NO ZOMBIES ALLOWED

When Witch Wizzle and Witch Woddle discover a stash of photos from last year’s Halloween bash—starting with one of the zombies who “kept dropping their eyes into the bunch bowl”—they go from party planning to guest banning in Novak’s cheeky offering. “We should be more careful about who we allow in this year,” says Wizzle. The witches proceed to paint a sign—“No Zombies Allowed”—and plant it in their front yard. When they find a photo of werewolves “cough[ing] up furballs,” they paint another sign. Before long, forbidding signs are popping up all over the place. That is, until a final set of pictures puts things in perspective. Novak (On Halloween Street, not reviewed, etc.), a former puppeteer and Disney artist, creates a bewitchingly funny world; Wizzle and Woddle—with warts on their noses, bulging eyes and buck teeth—live in a wacky cabin surrounded by billowing sherbet-colored hills. Throughout, stippled watercolor illustrations picture the witches with photographic evidence in hand. Young readers will likely be familiar with the party-planning predicament—“Who to invite?”—but they’ll probably have one up on the witches who eventually decide it’s more fun to include everyone. Novak offers a Halloween treat; but the message is not seasonal, making this a good choice for year round reading. (Picture book. 3-6)