BUMP IN THE NIGHT

Thirteen gently spooky stand-alone tales for elementary schoolers.

Fifth grader Emily makes new friends after a move and, with their encouragement, investigates an eerie old barn. Bella’s dollhouse gains an unusual inhabitant. Cousins Henry and Cadence solve riddles at the behest of a menacing tree. Nosferatu Night elementary school student Alexei is forever changed after a field trip to the Vampireville Zoo. Other stories feature dancing ghosts, superstitions, and neighbors who promise “All Tricks, No Treats.” Though one tale is set in an apartment building and several have a suburban neighborhood feel, overall the collection has a rural vibe, due to a story about a sentient apple-head doll, the lack of references to technology, and settings including the woods, a corn maze, and “a hill, tucked away from the rest of the town.” While Landolf’s entries will hold youngsters’ attention, she keeps the scares on the mild side. Clever, open-ended denouements (a faint “meee-ow” from under the floor, an abandoned broom’s twitch) offer braver readers the chance to let their imaginations run wild; the more timid can merely turn the page. Zilber's full-color illustrations and spot art brighten pages; in between tales, Landolf counts down the days till Halloween alongside artwork festooned with ghosts, candies, jack-o’-lanterns, and the like. Illustrations show occasional differences in skin tone and hairstyle.

Creative and just a smidge creepy; well suited to the faint of heart.