Tag Archives: kids

Reading Advent Calendar

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Start a new tradition this year and read a different holiday book every night this December until Christmas. Here are some suggestions from our children’s librarians.

  1. Dream Snow by Eric Carle
  2. Willowby’s Christmas Tree by Robert Barry
  3. The Nutcracker by Susan Jeffers
  4. Bear Stays Up for Christmas by Karma Wilson
  5. How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
  6. Frosty the Snowman by Steve Nelson
  7. Are You Grumpy, Santa? By Greg Spiridellis
  8. A Charlie Brown Christmas by Charles Schulz
  9. Christmas in the Barn by Margaret Wise Brown
  10. Who Will Guide My Sleigh Tonight? By Jarry Pallotta
  11. Christmas Time by Gail Gibbons
  12. The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
  13. Christmas Cookies by Amy Rosenthal
  14. Splendiferous Christmas by Jane O’Connor
  15. Santa is Coming to Indiana by Steve Smallman
  16. Where’s Is Baby’s Christmas Present? by Karen Katz
  17. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens and Brett Helquist
  18. The Little Match Girl by Jerry Pinkney
  19. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Robert L. May
  20. 12 Days of Christmas by Rachel Isadora
  21. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus by Francis Church
  22. I Spy Christmas: a Book of Christmas Riddles by Jean Marzollo
  23. But What if There’s No Chimney? By Emily Thompson
  24. The Night Before Christmas by Clement Moore

Review: Jacky Ha-Ha

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Jacky Ha-Ha
by James Patterson & Chris Grabenstein
4 stars

An actress mother on her way to the Oscars narrates the story of her life at 12 when she lived on the Jersey Shore in 1990. She is one of seven sisters who live with their life guard father while military Mom serves in Desert Storm. Jacky is the class clown (who also suffers with a stutter) and doesn’t have any idea of when to stop her wise cracking ways – especially toward her teachers. She starts the year with numerous detentions while trying to laugh her problems away. Her salvation is a new English teacher who involves her in a play and channels her need to perform in a positive way.

 

Read-alikes

The Marvels by Brian Selznick

Someone I Wanted to Be by Aurelia Wills

Here’s Hank: Bookmarks are People Too by Henry Winkler & Lin Oliver

Scary, Creepy, and All-Around Spooky Books for Kids

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There’s something about October that makes me crave a good scary story. With Halloween just around the corner and the seasons slowly shifting, there’s nothing better than diving into a good ghost story. Whether you’re tickled by the terrifyingly true or a classic fictional tale, here’s a list to satisfy that craving.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ready for more? Check out the extensive list below, which includes recommended ages by interest level.

Nonfiction

  • Aliens are Coming! The True Account of the 1938 War of the Worlds Radio Broadcast by Meghan McCarthy, 8-11; J 791.4472 MCC
  • Giant Squid by Candace Fleming, 6-10; J 594.58 FLE
  • Haunted Histories: Creepy Castles, Dark Dungeons, and Powerful Palaces by J.H. Everett and Marilyn Scott-Waters, 9-12; J 133.122 EVE

Fiction

  • The Night Gardener: A Scary Story by Jonathan Auxier, 10+;  J AUX
  • The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste, 9-12; J BAP
  • Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty, 8+; J BEA
  • Doll Bones by Holly Black, 10+; J BLA
  • Skeleton Man by Joseph Bruchac, 9-12; J BRU
  • The Inn Between by Marina Cohen, 8-12; J COH
  • Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy by Karen Foxlee, 9-11; J FOX
  • A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz, 10+; J GID
  • All the Lovely Bad Ones by Mary Downing Hahn, 7-10; J HAH
  • Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn, 9-10; J HAH
  • Wait till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn, 10-12; J HAH
  • The Ghost’s Grave by Peg Kehret, 9-12; J KEH
  • The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls by Claire LeGrand, 10+; J LEG
  • The Dark-Thirty: Southern Tales of the Supernatural by Pat McKissack 8-12; J MCK
  • The Nest by Kenneth Oppel, 10-12; J OPP
  • Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz, 8-13; J SCH
  • Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz, 10-14; J SCH
  • Hoodoo by Ronald L. Smith, 10+; J SMI
  • The Riverman by Aaron Starmer, 8-13; J STA
  • The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud, 11+; J STR
  • Thickety: A Path Begins by J.A. White, 10+; J WHI
  • Coraline by Neil Gaimain, 10+; TEEN GAI
  • The Graveyard Book, 9-12; TEEN GAI

