From the terribly funny The Monster at the End of This Book by Jon Stone to Linda William's wonderfully eerie The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything, books begetting Halloween in a spirit of frightening fun are once again in season. Of all our favorite fall releases to read with, aloud, or (dare I say it...) alone in this edition of A Young Person's Guide to 57th Street Books, I'm particularly swept up by Hans Christian Andersen Award winner David Almond's brand new picture book, The Dam, which asks us to enter a house soon to be haunted with memories and music that resonate "inside us" and consider what a ghost story is, if not a carrying and playing on, in Almond's true story after a dam is built, valley flooded, and folk tradition blown away in the wilds of Northumberland, England. Find dozens of stories and autumn events worth singing (and shouting) about below, and share what you love by writing us at kidsbooks@semcoop.com or simply dropping in. As always, we're all ears! —Colin
Jullien tickles the funnybone once again with a book of facial overreactions. Faces are presented first, allowing the reader to wager predictions of what may have prompted such an expression, before the dramatic answer is revealed.
The sun is setting and the moon is rising—join the pumpkins on a Halloween romp as they roll along with their friends and get into more spooky fun in this sturdy Halloween board book, perfect for little hands!
Boo at the Zoo (Simon & Schuster)
Jeffrey Burton, illus. by Emma Trithart
From Giraffenstein to Flaminghosts to Vamtigers and more, little ones will love lifting the sturdy flaps to reveal the silly Halloween costumes hidden underneath.
Greta the goat is a wonderfully accomplished knitter. She can even knit little goats and turn them loose to play around her feet. But when she gets distracted from her knitting, threatening creatures spring from her needles. It takes quick thinking and courage for Greta to find her way out of a perilous situation.
Pete couldn’t be more thrilled when a monster shows up in his bedroom. Now Pete has someone to play with! And the hungry monster couldn’t be more thrilled to be there, either. Now he can... EAT PETE!
It’s Halloween night, and the Peanuts gang is busy dressing up in costumes, trick-or-treating, and bobbing for apples. Meanwhile, Linus waits for the Great Pumpkin to rise from the pumpkin patch...
Even monsters have to go to sleep. But before little trolls turn out the light and werewolves settle in to dream, there's fur to be brushed, pajamas to find, and moons that need howling. So grab your cuddly critter and snuggle in for this new bedtime tradition.
Best-selling author Bonny Becker’s cleverly rhyming text will chill and thrill readers alongside Mark Fearing’s wonderfully funny illustrations, making this book perfect for Halloween story times.
Holloween Forest (Holiday House)
Marion Dane Bauer,
illus. by John Shelley
It's not every day you find a math book for kids that tells a great story. Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi is fun, educational, and should be a staple for any child's bookshelf.
Out of the Wild Night is New York Times bestselling author Blue Balliett at her spooky best, a spellbinding tale about the haunted residents of a very special place. Signed copies available now!
Filled with the history, mystery, and magic of the Great Smoky Mountains, Kirkus Reviews describes Willa of the Wood as "A moving, atmospheric journey of hope."
From award-winning author Tim Wynne-Jones comes a riveting murder mystery. With echoes of Dante’s Divine Comedy, this harrowing journey through hell and back is a page-turning tale of guilt, retribution, love, and redemption.
Long-Listed for the 2018 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. Subverting convention, award-winning creators M. T. Anderson and Eugene Yelchin pair up for an anarchic, outlandish, and deeply political saga of warring elf and goblin kingdoms.
With a tender bond that calls to mind The Girl Who Drank the Moon and charming characters reminiscent of The Penderwicks, this is a novel to curl up with, an extraordinary work of magical realism that makes the world feel like a warmer and happier place.
Small Spaces (G.P. Putnamn's Sons Books for Young Readers)
Katherine Arden
“With a tantalizing pace and palpable suspense, all nicely grounded in realistic emotions, this well-wrought spine-tingler is destined to be a hit (just makes sure the lights stay on).” —Booklist, starred review
A boy is imprisoned by a witch and must tell her a new scary story each night to stay alive. This thrilling contemporary fantasy from J. A. White, the acclaimed author of the Thickety series, brings to life the magic and craft of storytelling.
Events for Young Readers at 57th Street Books
On Saturday, September 15, we celebrated our Summer Reading Champions with delicious pizza and displays of each young reader's favorite book (of at least 10!) read this past summer. Stop in to read their "shelf-talkers" (that's bookseller slang for "recommendations") on our shelves and online atsemcoop.com, and let us know what you're reading anytime at kidsbooks@semcoop.com. And see below! More "thrilling," "raucous," awe-inspiring events are in the air...
A Reading with Liesl Shurtliff and Brianna DuMontSaturday, October 6th 3pm at 57th Street Books Featuring Shurtliff's Time Castaways: The Mona Lisa Key (Katherine Tegen/ HarperCollins) and DuMont's Thrilling Thieves: Liars, Cheats, and Cons Who Changed History (Sky Pony Press). Brianna and Liesl will share their writing process, how they research, source, and fact check, and how young readers (castaways, sleuths, etc.) can use these skills on their own. Dig deeper into history by checking outBrianna's "thrilling" reading list!
Spooky Storytime at 57th Street Books!Satruday, October 27th 10:30am at 57th Street BooksGhosts and goblins of all ages are invited to 57th Street Books' third annual Spooky Storytime! Come in costume for a fun-filled storytime of chilling tales, campfire songs, sickening stew (à la "Macbeth") and more! RSVP HERE (if you dare...)
Heather Alexander presents A Child's Introduction to Norse MythologySaturday, November 10 3pm at 57th Street BooksJoin author Heather Alexander for a reading and discussion of her newest title in the award-winning A Child's Introduction series: A Child's Introduction to Norse Mythology! Get acquainted with the original North Germanic and Scandinavian folklore behind characters like Thor and Loki, plus other gods, goddesses, giants, dwarves, and more.
"Brave doesn't mean you're not scared. It means you go on even though you're scared."—Angie Thomas
