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Halloween Reads for Kids and Teens
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Doll Bones
by Holly BlackDiscover the Newbery Honor winner Doll Bones, from Holly Black, the cocreator of the Spiderwick Chronicles. A Kirkus Reviews Best Book. A School Library Journal Best Book. A Booklist Editor’s Choice Books for Youth. A Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Book. A NYPL “100 Titles for Reading and Sharing.” A 2013 Goodreads Choice award nominee. A People Magazine “Best New Kids Book.” Six starred reviews!Winner of a 2014 Newbery Honor Medal.Zach, Poppy, and Alice have been friends forever. And for almost as long, they’ve been playing one continuous, ever-changing game of pirates and thieves, mermaids and warriors. Ruling over all is the Great Queen, a bone-china doll cursing those who displease her.But they are in middle school now. Zach’s father pushes him to give up make-believe, and Zach quits the game. Their friendship might be over, until Poppy declares she’s been having dreams about the Queen—and the ghost of a girl who will not rest until the bone-china doll is buried in her empty grave.Zach and Alice and Poppy set off on one last adventure to lay the Queen’s ghost to rest. But nothing goes according to plan, and as their adventure turns into an epic journey, creepy things begin to happen. Is the doll just a doll or something more sinister? And if there really is a ghost, will it let them go now that it has them in its clutches?Doll Bones is a winner of the Newbery Honor, is the recipient of six starred reviews, was on four Best Book lists, and was called "perfect" by The New York Times.
Ghost Squad
by Claribel A. OrtegaFor Lucely Luna, ghosts are more than just the family business.
Shortly before Halloween, Lucely and her best friend, Syd, cast a spell that accidentally awakens malicious spirits, wreaking havoc throughout St. Augustine. Together, they must join forces with Syd's witch grandmother, Babette, and her tubby tabby, Chunk, to fight the haunting head-on and reverse the curse to save the town and Lucely's firefly spirits before it's too late.
With the family dynamics of Coco and action-packed adventure of Ghostbusters, Claribel A. Ortega delivers both a thrillingly spooky and delightfully sweet debut novel.
The Jumbie God's Revenge
by Tracey BaptisteIn book three of the popular Jumbies series, Corinne must use her emerging supernatural powers to battle the angry god who would destroy her Caribbean island home. When an out-of-season hurricane sweeps through Corinne’s seaside village, Corinne knows it’s not a typical storm. At first Corinne believes Mama D’Leau—the powerful and cruel jumbie who rules the ocean—has caused the hurricane. Then a second, even more ferocious storm wrecks the island, sending villagers fleeing their houses for shelter in the mountains, and Corinne discovers the storms weren’t caused by a jumbie, but by the angry god Huracan. Now Corinne, with the help of her friends and even some of her enemies, must race against time to find out what has angered Huracan and try to fix it before her island home is destroyed forever.
The Jumbies
by Tracey BaptisteA spine-tingling tale rooted in Caribbean folklore about an ordinary girl who must use her extraordinary bravery--and a bit of magic--to save her island home from jumbies, the scary spirits that haunt the forest.
Corinne La Mer isn’t afraid of anything. Not scorpions, not the boys who tease her, and certainly not jumbies. They’re just tricksters parents make up to frighten their children. Then one night Corinne chases an agouti all the way into the forbidden forest. Those shining yellow eyes that followed her to the edge of the trees, they couldn’t belong to a jumbie. Or could they?
When Corinne spots a beautiful stranger speaking to the town witch at the market the next day, she knows something unexpected is about to happen. And when this same beauty, called Severine, turns up at Corinne’s house, Corinne is sure that danger is in the air. She soon finds out that bewitching her father, Pierre, is only the first step in Severine’s plan to claim the entire island for the jumbies. Corinne must call on her courage and her friends and learn to use ancient magic she didn’t know she possessed to stop Severine and to save her island home.
