For her debut, Hatch weaves a comical tale of Halloween delight with “The House That Jack Built” overtones. A timorous mouse observes the nocturnal activities of various creatures from within the sequestered safety of a jack-o’-lantern. Designed as a cumulative tale, Hatch’s descriptive one-line verses introduce an assortment of various critters that populate the night, from a swooping bat to a costumed trick-or-treater laden with the evening’s bounty. Hatch builds reader’s anticipation, keeping her prose simple enough to retain a preschooler audience’s attention. The tale’s dénouement occurs when an over-eager pup knocks the child over, spilling the spoils—much to the pleasure of the mouse. Pickering’s characteristic illustrations are pure fun. Deep pigments coat the full-bleed spreads, conveying the spooky thrills of this much-favored holiday. Wacky perspectives and silly details keep the pictures on the playful side of thrilling. Hatch’s tale of Halloween shenanigans makes a nice addition to the seasonal book shelf. (Picture book. 3-6)
