This Year, a Witch!

Done with “adorable” Halloween costumes, a child makes what feels like a monumental proclamation: “this year, a witch!” Intensive prep propels much of the story as the narrator describes how “I speak squirrel, toad, bird, and cat,” and declares, “Witches don’t need their lovies. Or daddies. Or naps.” When it comes time for a big costume reveal in the mirror (“Get ready to run! Get ready to hide!”), the visual transformation proves shocking for the self-assured child; luckily, Daddy comes to the rescue just in time for trick-or-treating. Electric accent colors infuse Abbott’s inky multimedia and risograph-printed illustrations, which fittingly capture the protagonist’s effort to achieve independence in this lively tale that gestures toward the push and pull of growing up. Ages 4–8. (July)