Rise of the Jumbies
by Tracey BaptisteDeep beneath the waves, a great enemy awakens . . . Corinne LaMer defeated the wicked jumbie Severine months ago, but things haven’t exactly gone back to normal in her Caribbean island home. Everyone knows Corinne is half-jumbie, and many of her neighbors treat her with mistrust. When local children begin to go missing, snatched from the beach and vanishing into wells, suspicious eyes turn to Corinne. To rescue the missing children and clear her own name, Corinne goes deep into the ocean to find Mama D’Leau, the dangerous jumbie who rules the sea. But Mama D’Leau’s help comes with a price. Corinne and her friends Dru, Bouki, and Malik must travel with mermaids across the ocean to fetch a powerful object for Mama D’Leau. The only thing more perilous than Corinne’s adventures across the sea is the jumbie that waits for her back home. With action-packed storytelling and inventive twists on Caribbean and West African mythology and fairy tales, Rise of the Jumbies is a breathlessly exciting tale of courage and friendship.An NPR Best Book of 2017 A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2017 A School Library Journal Best Book of 2017
City of Ghosts
by Victoria SchwabEver since Cass almost drowned (okay, she did drown, but she doesn't like to think about it), she can pull back the Veil that separates the living from the dead . . . and enter the world of spirits. Her best friend is even a ghost.
So things are already pretty strange. But they're about to get much stranger.
When Cass's parents start hosting a TV show about the world's most haunted places, the family heads off to Edinburgh, Scotland. Here, graveyards, castles, and secret passageways teem with restless phantoms. And when Cass meets a girl who shares her "gift," she realizes how much she still has to learn about the Veil -- and herself.
And she'll have to learn fast. The city of ghosts is more dangerous than she ever imagined.
NYT bestselling author Victoria Schwab delivers a thrillingly spooky and action-packed tale of hauntings, history, mystery, and the bond between friends (even if that friend is a ghost . . .).
A New York Times Bestseller
Coraline
by Neil GaimanAcompanya la Coraline i deixa que et transporti a un món de fantasia i terror creat pel premiat autor Neil Gaiman. «Senyors i senyores, nens i nenes, aixequeu-vos i aplaudiu: Coraline és una obra mestra.»Philip Pullman, The Guardian L'endemà de mudar-se de casa, la Coraline explora les catorze portes de la seva nova llar. Tretze es poden obrir amb normalitat, però la catorzena està tancada i tapiada. Quan per fi aconsegueix obrir-la, la Coraline es troba amb un passadís secret que la condueix a una altra casa tan semblant a la seva que resulta esgarrifosa. No obstant això, hi ha certes diferències que criden la seva atenció: el menjar és més saborós, les joguines són tan desconegudes com meravelloses i, sobretot, hi ha una altra mare i un altre pare que volen que la Coraline es quedi amb ells, es converteixi en la seva filla i no marxi mai. Aviat la Coraline s'adona que, rere els miralls, hi ha altres nens que han caigut en el parany. Són com ànimes perdudes, i ara ella és la seva única esperança de salvació. Però per rescatar-los haurà també de recuperar als seus veritables pares, i complir així el desafiament que li permetrà tornar a la seva vida anterior. Ressenyes:«Aquest llibre t'esgarrifarà i la por se't colarà per les sabates. Posseeix el delicat toc de terror dels millors contes de fades i és una obra mestra. Després de llegir-lo, no tornaràs a mirar un botó com abans.»Terry Pratchett «Delicat i extraordinari, es llegeix com un encreuament d'Alícia al país de les meravelles i Stephen King.»Independent on Sunday «Una fantasia magnífica i sinistra; Gaiman mostra un gran coneixement dels temors dels nens i de la seva capacitat per superar-los.»Kirkus Reviews «Un llibre meravellosament estrany i esgarrifós [...] Neil Gaiman és massa subtil per al·ludir al sobrenatural, és molt més misteriós. Els perills són reals i part de la riquesa d'aquesta història es troba en el fet que ofereix molts significats sense imposar-ne cap.»Philip Pullman, The Guardian «Gaiman aconsegueix teixir una apassionant i addictiva narració, a cavall entre els mites dels contes de fades infantils i el suspens propi d'un film de terror [...] Després de la seva lectura no tornarem a mirar els botons de la mateixa manera i cada vegada que hàgim d'obrir una porta ens ho pensarem dues vegades.»Sandra Pérez, ABC «Coraline és una digna hereva de les grans heroïnes de la literatura infantil, però també ho és de les històries gòtiques de Poe, Lovecraft, etc. Gaiman sap inventar ambients i recrear l'atmòsfera necessària per esgarrapar i, fins i tot en ocasions, fer estremir al lector.»Pep Molist, Quadern, El País
Small Spaces
by Katherine ArdenBestselling adult author of The Bear and the Nightingale makes her middle grade debut with a creepy, spellbinding ghost story destined to become a classic.
