Books to Celebrate Halloween

I did a previous blog encouraging themed browsing boxes at home.  I love playing librarian to my daughter and creating a collection of holiday books for her learn about, enjoy, and celebrate the season.  I recently put together a browsing box full of Halloween books.  Since Halloween has always been her favorite holiday, she loves reading spooky books full of witches, ghouls, and goblins.  Below is a list of Halloween books for you to create your own themed browsing box at home.  Happy reading and Happy Halloween - Boo!

Creepy Pair of Underwear by Aaron Reynolds
Mary McScary by R.L. Stine
The Scariest Book Ever by Bob Shea
What Makes a Monster? by Jess Keating
Boo Who? by Ben Clanton
There's a Monster in Your Book by Tom Fletcher
Monster Trucks by Anika Denise and Nate Wragg

Frankencrayon by Michael Hall

Fright Club by Ethan Long

Quit Calling Me a Monster! by Jory Jon and Bob Shea

I Dare You! by Nicole Maubert

Boo! Haiku by Deanna Caswell and Bob Shea

Nighty Night, Little Green Monster by Ed Emberley

Trick or Treat Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen and Dan Hanna

Happy Halloween, Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt and Cyd Moore

Peppa’s Halloween Party by Eone

Eek! Halloween! by Sandra Boynton

Hooray for Halloween, Curious George! by H.A. Rey

The Very Fairy Princess: A Spooky Sparkly Halloween by Julie Andrews

If You’re Spooky and You Know It by Aly Fronis and Jannie Ho

Palace Pets: Berry’s Halloween Costume Trouble by Disney Book Group

Disney Princess: Sweets and Treats by by Kristen L. Depken & Gabriella Matta

Dora’s Spooky Halloween by Sonali Fry

Where is Baby’s Pumpkin?  By Karen Katz

Halloween Bugs by David Carter

Trick or Treat? By Melanie Walsh

Five Little Pumpkins by Ben Mantle

Ten Timid Ghosts by Jennifer O’Connell

Five Little Pumpkins by Dan Yaccarino

Max’s Halloween by Rosemary Wells

Curious George: Haunted Halloween by C.A. Krones

Silly Ghosts: A Haunted Pop-Up Book by Janet Lawler

My Little Pony: Tricks and Treats by D. Jakobs

Fancy Nancy: Halloween . . .Or Bust! By Jane O’Connor

Barbie: Hooray for Halloween by DianeWright Landolf

Disney Princess: Sweet and Spooky by Melissa Lagonegro

Sofia the First: The Halloween Ball by Lisa Ann Marsoli

Dora’s Costume Party by Christine Ricci

Splat the Cat: What Was That? By Rob Scotton

Olivia and the Haunted Hotel by Patrick Spaziante

Pete the Cat: Five Little Pumpkins by James Dean

Dora: Say Boo! By Molly Reisner

Pippa the Pumpkin Fairy by Tim Bugbird

Trick or Treat, Marley! By John Grogan

There was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Bat by Lucille Colandro

The Berenstain Bears: Happy Halloween! By Stan Berenstain

The Berenstain Bears: Trick or Treat by Stan Berenstain

Happy Halloween, Daniel Tiger! By Angela Santomero

The Haunted Ghoul Bus by Lisa Trumbauer

It’s Pumpkin Day, Mouse! By Laura Numeroff

Mickey’s Halloween by Disney Junior

The Spooky Wheels on the Bus by Elizabeth Mills

The Night Before Halloween by Natasha Wing

One, Two . . . Boo! By Kristen L. Depken

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda D. Williams

Pinkalicious: Pink or Treat by Victoria Kann

Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson

Clifford’s Halloween by Norman Bridwell

Splat the Cat and the Pumpkin-Picking Plan by Catherine Hapka

Corduroy’s Best Halloween Ever! By Don Freeman

I Love you, Little Pumpkin! By Sandra Magsamen

You Got a Rock, Charlie Brown! By Maggie Testa

Hallo-wiener by Dav Pilky

Arthur’s Halloween by Marc Brown

Hello Kitty and Me: Trick or Treat by Jacqueline Ball

Disney Princess: A Fairy Tale Fall by Apple Jordan

T. Rex Trick-or-Treats by Lois Grambling

Lego City: Halloween Rescue by Trey King

Froggy’s Halloween by Jonathan London

Scaredy Squirrel Prepares for Halloween by Melanie Watt

Scaredy Cat, Splat! By Rob Scotton

Mouse’s First Halloween by Lauren Thompson

What is Halloween? By ElaineLandau

Halloween is . . . by Gail Gibbons

2x2=Boo! By Loreen Leedy

Wormy Apple Croissants and Other Halloween Recipes by Brekka Larrew

Crafts for Halloween by Kathy Ross

I Spy Spooky Night by Jean Marzollo

Inside a House that is Haunted by Alyssa Capucilli

In a Dark, Dark Room by Alvin Swartz

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Swartz

Flat Stanley and the Haunted House by Lori Haskins

Katie Woo: Boo, Katie Woo! By Fran Manushkin

My Weird School: It’s Halloween, I’m Turning Green by Dan Gutman

My Weird School: Miss Mary is Scary! by Dan Gutman

My Weird School: Mrs. Patty is Batty! By Dan Gutman

Junie B. Jones: Boo . . . and I Mean It! By Barbara Park

Magic Tree House: Haunted Castle on Hallows Eve by Mary Pope Osborne

Mercy Watson: Princess in Disguise by Kate DiCamillo

Zeke Meeks and the Horrendous Halloween by D.L. Green

Babymouse: Monster Mash by Jennifer Holm

A to Z Mysteries: Sleepy Hallow Sleepover by Ron Roy

Stone Rabbit: Night of the Living Dust Bunnies by Erik Craddock

Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew: The Halloween Hoax by Carolyn Keene

