Mary McScary

This second collaboration between Stine and Brown, after The Little Shop of Monsters, turns on one of the oldest jokes: boys hate being kissed by girls. Mary McScary, who "has fun scaring dogs" and "likes to scare goldfish, too," is primed to frighten her Cousin Harry. But sweet-natured Harry--he's essentially Brown's Arthur without the self-doubt--is so at home in the world that when Mary unleashes an angry gorilla, an asphyxiating snake, and a hungry hippo on him, he instantly establishes a relationship with all three creatures. It takes Mary's weaponized kiss--proffered with the girliest of puckers--to send Harry fleeing in horror. Brown's generous sense of scale plays up his pictures' lush textures and bold palette, and few artists are his match when it comes to making good-heartedness a compelling character trait. But there's no real tension: Mary is a one-dimensional brat (her last words are "I told you I was scary!"), and seeing the game-for-anything Harry bolt, even if a not-unreasonable reaction, feels stale. Ages 4-8. (Aug.)

PreS-Gr 2--In this their second picture book collaboration, Stine and Brown introduce Mary McScary. Mary delights in scaring everyone but can't find a way to frighten her cousin Harry, so she pulls out all the stops when he comes to visit. Giant spiders, a ferocious gorilla, slimy snakes, a hungry hippo--Mary moans in despair as each dastardly deed backfires. Harry cuddles with the spiders, rides the gorilla, hugs the snakes, and tickles the hippo. Just when it seems like the red-haired fiend will give up, Mary concocts her most devious scheme yet: a kiss! With a long scream, Harry flees, and Mary reminds readers why she is truly scary. Brown's collage illustrations are the real showstopper in this cute, if slightly predictable, story. Mary's expressive close-ups, especially her evil mastermind realization that leads to Harry's downfall, perfectly capture her terrifying charm without plunging the story into depths too spooky. Bright, bold colors stretch across the pages, and Brown's inclusion of famous artwork on the walls, such as Edvard Munch's The Scream, is a subtle nod to the macabre. Stine's use of repetition and patterning makes this an ideal choice for sharing aloud with children, and Harry's humorous responses to Mary's scares allows it to be a gentle choice for younger audiences. VERDICT A first purchase holiday selection for school and public libraries.--Rachel Zuffa, Racine Public Library, WI