After suffering a tragic loss, eleven-year-old Ollie only finds solace in books. So when she happens upon a crazed woman at the river threatening to throw a book into the water, Ollie doesn't think--she just acts, stealing the book and running away. As she begins to read the slender volume, Ollie discovers a chilling story about a girl named Beth, the two brothers who both loved her, and a peculiar deal made with "the smiling man," a sinister specter who grants your most tightly held wish, but only for the ultimate price. Ollie is captivated by the tale until her school trip the next day to Smoke Hollow, a local farm with a haunting history all its own. There she stumbles upon the graves of the very people she's been reading about. Could it be the story about the smiling man is true? Ollie doesn't have too long to think about the answer to that.
On the way home, the school bus breaks down, sending their teacher back to the farm for help. But the strange bus driver has some advice for the kids left behind in his care: "Best get moving. At nightfall they'll come for the rest of you." Nightfall is, indeed, fast descending when Ollie's previously broken digital wristwatch, a keepsake reminder of better times, begins a startling countdown and delivers a terrifying message: RUN. Only Ollie and two of her classmates heed the bus driver's warning. As the trio head out into the woods--bordered by a field of scarecrows that seem to be watching them--the bus driver has just one final piece of advice for Ollie and her friends: "Avoid large places. Keep to small." And with that, a deliciously creepy and hair-raising adventure begins.
Where the Woods End
by Charlotte SalterIn a forest filled with treacherous beasts, the thing to be most afraid of is closer than you think in this middle grade horror fantasy.Kestrel, a young huntress, lives in a seemingly endless forest crawling with dangerous beasts. But the most dangerous beasts of all are the Grabbers--beings that are born when you are and stalk you throughout your life, waiting for the perfect moment to snatch and eat you. No one has ever defeated their Grabber once attacked, and those that die from accidents or other creatures are considered "lucky." Kestrel has been tasked by her mother, a powerful and controlling spell-caster, to hunt down the Grabbers in an effort to protect their village in the forest. Accompanied by Pippit, a hilariously bloodthirsty weasel, she hones her skills as she searches for a way out of the forest--and away from the judgmental villagers who despise her. But her own Grabber is creeping ever closer, and nothing in this forest is what it seems...including her mother's true motivations.
The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street
by Lindsay CurrieA girl unravels a centuries-old mystery after moving into a haunted house in this deliciously suspenseful read that Kirkus Reviews calls &“just the ticket for a cold autumn night.&”Tessa Woodward isn&’t exactly thrilled to move to rainy, cold Chicago from her home in sunny Florida. But homesickness turns to icy fear when unexplainable things start happening in her new house. Things like flickering lights, mysterious drawings appearing out of nowhere, and a crackling noise she can feel in her bones.When her little brother&’s doll starts crying real tears, Tessa realizes that someone—or something—is trying to communicate with her. And it involves a secret that&’s been shrouded in mystery for more than one hundred years.With the help of three new friends, Tessa begins unraveling the mystery of what happened in the house on Shady Street—and more importantly, what it has to do with her!
A Babysitter's Guide to Monster Hunting
by Vivienne To and Joe BallariniThe Last Kids on Earth meets Goosebumps in this hilarious new series about a secret society of babysitters who protect kids from the monsters that really do live under their beds!
When middle schooler Kelly Ferguson’s Halloween plans switch from party-going to babysitting, she thinks the scariest part of her night will be the death of her social life. But then Baby Jacob gets kidnapped by the Boogeyman’s minions and Kelly learns there’s a whole lot more to childcare than free snacks and Netflix. Like chasing shadow monsters, drop-kicking Toadies, and mastering monster-fighting moves like the Naptime Headlock and Playground Punch.
