Over in the Hollow

Dickinson (The 13 Nights of Halloween) reprises an earlier theme, recasting "Over in the Meadow" with enough ghoulish creatures to satisfy even the most diehard Halloween fans. Britt, a commercial artist turned illustrator, contributes retro spreads that cross Golden Books with zombie art; he excels in particular at conveying relationships between characters with animated facial expressions. Sixties typography and matte pages carry the nostalgia still further. Dickinson doesn't have to stretch too far to come up with variants on the song; her rhymes are sturdy and appealing: "Over in the hollow/ in a coffin on the floor,/ live a pale grandpa vampire/ and his little vampires four. âBite!' groans the grandpa./ âWe bite!' groan the four...." Britt smuggles in several jokes, placing a sunscreen called Bonetone (SPF 500) on the grandpa vampire's nightstand and a "Visit Transylvania" poster on the wall of their cellar. The Frankensteins stomp, the werewolves howl, and the skeletons boogie with an 11-piece band. Thirteen verses might even be a little too much Halloweenâbut it's only once a year. Ages 3â7.

October 1, 2009
PreS-KA Halloween-themed counting book inspired by "Over in the Meadow." Mummies, owls, bats, and more help readers count to 13. "Over in the hollow, /wrapped in old sheets and glue, /live an old, moldy mummy/and his little mummies two./'LURCH!' moans the mummy./'WE LURCH!' moan the two./And they lurch into the mist, /wrapped in old sheets and glue." The rhyme and rhythm flow well, making this a good choice for reading aloud. The mixed-media illustrations have a retro cartoon feel and are spooky, but not scaryjust like the text. The large pictures make it easy to count along, and kids will enjoy the funny details. This should be a hit at Halloween storytimes."Laura Stanfield, Campbell County Public Library, Ft. Thomas, KY"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2010
"Over in the hollow, / on their magic broomsticks, / fly a good auntie witch / and her little witchies six." In this inspired spin on the ubiquitous "Over in the Meadow" rhyme, thirteen counting verses introduce various spooks and their charges. Readers will marvel at the linguistic resourcefulness and chuckle at the comical, fright-tinged mixed-media illustrations.

(Copyright 2010 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)