It’s Summerween!

Toddler-PreS–Beachy with a splash of creepy, this lively, rhyming board book counts from one to 10 to celebrate Summerween, a June 22 holiday marking the transition between summer and fall that was inspired by the television show Gravity Falls. A haunted sandcastle opens the scene for a beach bash that is attended by an off-duty cast of the usual ghoulish characters having fun in the sun: two black cats in sun hats sipping lemonade from twisty straws, six pumpkins in sunglasses catching waves, and eight shimmying skeletons throwing a soiree. The I Scream Ice Cream Truck serves no tricks, but an array of frighteningly frozen treats: “4 hungry mummies who want a cold treat chase the ice-cream truck that drives down the street.” Cerulean blue, fuchsia pink, and banana yellow dominate the palette of Zermeno’s bright and color-soaked illustrations. Balancing bold simplicity with attention to detail, these festive scenes invite readers’ eyes to wander and linger on subtle, eerie elements hidden in plain sight, including the silent gaze of numerous tiny eyes. VERDICT Spooky meets sandy in this unique counting board book, sure to enchant Halloween lovers during the summer months.—School Library Journal