HERE THEY COME!
David Costello, . . FSG, $15 (32pp) ISBN 978-0-374-33051-4
Costello's debut takes place on Halloween, when hobgoblins, trolls and a drumlike "thing that goes bump in the night" gather in the forest for a bonfire. The narrator, a green imp who resembles a bipedal iguana, feels nervous, but "Mom says, 'You children are in for a treat./ A good scare can knock you right flat off your feet.' " The little reptile relaxes as the bizarre guests arrive, and stands on tiptoe to see the snacks they bring: "An ogre comes strolling with cinnamon rolls" and a scowling, slime-green "marsh monster" totes a basket of "marshmallows, of course." But when a ghost rises to share a scary tale, it suddenly gives "the call:/
Reviewed on: 10/11/2004
Genre: Children's