Captain Awesome vs the Spooky Scary House by Stan Kirby

Ready Feddy: Going Batty by Abby Klein

Ready Freddy: Halloween Fraidy Cat by Abby Klein

Ready Freddy: The Pumpkin Elf Mystery by Abby Klein

Katie Kazoo: Witch Switch by Nancy Krulik

Trixie the Halloween Fairy by Daisy Meadow

The Mummy with No Name by Geromino Stilton

It’s Halloween, You ‘Fraidy Mouse! By Geronimo Stilton

The Peculiar Pumpkin Thief by Geronimo Stilton

Night of the Creepy Things by R.L. Stine

Attack of the Jack-O-Lanterns by R.L. Stine

Dragonbreath: No Such Things as Ghosts by Ursula Vernon

My Dog’s a Scaredy-Cat by Henry Winkler

The Challenge Continues . . . Buckeye Book Award Reading Challenge 1991

And the reading challenge continues!  As stated in a previous post, my librarian friend Ashley Lambacher of the Book Talker and I are hosting the Buckeye Book Award Reading Challenge.  Our goal is to read all the past winners from the children’s book category in chronological order from 1982 to the present.  I will read the K-2 picture book winners and Ashley will read the 4-8/3-5 chapter book winners.  Because 1990 was skipped, today I continue my challenge by reading the winner of the K-2 Buckeye Book Award in 1991, Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg.

 The Polar Express is an old-fashioned steam train that takes lucky children to the North Pole on Christmas Eve to see Santa himself as he sets off in his sleigh to deliver presents.  The story follows a young boy who is chosen to ride the Polar Express, meet Santa, and be selected as the first child to receive a gift on Christmas Eve.  He wishes for, and receives, a silver bell from a reindeer’s harness.  As he boards the train to return home, he puts the silver bell in his pocket for safe keeping.  However, the bell becomes lost through a hole in the bottom of his pocket.  But Santa is magic and he finds the bell and puts it under the boys tree.  For years to come, the sound of the bell remained a symbol of the boy’s magical adventure.  After a while, the boy's sister and all of his friends can no longer hear the bell.
"Though I've grown old, the bell still rings for me as it does for all who truly believe." This is a wonderful book for those who truly believe in the spirit of Christmas. 

This story  is amazing, but Van Allsburg’s illustrations are simply spectacular.  The full-page images are like detailed pictures from a movie with theatrical lighting.  They bring the story to life with vivid detail – as a reader almost feel chilled by the frosty illustrations.  The colors are muted and the images are fuzzy, giving the pictures a dream-like appeal – which is suitable since this story is told by an adult retelling his symbolic adventure from childhood.  It’s no surprise that the Polar Express won the Caldecott Medal in 1986.  It remains a remarkable work of art and a traditional read for many families every Christmas.  The Polar Express is a fitting winner for the 1991 Buckeye Book Award.

Ashley, your upcoming 1991 Buckeye Book Award read is There’s a Boy in the Girl’s Bathroom by Sachar. I’m looking forward to hearing your critique. 

Would you like to join Ashley and I as we read through Ohio’s award winning books?  We welcome any and all who are interested in participating in this fun reading challenge.  For more information, click here.

My #pb10for10 - Picture Books that Make Great Read Alouds for Young Readers

For years I’ve watched wonderful book lists being posted on August 10^th.  The wonderful Cathy Mere (Reflect and Refine) and Mandy Robeck (Enjoy and Embrace Learning) host this annual 10 for 10 picture book event, and I’m excited to be joining the fun this year!  

As a librarian, one of the best aspects of my job is reading aloud to children.  I find books that make kids sing, laugh, and interact the most fun to read aloud.  Below is my list of picture books that make wonderful read alouds for your readers.

1. Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett

This 2015 Caldecott Honor depicts Sam and Dave digging a hole in hopes to discover something spectacular.  As they dig, they narrowly miss bigger and better treasures causing the audience to frequently scream, ”No! You’re going the wrong way!”  Page by the page, the children remain emotionally involved with Sam and Dave as they search and search.  This is the first picture book that I’ve read aloud and it made kids squirm with uncontrollable excitement, frustration, and humor; making it a notable read aloud for my list.

