Bear’s Spooky Book of Hidden Things

Author-illustrator Dudás follows up Bear’s Merry Book of Hidden Things with another interactive seasonal title. Bear—who is small, chestnut colored, and dressed in a bee costume—heads out to Halloween- and harvest-themed parties in search of honeycomb, and readers are invited to be on the lookout for Bear’s coveted treat. Playfully cluttered scenes contain a variety of other hidden objects. At a corn maze, Dudás asks, “Do YOU see a red wagon here?” Readers can spot a “bottle of witch’s brew” on library shelves, a pocket watch amid gadgets from a science lab, a lollipop among eyeballs, and a masquerade mask in a pile of costumes. After a long day of searching, bear finally gets his paws on honeycomb at a gathering close to home. Dudás’s artwork is both inviting and artfully designed, and the search-and-find aspect is just challenging enough to keep readers engaged. Ages 4–8. [em](July) [/em]