Spooky Friends

Starred review from August 1, 2013
Vampire Scarlet and mummy Igor are very good friends. "The trouble was, they could never agree on anything." In the first chapter, the two friends' interests rarely mesh. "If Igor wanted to read, Scarlet wanted to sing. If Scarlet wanted to nap, Igor wanted to dance. / When Igor made a tall tower, Scarlet made it short." It comes as no surprise that they want different kinds of sandwiches when it's time for a snack. Alternating shouts for "gooseberry jelly" and "chestnut butter" grow increasingly louder until the friends hit upon the obvious solution. The second chapter finds them heatedly debating what name would be perfect for their pet cat's new kitten. When they discover a litter of eight, all the names they have come up with are put to good use. The final chapter is one of artistic differences. After an art duel that produces colorful shapes and a "tree with branches," they arrange their separate pieces to form a lovely display that has one last blank spot. Readers will cheer when they see how the two buddies have filled it. Feder masterfully employs repetition of the more challenging words throughout the perfectly paced text, while Downing charmingly captures every mercurial emotion in the detailed ballpoint pen, watercolor and digital illustrations. Move over, Frog and Toad, to make room for this delightful new title. (Early reader. 5-8)

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July 1, 2013

PreS-Gr 1-This tale of friendship unfolds in three short stories written with simple phrases and strong dialogue. Youngsters will laugh as "spooky friends"-Scarlet, a green, pigtailed vampire (complete with pet bat), and Igor, a tubby mummy-find solutions to their capricious disagreements: "If Igor wanted to read, Scarlet wanted to sing. If Scarlet wanted to nap, Igor wanted to dance." Characters mirror preschoolers' emotional understanding of friendship and each of the stories provides a lighthearted plot as Scarlet and Igor learn that no matter what disagreements ensue, working things out together is even better. Colored font depicts heightened emotions while warm-hued, playful illustrations entertain emerging readers and provide ample context for comprehension and fluency. This is a great selection for those looking for delightful rather than frightful Halloween books, titles on friendship, or general early-reader collections.-Melissa Smith, Royal Oak Public Library, MI

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