Now, with the help of an ancient handbook and a secret society of butt-kicking babysitters, Kelly sets out to destroy the Boogeyman before he brings Jacob’s nightmares to life. But when the monsters’ trail leads to her school’s big Halloween bash, Kelly will have to prove she can save the world—without totally embarrassing herself in front of her friends.
Packed with black-and-white illustrations and insider secrets from the world of monster hunting, A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting is full of tricks, treats, and terrifying twists!
Welcome to Dead House
by R. L. StineEnter at your own Risk: The first ever Goosebumps. Now with creepy bonus features! 11-year-old Josh and 12-year-old Amanda just moved into the oldest and weirdest house on the block--the two siblings think it might even be haunted! But of course, their parents don't believe them. You'll get used to it, they say. Go out and make some new friends. But the creepy kids are not like anyone Josh and Amanda have ever met before. And when they take a shortcut through the cemetery one night, Josh and Amanda learn why.
The Witches
by Roald Dahl and Quentin BlakeThis is not a fairy tale. This is about real witches.
Grandmamma loves to tell about witches. Real witches are the most dangerous of all living creatures on earth. There's nothing they hate so much as children, and they work all kinds of terrifying spells to get rid of them. Her grandson listens closely to Grandmamma's stories--but nothing can prepare him for the day he comes face-to-face with The Grand High Witch herself!
Skeleton Tree
by Kim VentrellaA boy grows a skeleton playmate in his backyard in this debut novel about life, hope, death, and friendship. Twelve-year-old Stanly knows the bone growing in his yard is a little weird, but that&’s okay, because now he&’ll have the perfect photo to submit to the Young Discoverer&’s Competition. With such a unique find, he&’s sure to win the grand prize. But oddly, the bone doesn&’t appear in any photos. Even stranger, it seems to be growing into a full skeleton . . . one that only children can see. There&’s just one person who doesn't find any of this weird—Stanly&’s little sister. Mischievous Miren adopts the skeleton as a friend, and soon, the two become inseparable playmates. When Miren starts to grow sick, Stanly suspects that the skeleton is responsible and does everything in his power to drive the creature away. However, Miren is desperate not to lose her friend, forcing Stanly to question everything he&’s ever believed about life, love, and the mysterious forces that connect us. Praise for Skeleton Tree &“Skeleton Tree is a powerful and tender story. Kim Ventrella knows when to be playful and when to break your heart.&” —Cassie Beasley, New York Times–bestselling author of Circus Mirandus &“Ventrella&’s comforting storytelling reveals a magical world where a skeleton can grow and where a family's love for each other can provide healing.&” —School Library Journal &“[An] emotional roller coaster . . . tempered by a touch of magic and a resilient, likable protagonist.&” —Kirkus Reviews &“Quietly powerful; dark yet whimsical.&” —Booklist
Monsterland
by James CrowleyIt’s Halloween, and everyone in Charlie’s small town is excited for this year’s festivities. Charlie's grandfather, Old Joe, is famous for his holiday haunts, and his pumpkin patch is the center of the town’s zealous celebrations. But for Charlie, Halloween’s just one more reminder that his cousin Billy isn’t around anymore. Charlie plans to keep to himself this year, hanging out in the haunted barn with his trusty dog Ringo. But when Charlie runs into some neighborhood bullies who are after his candy, he heads off into the woods to escape. He quickly gets lost, but spots a kid who he thinks is Billy. As Charlie chases after him deeper and deeper into the woods, he finds himself entering Monsterland—a mysterious place where werewolves live amongst trolls and goblins. Here he meets the Prime Minister, a vampire who tells Charlie he may be able to see his cousin again in this strange new land. Accompanied by a hulking monster chaperone, Charlie’s determined to find out just what happened to his cousin, and sets off to explore the secrets hiding in this uncharted territory.
Spirit Hunters
by Ellen OhWe Need Diverse Books founder Ellen Oh returns with Spirit Hunters, a high-stakes middle grade mystery series about Harper Raine, the new seventh grader in town who must face down the dangerous ghosts haunting her younger brother. A riveting ghost story and captivating adventure, this tale will have you guessing at every turn!
Harper doesn’t trust her new home from the moment she steps inside, and the rumors are that the Raine family’s new house is haunted. Harper isn’t sure she believes those rumors, until her younger brother, Michael, starts acting strangely. The whole atmosphere gives Harper a sense of déjà vu, but she can’t remember why. She knows that the memories she’s blocking will help make sense of her brother’s behavior and the strange and threatening sensations she feels in this house, but will she be able to put the pieces together in time?
The Halloween Tree
by Ray Bradbury and Joseph MugnainiA group of children and a "spirit" go back through time to discover the beginnings of Halloween.
Eight costumed boys running to meet their friend Pipkin at the haunted house outside town encounter instead the huge and cadaverous Mr. Moundshroud. As Pipkin scrambles to join them, he is swept away by a dark Something, and Moundshroud leads the boys on the tail of a kite through time and space to search the past for their friend and the meaning of Halloween.
After witnessing a funeral procession in ancient Egypt, cavemen discovering fire, Druid rites, the persecution of witches in the Dark Ages, and the gargoyles of Notre Dame, they catch up with the elusive Pipkin in the catacombs of Mexico, where each boy gives one year from the end of his life to save Pipkin's.
Frankenstein Takes the Cake
by Adam RexNo one ever said it was easy being a monster. Take Frankenstein, for instance: He just wants to marry his undead bride in peace, but his best man, Dracula, is freaking out about the garlic bread. Then there’s the Headless Horseman, who wishes everyone would stop drooling over his delicious pumpkin head. And can someone please tell Edgar Allan Poe to get the door already before the raven completely loses it? Sheesh. In a wickedly funny follow-up to the bestselling Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich, Adam Rex once again proves that monsters are just like you and me. (Well, sort of.)
Pumpkin Soup
by Helen CooperWhat's cooking in the old white cabin? Pumpkin soup. The best you've ever tasted! Made by the Cat who slices up the pumpkin. Made by the Squirrel who stirs in the water. Made by the Duck who scoops up the salt, and tips in just enough. But one day the Duck wants to stir. Then there is trouble, a horrible squabble, and the Duck waddles away. In this funny, observant, and highly original story, three animal companions discover the ups and downs of friendship and sharing, and what really makes the Pumpkin Soup taste so good.
It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
by Charles M. SchulzAdapted for the first time since the late 1960s, this 35th anniversary tie-in to the Peanuts' classic television special features Linus giving up trick-or-treating on Halloween to await the arrival of the Great Pumpkin in the pumpkin patch.
Arthur's Halloween
by Marc BrownHalloween has Arthur spooked! When his little sister wanders off into the scariest house on the street, Arthur has to find the courage to go in and save her. Will Arthur and D.W. make it out alive?
Ghosts in the House!
by Kazuno KoharaAt the edge of town lives a clever girl with a very spooky problem: her house is haunted! Luckily, she knows a little something about taking care of ghosts . . .
Los Gatos Black on Halloween
by Marisa MontesFollow los monstruos and los esqueletos to the Halloween party. Under October's luna, full and bright, the monsters are throwing a ball in the Haunted Hall. Las brujas come on their broomsticks. Los muertos rise from their coffins to join in the fun. Los esqueletos rattle their bones as they dance through the door. And the scariest creatures of all aren't even there yet! This lively bilingual Halloween poem introduces young readers to a spooky array of Spanish words that will open their ojos to the chilling delights of the season.
Winner of the Pura Belpre Medal
Five Little Pumpkins
by Iris RynbachThe favorite finger rhyme told in schools, libraries, and play groups every Halloween is presented here in wonderfully humorous and endearing illustrations. Five not-so-little pumpkins start out "sitting on a gate." But before long a wild evening is afoot. They roll along a country lane to join some trick-or-treaters--a ghost, two witches, a clown, and a devil. As the lights go out and a magical wind swirls by, all converge on a big, old Victorian house--where every window has a spooky scene, and a skeleton comes to open the door! Full of the Halloween spirit from beginning to end, this playful and inviting book will prove a delight all year long.
My Monster Mama Loves Me So
by Laura LeuckMy monster mama loves me so! Let me tell you how I know. When I wake up, she tweaks my nose, tickles all my pointy toes, combs the cobwebs from my bangs, and makes sure that I brush my fangs. At once tender and funny, this monster bedtime story is guaranteed to generate giggles, tickles, and plenty of monster hugs.