It’s fall y’all, and the spooky season is officially here! There is no better way to put you in the mood than to grab a book (or two or three) that brings in the thrills and chills- in an age appropriate manner, of course! Take a look at the list below to see if any grab your attention, or come into the library to peruse our shelves. We have so many Halloween specific themed books, or general spooky books that set just the right creepy tone for the most wonderful time of year (in my opinion, at least)!
PICTURE BOOKS:
Witch & Wombat by Ashley Belote (PreK- 2nd grade)
PICTURE BELOTE
Wilma can’t wait to get her very own witch’s familiar! But when the pet store runs out of black cats, she is less than pleased when she has to go home with a wombat. After repeatedly, yet unsuccessfully, trying to encourage her wombat to be more cat-like, Wilma might have to change her mindset and embrace her familiar’s unusual- but still special- skills.
Bruce and the Legend of Soggy Hollow by Ryan T. Higgins (Kinder- 3rd grade)
PICTURE HIGGINS
If you haven’t come across the amusingly grumpy bear from the Mother Bruce series by Higgins, you’re in for a real treat (no trickery involved)! In this latest entry, Bruce is not in the mood for any spooky shenanigans, but his friends are determined to get him in the Halloween spirit by performing their own version of The Legend of Spooky Hollow- with hilarious results!
Hardly Haunted by Jessie Sima (Kinder- 2nd grade)
PICTURE SIMA
A lonely little house is convinced that she is haunted- after all, she is full of dust and cobwebs, her lights flicker, her doors creak, and her stairs squeak. That must be why no one wants to live with her! As hard as she tries, she can’t change who she is, and eventually she realizes that she is perfect just as she is. She merely had to wait for the perfect family to find her.
GRAPHIC NOVELS:
Eerie Tales from the School of Screams by Graham Annable (4th grade & up)
GRAPHIC NOVEL ANNABLE
The older elementary kids who crave genuine thrills will devour this collection of tales, presented as spooky stories told by five students in Ms. Nomed’s class. The tales themselves are eerie enough, but get ready for a final twist that will take most readers by surprise!
A Super Scary Narwhalloween by Ben Clanton (1st - 4th grade)
GRAPHIC NOVEL CLANTON
The 8th adventures of the unbeatable duo Narwhal and Jelly might be their most fun yet! Narwhal loves Halloween, and can’t wait to dress up (What would be the best costume? A Banana? A Pirate? A Candy Corn?). Jelly, on the other hand, is not a fan of the spooky holiday- but when Narwhal is in peril, Jelly will gather up courage and save Narwhal- no matter what it takes!
Things in the Basement by Ben Hatke (1st - 4th grade)
GRAPHIC NOVEL HATKE
Everyone with any sense knows that basements are creepy, so readers will not be surprised when Milo faces a lot more than a mess when he is sent to the basement to retrieve his baby sister's missing sock. Milo uncovers secret rooms hidden beneath his family’s house, where he meets up with strange creatures who help him complete his quest, despite the evil sock rats and a monster that tries to thwart them.
Ghost Book by Remi Lai (4th grade & up)
GRAPHIC NOVEL LAI
Inspired by Chinese mythology, and set during Hungry Ghost month (the month where ghosts supposedly move among the living), this graphic novel for middle grade readers features a girl named July who can see ghosts- but for the sake of family harmony, pretends not to. The latest spirit to try and claim her attention is not giving up so easily, though- when she saves William from a ghost who was about to devour him, she finds that he is not a traditional ghost, but rather a spirit caught between life and death. What will she sacrifice to help her new friend?
FICTION:
It Found Us by Lindsay Currie (4th grade & up)
FICTION CURRIE
Some people call Hazel a busybody, but really she just wants to be a detective, so when her brother’s best friend disappears during a game of hide and seek in a cemetery, she is determined to piece together the unsettling clues and find him before he’s lost forever. Currie is gaining quite a reputation for middle grade stories with just the right amount of chills, and her latest is no exception.
Hide and Seeker by Daka Hermon (4th grade & up)
FICTION HERMON
After going missing for a year, twelve year old Zee has returned, and his friends couldn’t be happier that he’s back- even though he seems quite different, and has no explanation for where he was. Regardless, a party is definitely in order! But when a game of hide and seek turns into a potentially deadly nightmare, his friend Justin must try and figure out what is going on before more of his friends disappear- forever.
(*Side note- if someone suggests a game of hide and seek during the spooky season, quickly but politely, refuse and then run home to snuggle up with a good book. You can thank me later!)
The Skull by Jon Klassen (1st to 4th grade)
FICTION KLASSEN
This delightfully macabre early chapter book tells of a runaway girl, a spooky castle, and a friendly skull. The narrative is simple, as are the dark toned illustrations, but they work together seamlessly to present a subtle yet eerie tale of friendship and home, with a twist.
