AFTER SQUIDNIGHT

Squids ink their way into an oceanside home.

Rhyming text sets the scene: “The sky is black. / The clouds are inky. / The salty air / is still and stinky.” A child sleeps with the window ajar. The page turn reveals an angry-looking squadron of squids creeping toward the house. Several tick-tocks of the clock cue midnight as “a suckered hand / drags itself / onto the sand.” The squids come closer and closer. The child sleeps peacefully. Despite their scowls, the squids come in peace. These “pale artists” want to “make their mark” with inky squid art. They leave a few masterpieces in the kitchen, on the hallway rug, and in the bathroom. Then they slide toward the child’s room, squeezing underneath the door. They draw on everything in sight—even the child! But still the child sleeps. And still the squids ink. When, at last, the sun rises, the squids “with glee / drag themselves / back to the sea.” but what of the art they left behind? The narrator’s direct address brings readers into this mock-horror tale, which, like Aaron Reynold’s Creepy Carrots!, illustrated by Peter Brown (2012), is more silly than scary. The grayscale cartoon illustrations with hints of teal effectively create a spooky atmosphere, and metered language produces a steady, tension-heightening rhythm. Unfortunately, the lack of character development or any real plot lessens the payoff.

Plenty of squid ink, cloudy on the substance.