Will Curly Locks find anyone who appreciates her cooking? Unlike most residents of Toadsuck, Curly Locks doesn't mind the Scares, shadowlike creatures who inhabit the swamp. They keep to themselves, other than their "hootin' and hollerin'," which can annoy folks at night. Curly Locks only cares about cooking. But for some reason, people aren't interested in her batwing brownies, cat-hair cupcakes, or toad-eye toffees. One day, the mayor is enjoying his breakfast when a little Scare plants itself in the middle of his plate. The mayor flees, and a succession of townspeople comes to help only to be chased off by even bigger Scares. When Curly Locks hears of the kerfuffle, she wonders if anyone has tried cooking for the Scares. She saunters up to the mayor's house with her possum grease and toadstools and heads to the kitchen. With a promise of her famous Boo Stew and a calm demeanor, she gets the Scares to clean up their mess before sitting down for a meal, striking a historic deal with them that benefits the whole town and gives her someone to cook for. Curly Locks is a plucky Black girl among a multiracial cast of characters whose country accents enhance the story's setting. The inky, blotchy Scares are pretty scary, and Curly Locks' food is stomach-turning, hilarious for lovers of gross humor. This fairy-tale--style story is a standout pleaser for the right crowd, with a year-round shelf life. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

"There were always Scares in Toadsuck Swamp, but Curly Locks didn't pay 'em much mind." That is, until the Scares -- shown as spiky black shadowy things -- take up residence in the mayor's house. Neither the boastful, hammer-wielding blacksmith nor the overconfident, lasso-throwing chicken rancher succeeds in driving off the creatures. But Curly Locks, a young Black girl whose passion is cookery (batwing brownies, lizard skin lasagna), suspects the way to a Scare's heart is through its stomach. With a take-charge young protagonist; a tall-tale storyteller's cadence ("the most annoyin' thing about 'em was their hootin' and hollerin'"); and Ebbeler's (A Giant Mess, rev. 5/21) eye-catching mixed-media illustrations, this book is a storytime -- if not a culinary -- treat. Elissa Gershowitz September/October 2021 p.54(c) Copyright 2021. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

K-Gr 2--Curly Locks loves to cook, but none of the townsfolk like her dishes of batwing brownies or cat hair cupcakes. Though she's a little dejected, she continues to concoct her dishes. Meanwhile, the mayor is trying to enjoy his breakfast when a Scare, an inky creature from Toadsuck Swamp, appears and frightens him away from his home. The mayor seeks help from the Blacksmith, who tries to frighten away the Scare. But a bigger Scare comes along and terrifies the Blacksmith. Then, the chicken rancher tries to spook the Scares away, only to encounter an enormous third creature. Maybe Curly Locks's dishes are just what the mayor needs to get rid of the creatures. This is a fun story about pursuing one's passions even when other people might not understand. Luckily, Curly Locks has the support of her mother, and her love of cooking saves the day. The story features a diverse cast, and character have a range of skin tones and body types. The characters' exaggerated body proportions add the right amount of humor, while the inky and spooky Scares are the stuff of nightmares. These character styles complement each other well and make for an enjoyable read. VERDICT A girl's unique cooking style saves the day in this fun Halloween read sure to entertain in any season.--Myiesha Speight, formerly at Towson Univ., Baltimore