?)-that hint at something edgier and more distinctive that hasn’t quite developed.Ī tale about coming to love someone-or something-for who they are and not what one hopes them to be: a pleasant addition to the odd-couple shelf.Ī lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes. And Young hits all the visual beats, creating something likable and appealing. The pencil, pen, and watercolor illustrations, done in a simple, loose style, offer expressive, playful character poses. Luckily, the two bond while Sparkle awaits pickup, and catastrophe is averted.

Sparkle, spotted and flea-ridden, is persistent in his goatishness, and the black-and-kinky–haired, peach-complexioned Lucy calls for a refund. But when a bleating crate arrives, expectations and reality collide. When Lucy spots an ad for a 25 cent unicorn, she pops her money in the mail and begins to imagine riding her majestic beast over rainbows, adorning it with flowers, and bringing it to show and tell. Lucy dreams of owning a unicorn, but a mail-order scam brings a one-horned, smelly goat instead-who just might be her perfect match.

Amy young a unicorn named sparkle