Famous for his appetite, itinerant round-faced monster Finnigin blows into town on Halloween night. The "townscreatures" hide their delicacies (eyeballs, bat wings, etc.), but when Finnigin says he's making bone soup in the town square, they fall for it. This "Stone Soup" retelling is a natural fit with Halloween's community-mindedness. Evans's mixed-media illustrations in lugubrious hues are enticingly creepy.

Finnigin the monster is something of an itinerant Eater, carrying his eating stool, spoon and, of course, "gigantic eating mouth" with him wherever he goes. When he happens upon a village populated by witches, ghouls and mummies, he finds his reputation precedes him, and the bogeys have stashed their yummies away. Finnigin's a canny Eater, though, and he makes a show of whipping up a batch of bone soup, with results anyone familiar with the traditional tale of "Stone Soup" will recognize. Evans's smiling, round-headed ghasts will terrify no one; the black-and-bile palette provides all the Halloween atmosphere young readers could desire. (Picture book. 4-8)

K-Gr 3 Even the zombies are lovable in Evans's charming Halloween-themed rendition of "Stone Soup." The skeletal Finnigin, a macabre but friendly feasting traveler, is known far and wide for his ravenous appetite. When he comes upon a beautiful barren land, he is sure that a wonderful Halloween feast awaits him. But a flying witch catches sight of him and warns the beast, the zombies, and the mummy of his approach. They all quickly pack away their prized stewed eyeballs and bat wings and turn Finnigin away when he comes calling. Undeterred, he cleverly begins to brew a soup with his magic bone, and, one by one, each creature emerges to investigate. Seasoned with sprightly, luminescent watercolors and the perfect dose of gross-out factor, this tale has all the right ingredients for a hearty storytime. Early elementary audiences will especially appreciate the spread that points out all the gloriously awful additions to the yellow-green soupspider eggs, dried mouse droppings, toenail clippings, dandelions, and other assorted items fit for creatures of the night. Bone Soup is a welcome addition to the holiday repertoire, as well as a pleasurable read for students completing comparative folktale assignments. Jayne Damron, Farmington Community Library, MI