The Noodlemans’ dream of agrarian paradise is nearly thwarted by a haunted henhouse. The novice farmers can’t figure out why their 552 chickens aren’t laying; neighbor Farmer Hackett tells them it’s Boo Cow, who haunts the farm “[e]very night at the stroke of twelve.” Sure enough, at midnight they hear, “Thump...Creaaak...Clink-clunk! Clink-clunk!...MOOOOO.” Children who have read the sepia-toned prologue page will not be as surprised as the Noodlemans are to learn that Boo Cow isn’t nearly as malignant as her reputation has it, and Farmer Hackett’s handlebar mustache may clue them in as to the real culprit in the missing-egg mystery. This not-so-frightening ghost story is just right for the Scooby-Doo set, with its appealing greenhorn protagonists and deliberately paced story. Apple’s soft, bucolic illustrations gently milk the situation for all its available humor. (Picture book. 5-8)
