cover image Boo to You

Boo to You

Lois Ehlert, . . S&S/Beach Lane, $17.99 (42pp) ISBN 978-1-4169-8625-6

With photographs of autumn vegetation joining handmade paper and twine, Ehlert's trademark collages take on an expressively organic flavor. Blue mice composed of torn fabric, fibrous limbs and seed pod tails are distressed about the return of a “scary cat,” just in time to spoil their harvest party (“Guess who's the creep we didn't invite?”). Using vegetables, flowers and nuts, the clever mice devise a plan to scare the cat away and their efforts pay off on a foldout page. Endnotes offer a discussion about pumpkins and jack-o'-lanterns amid color photographs, as well as a spread showing off autumn plants and vegetables. Ages 3–7. (Aug.)