A closed-minded monster begins to broaden his perspective as a group of familiar Halloween characters address otherness and tolerance. Monster is eager to meet the creature moving into Vampire's old house next door, until the new neighbor turns out to be not a fellow monster but a "cartwheeling clown," complete with red nose and floppy shoes. Expressing his displeasure, Monster quickly tries to rally his neighbors against this affront: "There goes the neighborhood!" The cold shoulder doesn't faze cheerful Clown, who ingratiates himself to Yeti, Mummy, and Zombie by bringing them treats and inviting them over to "clown around." With the good times rolling all around him, Monster's resolve softens, and he starts opening up to making a friend. The proceedings are energetic and fun--with onomatopoeic words and boldly hued digital artwork that toggles between spot illustrations, smaller panels, and spreads--but the book's tone and Monster's outlook feel uncomfortable amid real-life problems with redlining and segregation. Ages 4--8. (Oct.)

You never know about neighbors. Monster wonders who's moving in next door. The new neighbor might be an ogre, goblin, or dragon, so he practices his best welcoming growl. Then, the new owner turns out to be…a clown. Monster calls pals Zombie, Mummy, and Yeti with the news. All steadfastly ignore Clown--because he's not a monster. Undeterred, Clown introduces himself around to no avail. Clown leaves notes and gifts; still, no one responds. Monster determines to scare him away. Unwittingly, Clown endears himself to the neighbors in the meantime. When Monster confronts his nemesis, he discovers his friends cavorting at Clown's impromptu circus--and decides to cultivate an open mind. In an unsurprising ending that feels rushed and tacked on, Monster has fun at the circus and invites Clown to a party. During the festivities, a new nonmonster moves into the neighborhood. This time, the newcomer is heartily welcomed, its obvious differences now accepted by everyone. This humorous, fast-paced story, narrated with clipped sentences, conveys an important, unsubtle message about the importance of accepting diversity: The "monster" is one who thinks friends must be similar to them. Type is set in various fonts and colors, heightening visual appeal; lots of onomatopoeic sound effects are incorporated into the text. Highly expressive characters feature in the colorful, comically silly, frenetic illustrations. This entertaining tale about making new friends may also help readers conquer their fear of clowns. (Picture book. 4-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.