Graphic Novel

  • Nightlights by Lorena Alvarez, 9-12; JGRAPHIC ALV
  • Coraline by Nail Gaiman, 9-12; JGRAPHIC GAI
  • The Graveyard Book V1, 10+; JGRAPHIC GAI
  • Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute by Jarrett Krosoczka, 7-10; JGRAPHIC KRO
  • Baba Yaga’s Assistant by Marika McCoola; 10+; JGRAHPIC  MCC
  • SnowWhite by Matt Phelan, 9-12; N JGRAPHIC PHE
  • Ghosts by Rain Telgemeier, 9+; N JGRAPHIC TEL
  • The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo by Drew Weing, 8-11; JGRAPHIC WEI
  • Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brosgol, 12+; GRAPHIC BRO

Early Chapter

  • Notebook of Doom (series) by Troy Cummings, 6-8; JEC CUM
  • Home Sweet Horror by James Preller, 7-10; JEC PRE
  • The Haunted Library (series) by Dori Hillestad Butler, 6-8; JEC BUT

Picture Book

  • What If…? By Anthony Browne, 4-7; JPIC BRO
  • It’s Raining Bats and Frogs by Rebecca Colby, 4-7; JPIC COL
  • Go Away, Big Green Monster! By Ed Emberley, 6-8; JPIC EMB
  • Some Things Are Scary by Florence Heide, 4-7; JPIC HEI
  • Even Monsters Need Haircuts by Matthew McElligott, 6-8; JPIC MCE
  • The Too-Scary Story by Bethania Murguia
  • Goodnight Goon: A Petrifying Parody by Michael Rex, 4-8; JPIC REX
  • Creepy Carrots! By Aaron Reynolds, 4-7; JPIC REY
  • The Dark by Lemony Snicket, 4-8; JPIC SNI
  • Little Shop of Monsters by R.L. Stine, 4-7; JPIC STI
  • The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson, 3-6; JPIC SWA
  • Pete the Cat: Five Little Pumpkins by James Dean, 4-8; H JPIC DEAN
  • Ethan Long Presents: Fright Club by Ethan Long, 4-7; H JPIC LON
  • The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams, 4-6; H JPIC WIL

Review: Wishtree

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Wishtree
by Katherine Applegate
5 stars

Released September 26, 2017

There are many, many upsides to being a librarian.  Advanced Reader Copies (better known as ARCs) are definitely one. Publishers send out these advanced, uncorrected proofs to drum up enthusiasm for an upcoming book.  They’re not always the best of books, but there are usually a few gems. I received Wishtree as an ARC, and it is definitely a gem.

Wishtree is the latest novel from Katherine Applegate.  She’s best-known for books like The One and Only Ivan, Home of the Brave, and my childhood favorite, Animorphs – how do you beat kids that can turn into animals? Wishtree is similar to her latest novels. Much like The One and Only Ivan, told from the perspective of a gorilla, Wishtree is narrated by a sentient tree, who has lived on the same street block and watched it grow for her entire life. She tells a story of community, bigotry, and acceptance.

After a boy carves “Leave” into her trunk – a message for the family that lives across the street, who have just immigrated to the area – the tree’s owner decides that it may be time to cut her down, to erase that message of hate. The tree and the animals who live within her embark on a mission to save the day.  Applegate fleshes out their world. The human characters are rather featureless, though. We don’t get much of a description and the information we have about them is mostly inferred. It makes sense, considering that our beloved narrator is a tree. Overall, Applegate tells a beautiful tale that I really enjoyed reading.

Read-alikes

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Stella by Starlight by Sharon M. Draper

Amina’s Voice by Hena Khan

Review: Orphan Train Girl

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Orphan Train Girl
by Christina Baker Kline
4 stars

Molly has endured years of rejection in foster homes. She attempts to steal a paperback book from the library and is sentenced to 20 hours of community service. She ends up helping 91 year old Vivian clean out her attic full of memories from her past. Vivian was a poor Irish immigrant who was orphaned after a fire and sent off on one of the historic orphan trains to find someone to take her. Her story of overcoming neglect and abuse resonates with Molly. Through Vivian’s friendship, Molly makes great strides in learning to trust again.

This is an adapted version of an adult novel based on the research Kline did on the 250,000+ children who were sent out on the orphan trains from 1854-1929. Many of the horrifying details of the adult book are missing from this edition. This book would make a great Mother/Daughter read.  Recommended for grades 4-8.  AR Level: 4.5 Lexile 700

Read-alikes

Arcady’s Goal by Eugene Yelchin

Touch Blue by Cynthia Lord

Summer of the Gypsy Moths by Sara Pennypacker