Trick or treat, pout-pout fish

It's Halloween, and an unseen narrator wonders if Diesen and Hanna's characteristically glum-looking Mr. Fish might be among the trick-or-treaters dropping by a leviathan-shaped submarine: "Who's that ghost?/ Is it you, Mr. Fish?/ Maybe you're the goblin/ With tails that swish!" None of them are Mr. Fish (he's dressed as a pirate captain inside the sub), and in the story's funniest moment, readers encounter a sea dweller dressed as the pout-pout fish himself ("Is it you in the mask?/ What a funny frowny face!"). While Mr. Fish's existing fans will best appreciate this story, Diesen's lively rhymes and Hannah's wittily detailed art make this an entertaining outing for newcomers, too. Up to age 3. © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

The Pout-Pout Fish brand expands.Halloween is here, and Mr. Pout-Pout Fish is giving out treats from his submarine home. Those familiar with the blue striped fish will find the usual uncluttered illustrations and rhyming scheme ("Who's at the helm / of the spooky submarine? // It's you, Mr. Fish! / Have a happy Halloween!"). New readers may be drawn in by the colorful costumes the various fish wear as they trick-or-treat along the ocean floor. Keen-eyed readers with some pumpkin-carving experience may wonder how a jack-o'-lantern can be lit under water. This board book is a fairly standard look at Halloween, putting a popular character in common holiday trappings and adding nothing else. Fans of the holiday will have to look elsewhere for a more exciting take on Halloween's thrills. Another branded entry that offers little beyond the minimum requirements. (Board book. 1-3) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.