Hello, friends! Our book today is Boo! Baa, La La La! by Sandra Boynton, a Halloween companion board book to Boynton’s classic Moo, Baa, La La La!

On Halloween, the spotted cow from Moo, Baa, La La La! likes to mix things up. Instead of saying “moo”, she likes to try a new word: “boo!”. She calls her “boo” out into the night, only to be met with a “baa” from an unseen animal. After another call and response that results in a bevy of animal noises, the cow goes off in search of the source of the mysterious sounds. What she finds is a collection of barnyard friends to celebrate Halloween with.

Cute but unsatisfying. The simple narrative offers a strong beginning, even teasing an interactive element that is never fully explored, but then quickly sort of meanders to a puzzling and underwhelming conclusion. It’s Boynton, so the text is bouncy and fun to read aloud of course, but the plot lacked the charm of other Boynton favorites, including the original (the delightful performing pigs, one of the best features of Moo, Baa, La La La! barely even make an appearance, being inserted as a cameo to offer the closing line). The illustrations are cute, the read is quick, and JJ did enjoy the beginning and the Halloween elements, so it is worth a look, especially for fans of Boynton. But there are other Halloween board books out there that, frankly, do the format better. Still, if you’re looking for a quick and easy, if slightly superficial, spooky season read, this will do. Baby Bookworm approved.

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)