10 Spooky Pumpkins, written by Gris Grimly, reviewed by Katy Golden

Summary:  On Halloween night, a young girl meets spooky characters and scenes in groups of ten to two, until they come across one very scary moon that scatters everyone. The illustrations are reminiscent of the "Nightmare Before Christmas" - eerie, angular shapes that would be almost too scary if it weren't for the obvious fun the girl is having! The rhythmic pattern - "7 greedy goblins full of naughty tricks / Looking for a ghost and they found six" - repeats until the culmination in a Halloween dance party.

Straight Talk for Librarians:  This creepy countdown is a perfect addition to any Halloween picture book collection. Full of juicy adjectives, a predictable pattern, and spooky characters, read to any kid in the weeks before Halloween and they will be sucked in!

The Girl Who Speaks Bear, written by Sophie Anderson, reviewed by Katy Golden

Summary:  Yanka is already different from the other people in her village: She's stronger, bigger, and a foundling from the cave of the great bear. When she wakes one day to find she's grown bear legs, Yanka decides to venture into the forest to discover the truth about where she belongs. A beautiful fantasy adventure then enfolds, in which Yanka learns she can speak to animals, meets a house on chicken legs (readers of Anderson's first novel will recognize some characters), and starts to find her own place in the world.

Straight Talk for Librarians:  This fantasy adventure is woven through with magic and Russian folklore, and will appeal to fans of Anderson's first novel as well as fans of Kelly Barnhill. Hand to readers looking for a gentle adventure of self-discovery with friends appearing along the way.