In jaunty rhyme, one witch gathers up a fish tail from two cats, a blackbird’s claw from three scarecrows, and similarly appetizing ingredients from similarly iconic ookie-spookies, up to the spider’s soup donated by ten werewolves. Why? To concoct a “gruesome stew,” for her party, of course, to which she proceeds to invite each contributor in descending order—note the skeletal arms holding bat-delivered invitations from their graves. Schindler marks the festive occasion with scenes of capering, precisely detailed skeletons, vampires, Gorey-like ghosts, and similarly risky friends; young readers may be pleased—or not—to learn that they’ve “saved the last bowl just for . . . YOU!” The monster-ridden cast and ghoulish goulash will elicit choruses of delighted “Eeeewwwwws!” (Picture book. 6-8)