2. The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak

How can a book with no pictures make a great read aloud?  No pictures are needed when the words are laugh out loud funny!  This book makes fun of the reader, making the audience giggle.  And with made up words like “bluurf,” children can’t control their laughter.  As a librarian, I appreciate difficult read alouds; like ones with accents and tongue twisters.  This book must be read like a comedian because timing and delivery is important.  I always feel great when I read it and pull if off, leaving the children rolling with laughter!

3. I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More! by Karen Beaumont

This award winning book shows a young child getting carried away with creative painting.  With repetitive rhyming text and colorful illustrations, it reads almost like a song. As the child paints one body part after another the audience joins the reader in singing and guessing what will be painted next.  This silly read gets kids singing and laughing, making it a great addition to this list.

4. Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems

This Caldecott Honor book starts with the bus driver taking a break.  He asks the readers for a favor – don’t let the pigeon drive the bus!  As the pigeon begs and pleads to drive the bus, the audience must repeatedly answer back with a resounding “no!”  I love how the pigeon’s fate is in the reader’s hands, and the interactive dialog that takes place while reading it aloud.  

5. Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by James Dean and Eric Litwin

Pete the Cat walks down the street wearing his white shoes and singing a catching song.  Along the way, he steps in various things changing the color of shoes.  The audience can’t help sing along with the reader and yell out each color change.  Not only is this book a great interactive read aloud, it also teaches a valuable lesson – no matter what happens, stay chill . . . because it’s all good!

6. Book! Book! Book! by Deborah Bruss

As the children return to school, the animals on the farm are bored.  They head to town to find something to do and discover the library.  As one animal after another enters the library, the audience joins the reader to mimic each animal’s attempt to talk to the librarian, filling the air with “baas,” moos,” and “neighs.”   Finally the hen gets something to read by saying “book, book, book” (similar the “bock, bock, bock”).  But the bull frog is a frequent visitor to the library and as the animals read their books back at the farm, he says “I already read it, read it, read it” (similar to “ribbit, ribbit, ribbit”).  Love how this book gets children interacting and laughing.

7. Press Here by Herve Tullet

This picture book is the ultimate engaging read aloud. Each page instructs the audience to interact with the text; press the dots, shake the pages, tilt the book. With each direction the dots multiply, change color, and grow in size.  The illustrations are simply and the pages are flat, but the audience reacts like the book is a pop up and plays music; making it a notable book for my favorite read loud book list.

8. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin and Eric Carle

This story follows one animal after another in a classic game of I Spy.  As a read aloud, the audience interacts by shouting out each animal with the turn of each page.  Coupled with Eric Carle’s classic, colorful illustrations, children enjoy the repetition of this story; making it a favorite first read for beginning readers.

 9. Punk Farm by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

As Farmer Joe goes to bed, the barn animals begin to rock out!  Each page depicts an animal playing a different musical instrument.  When I read this book aloud, I ask the audience to mimic the playing of each instrument while singing.  I love seeing each child play the guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards and singing “Old McDonald.”  This is never a quite read aloud, but it’s always a fun read aloud!

10. Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback

This 2000 Caldecott Winner is an adaptation of a Yiddish folk song showing Joseph repurposing his worn overcoat into many useful things.  Once its whittled down to a button and lost, Joseph writes a book about it, teaching readers that “something can always be made out of nothing.”  As in his Caldecott Honor book, There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly, Taback's die-cut pages captivate readers.  I love seeing the faces of children as I read aloud this book.  They watch carefully to guess what the next item will be, and almost seem in awe of how it’s done.  This award winning book is a fun read aloud with a heart-warming lesson.

The Challenge Continues . . . Buckeye Book Award Reading Challenge 1989

And the reading challenge continues!  As stated in a previous post, my librarian friend Ashley Lambacher of the Book Talker and I are hosting the Buckeye Book Award ReadingChallenge.  Our goal is to read all the past winners from the children’s book category in chronological order from 1982 to the present.  I will read the K-2 picture book winners and Ashley will read the 4-8/3-5 chapter book winners.  Because 1988 was skipped, today I continue my challenge by reading the winner of the K-2 Buckeye Book Award in 1989, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff and illustrations by Felicia Bond.

 If You Give a Mouse a Cookie introduces Mouse, an energetic rodent whose repeated requests run his young host ragged.  A boy gives a mouse a cookie, but that leads to a glass of milk, and a straw, and a napkin, and a look in the mirror to make he doesn’t have a milk mustache, and . . . the story goes on and one, until the young boy collapses with exhaustion.  Told in simple text with colorful pictures, this book is great for teaching cause and effect for the young readers.  Mouse’s demands continue with If You Take a Mouse to School and If You Take a Mouse to the Movies.  Numeroff and Bond created other If You Give books involving other animals like a pig, dog, cat, and even a Moose. It’s hard to believe the original story, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, is more than 25 years old.  It still resonated with young children today and remains a popular choice for beginning readers; making it a fitting winner of the 1989 Buckeye Book Award.

Ashley, your upcoming 1989 Buckeye Book Award read is Even More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, another Alvin Swartz book.  Best of luck reading more scary tales.  I’m looking forward to hearing your critique.  

Would you like to join Ashley and I as we read through Ohio’s award winning books?  We welcome any and all who are interested in participating in this fun reading challenge.  For more information, click here.