Talk show host Fallon and illustrator Deas follow up 5 More Sleeps 'Til Christmas (2020) with a story of a youngster preparing for Halloween."It's FIVE more sleeps 'til Halloween, / that spooky time of year / where all the ghosts are wide awake / as nighttime's drawing near." A calendar page with a large numeral 5 curls before a bright orange pumpkin. An orange-haired, light-skinned moppet wearing an enormous pair of blue glasses is hunkered down in bed with Gary the dog, whose vibrant blue coloring matches the bedspread. Occasionally accompanied by a sibling, the young narrator counts down day by day, describing seasonal activities: picking out a costume, navigating a corn maze, watching scary movies, taking part in a parade, going on a hayride, and trick-or-treating. The rhyming verses are sometimes a bit rocky but always fun. The text is periodically punctuated by the word boo, which appears in large, cartoonlike lettering; that, along with the calendar countdown motif, adds a pleasant repetition. Though the child confides feelings of trepidation ("What if bats fly in my room? / I think I'll close my window now"), descriptions of scary moments are always offset by brightly colored, exuberant artwork. Humor abounds: Gary looks both hilarious and sweet dressed in a ghost costume that matches the narrator's. The final page neatly closes the circle as the child goes from anticipating the holiday to participating in it and back again.Lighthearted and un-scary enough for bedtime. (Picture book. 3-6)

K-Gr 3 —The nervously excitable young boy from Fallon's 5 More Sleeps 'til Christmas is back with his dog, Gary, and his sister as they all await Halloween. The boy's love for the holiday causes a countdown to the famed day and the final decision on his best costume choice. With so many choices and only one night of trick-or-treating, what's a kid to do? The waiting is almost too much, as expressed through Fallon's carefully chosen words, which sound like a poem, and the engaging, colorful illustrations of Deas. It's a partnership with great results. VERDICT This rich, fun book is an excellent holiday title for young children.—Laura Ellis