Kirkus Reviews

It's a Halloween case of mistaken identity. Sophie, an anthropomorphic rodent, asks for a "scary" woolly mammoth costume from her obliging Granny. On Halloween night, wanting to play a trick on Granny, Sophie trades costumes with her friend Grover, who is dressed as a black widow spider. (Even tots who don't know their spiders will wonder why a spider that has the word "black" in its name is 100-percent orange.) When the duo rings Granny's door, they find a giant pink squid, which turns out to be Granny in disguise. Luckily, this giant squid is in the mood to party, and she hosts a festive gathering in the last two pages. While recognizably Wells-ian in style and substance, including bold patterns and droll expressions, these characters look a little stiff and awkward in the odd assortment of costumes. Not much happens here, but it is a good length for older toddlers—younger children may be confused by various wardrobe changes and masked faces. Sweet and toothless. (Bo ard book. 2-4) Copyright Kirkus 2018 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved.