Scare Up a Good Boooooook

Photo courtesy of PublicDomainPictures.net

I love reading scary books -- the kind that make me shiver from head to toe -- whether it's Halloween time or not. I know that not everyone feels the same. However, if you, too, are a fan of the horror genre and are looking for a spine-tingling read, here are a few books that I recommend for various ages:

Picture book:

Hansel and Gretel,
retold by Neil Gaiman
and illustrated by Lorenzo Mattotti, 2014

A woodcutter leaves his children in the woods and when they try to find their way home, they stumble upon a house made of gingerbread.

As Gaiman recounts this well-known fairy tale, he doesn't stray far from the original story. He does add his own sinister touches, however, and his words pair well with Mattotti's dark, eerie artwork. This book, like all good picture books, begs to be read aloud. (I suggest reading it out loud in a dark room, with only a flashlight to see the words and pictures, for maximum effect!)

***

Middle grade fiction:

The Thickety: A Path Begins,

written by J. A. White, 2014

The same night that six-year-old Kara's little brother Taff is born, her mother is executed for witchcraft. Now, many years later, the siblings are still shunned by the people of their village. The villagers believe magic to be evil and fear it more than anything -- except for the dark and wild woods nearby, the Thickety.

I first spotted this novel at a book store. The title and cover art intrigued me, so I opened it up and began reading. After just a couple of pages, I jotted the title and author down in my "to read" list on my phone; the next time I visited the library I checked out the book. I really liked this fantastical tale and it is one that I would've enjoyed at age 10, as well. (It may have given me a nightmare or two back then, however!)

This is the first book in The Thickety series, which also includes The Whispering Trees (2015) and Well of Witches (coming out in 2016). I'm hoping to read the second book soon and will look for the third one next year!

***

The Night Gardener,
written by Jonathan Auxier, 2014

This Victorian ghost story follows a pair of young orphans who go to work as servants in a tumble-down house far from town. It does not take Molly and Kip long to discover that both the house and the family who lives there are not quite what they seem....

I saw that a reviewer on Goodreads wrote this about The Night Gardener: "Long story short, this novel is Little Shop of Horrors meets The Secret Garden." I thought that was a fitting description! I found this to be a delightfully creepy book and have recommended it to my 10-year-old, Ben.

***

Lockwood & Co.:
The Screaming Staircase,
written by Jonathan Stroud, 2013

For over 50 years ghosts have stalked the land, frightening the living, wreaking havoc, and even killing those poor souls unlucky enough to come in contact with them. Psychic Investigations Agencies have been formed across the country to seek out the horrifying spectres and destroy them. When the young agent Lucy Carlyle arrives in London looking for work, she is offered employment with the smallest, most unconventional agency in the city, Lockwood & Co. She and her coworkers, Anthony Lockwood and George Cubbins, quickly find themselves in the middle of a dangerous mystery. Can the three of them survive long enough to solve it?

This book is shelved in our library's middle grade section and also the young adult section. I personally feel that it is most suited for older children, teens, and adults. (I know I would've been terrified if I'd read the book when I was 8 or 9!) Ben had been planning on reading it, which is why we checked it out, but while he was working his way through another book, I read this one. I'm glad that I got to it first -- afterwards I talked with Ben about it and we decided that he should probably wait a couple of years before reading it himself.

That being said, I absolutely loved this book! And it truly scared me. Stroud is a masterful writer. (I adored his Bartimaeus trilogy, as well.) The main characters are very likable and well-written. In addition to the suspense that Stroud injects into every chapter, he also provides many laugh-out-loud moments.

This is the first title in the Lockwood & Co. series, which also includes The Whispering Skull (2014) and The Hollow Boy (2015). I have not read the others yet, but am eager to do so -- hopefully soon!

***

Young Adult Fiction:

The Ocean at the End of the Lane,
written by Neil Gaiman, 2013

When a man returns to his childhood home for a funeral, he finds himself drawn to the farm at the end of the lane. While there, images he hadn't thought of in years come flooding back, memories of the strange, frightening events he'd witnessed as a boy -- and a magical girl named Lettie who promised to protect him.

I found this book (which a friend aptly called "a grown up fairy tale") in the adult section of our library, but there is also a copy in the young adult section. I am a Neil Gaiman fan and was excited to read this when it came out. I was not disappointed. It is a beautifully written, haunting book that I plan to reread soon!

***

For more hair-raising book recommendations for kids and teens, check out my posts from previous years: Oh, the Horror! and Books That Go Bump in the Night.

Have you ever read any of the books listed above? If so, what did you think? I'd love to hear about your favorite spooky stories. I'm always looking for new ones to read!

Heaven (for book lovers)

Photo courtesy of
PublicDomainPictures.net

An excerpt:

     [...] As I stood outside in Cow Lane, it occurred to me that Heaven must be a place where the library is open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

     No... eight days a week.

~ from The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie,

written by Alan Bradley

Sure sounds like heaven to me! :)

Books About Boys

Photo courtesy of NYPL Digital Gallery

Last month, in my post Books With Girl Power, I featured some books with interesting, engaging main characters who all just happened to be female. I promised then that I would actively seek out and read books about appealing male characters for a future post.  Well, this is that post, and I am happy to share these books about boys with you today!  I also want to point out that, while these books are about boys, they are not meant solely for boys -- these books will appeal to many girls out there, as well.

As I did in my Girl Power post, I will begin with a picture book that I stumbled across at the library:

Be Boy Buzz,

written by Bell Hooks

and illustrated by Chris Raschka, 2002

With energetic illustrations and bold, poetic text, this book is a celebration of boyhood.  My six-year-old Ben and I read this book through several times, enjoying the beat of the words, as well as their meaning.  What a wonderful book for boys and their parents!

***

I've read several middle grade books about boys this month. Here are a few of my favorites:

The Invention of Hugo Cabret,

written and illustrated by Brian Selznik, 2007

Twelve-year-old Hugo Cabret is an orphan, living in a Paris train station in 1931.  A thief who secretly keeps the station's clocks running after his uncle -- the official clock keeper -- disappears, Hugo is eventually caught stealing a small wind-up toy.  The shopkeeper who catches him puts Hugo to work, to pay off his debts.  Meanwhile, Hugo and the shopkeeper's young goddaughter, Isabelle, discover clues to a mystery from the past.  The pair begin to piece them together, unraveling long-kept secrets in the process.

My friend Ben (not to be confused with my son Ben) recommended this book to me.  I really didn't know anything about it, except for the fact that a movie based on the book had been out in the theaters last year.  When I found it on the shelf of the library, I was a little surprised by how thick it was.  Being a fast reader, thick books don't intimidate me at all -- but I did think it seemed a bit long for most middle grade readers.  Back at home, when I opened the book for the first time, I discovered that the story isn't nearly as long as it looks -- most of its pages are illustrations, not text.  I read the story through once, then decided it would make a great bedtime book. I read it again, this time aloud to Ben.  (My son, not my friend!)

Both of us were captivated by Selznick's story and illustrations, eager to find out what Hugo would do next.  A week after we'd finished the book, we had a chance to watch the 2011 film, "Hugo".  Though it differs from the book in several ways, the movie is also entertaining and worthwhile. Ben (my son and my friend, actually) and I recommend them both!

***

City of Orphans,

written by Avi

and illustrated by Greg Ruth, 2011

New York City in 1893 is a dangerous place.  Thirteen-year-old Maks, a Danish immigrant and newsboy,  escapes from the Plug Ugly Gang with the help of Willa, a street urchin.   The two are then drawn into a sinister mystery, becoming amateur detectives when Maks's innocent older sister is thrown in jail for stealing.

Avi immerses his readers into the past, vividly describing 19th century life in the big city.  I enjoyed the historical perspective, the intriguing mystery, and the colorful characters making up this story.

***

Danny, the Champion of the World,
written by Roald Dahl
and illustrated by Quentin Blake, 1975

Danny has the best father in the world.  The two of them live in an old gypsy caravan next to their gas station, and are content with their simple life together.  Then, when Danny turns 9, he discovers his father's one vice, a love of poaching. Father and son have always done everything together, and soon Danny is helping devise a plan to poach pheasants from the land of crotchety old Victor Hazell, a wealthy man whom no one likes.  If they can pull it off, Danny truly will be the champion of the world!

Dahl is known for his funny, zany stories, and this is one of them.  In addition to humor, this story also features a tender, heart-warming father-son relationship.  Filled with lively writing and Blake's distinctive illustrations, this book will delight kids and adults alike.

***

Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key,
written by Jack Gantos, 1998

Abandoned by his parents at a young age, Joey Pigza has been raised by his emotionally abusive grandmother.  Now that he's a 5th grader, the mother he doesn't even remember has returned to take care of Joey. As if those weren't enough problems for a child to deal with, Joey also has attention-deficit disorder (ADD)... but not the meds to control it.  He is a good kid, but his days at school tend to be one disaster after another.  Will Joey get the help he so desperately needs?

No one in my family has ADD, but many years ago I worked with several ADD kids, so I feel I have at least a little bit of first-hand knowledge about the disorder.   While reading this book, it seemed like I had crawled right into the head of a boy with ADD.  I thought that Gantos's depiction of Joey was true-to-life.  When he is wound up and "wired", Joey's thoughts race and bounce all over the place.  When some medication starts working, Joey is able to slow down and think things through.  Gantos's narration reflects that.

Though the book deals with some serious topics, there is also plenty of humor -- and compassion -- included.  I was impressed with this story and am eager to read the rest of the books in the series: Joey Pigza Loses Control, What Would Joey Pigza Do?, and I Am Not Joey Pigza.

***

Seriously, Norman!,
written by Chris Raschka, 2011

When Norman Normann does not score very high on an important entrance exam, his worried parents decide to get him a tutor.  Balthazar Birdsong turns out to be a very unusual tutor indeed.  Studying the dictionary as instructed, Norman keeps running across words that connect oddly to events in his life.  As Balthazar urges Norman and his friends (Leonard, Anna, and Emma) to observe and explore the world around them, the Quadrumvirate find themselves on a wild quest to save Norman's father and his karma.

Despite the title, this book is anything but serious!  I spotted it on a shelf at the library; the author's name caught my eye.  Raschka is an accomplished artist, and I've enjoyed many of the books he's illustrated, including Be Boy Buzz (shown at the top of this post) and some wonderful poetry collections.  Reading the inside cover, I learned that this was Raschka's first novel.  I decided to check it out, and I am so glad that I did!  Filled with word play, laugh out loud moments, and a crazy adventure, this book surprised and enchanted me.

***

Over the last few weeks, I've also read a few good young adult/adult books featuring boys:

Then Again, Maybe I Won't,
written by Judy Blume, 1971

When his inventor father finally sells an invention for a lot of money, everything changes for 13-year-old Tony Miglione. His family moves to a wealthy neighborhood on Long Island. Now Tony has to go to a new school and make new friends. On top of that, Tony is going through puberty, which means his body is growing and changing and doing strange things.

I first read this book when I was in 5th grade.  (In fact, the book in the photo above is the same copy that I read back then -- I received a whole set of Judy Blume books for Christmas that year, and I still have them.)  This was the first book I ever read that described a few of the things that happen to boys during puberty, and I learned some things I didn't know before.  I still remembered those parts of the story after all these years, but had forgotten the actual plot! Reading it again as an adult, I was more interested in how Tony deals with all the changes and the stress in his life.  I was reminded once again how good Blume is at portraying life from an adolescent's perspective.

***

Outlaw,

written by Stephen Davies, 2011

Set in modern-day West Africa, this book tells the story of 15-year-old Jake and his younger sister Kas.  Children of a British ambassador, the two are kidnapped one evening -- supposedly by Yakuuba Sor, an outlaw and leader of a terrorist group.  But is their abductor really Yakuuba Sor? And is Sor really the dangerous criminal everyone thinks he is?  When the corrupt local government and British Intelligence get involved in the search for Jake, Kas, and Sor, the three decide to take matters into their own hands.

This thriller, filled with mystery and adventure, is fast-paced and action-packed.  I wasn't sure how well I would like the book when I first started it, but I was quickly drawn into the story.  I liked it (and the characters) more and more as it went on.  The author, Davies, is actually a missionary in West Africa.  I appreciated how vividly he described life and the culture in that part of the world, an area I know little about.

***

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,

written by Mark Haddon, 2003

When an autistic 15-year-old, Christopher John Francis Boone, discovers his neighbor's dog impaled on a garden fork, he cradles the dog in his arms.  The dog's owner finds them this way and has Christopher arrested.  When his father arrives at the police station to explain the situation, Christopher is given a "caution" and is released from jail. Ignoring his father's advice to "stay out of other people's business", the boy is determined to find out who really killed the dog and launches his own investigation.

After hearing many adults recommending this novel, I read it for a book club I was in several years ago.  Everyone in the club, including me, loved it!  At the time, I thought of it as a story for adults, even though the main character is a teenager.  Then, recently, I was looking through a list of good books for young adults, and I came across this title.  I decided to reread it.  It was shelved in the adult section of our library, but I do think that it is appropriate for young adults, as well.  (I should note that it does contain many swear words.)  The story itself is moving, insightful, and often amusing.

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Have you read any of the books that I shared today?  If so, what did you think?  What are some of your favorite books about boys?  I'd love to hear about them!