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Halloween's almost here and so are some fantasy, and
somewhat scary,
> fiction books along with some terrific picture books
for younger readers.
>
> "The Anybodies," by N.E. Bode, is a fantasy book filled
with adventure,
> mystery, humor and, of course, fantasy. The
author interjects her
> thoughts about writing and the storyline throughout
the book, which gives
> the reader some insight to the story and also makes
for some witty
> writing. N.E. Bode is a pseudonym, which adds
to the humor of the title
> and preludes the fun and wit along the way. Fern
has just found out that
> she was switched at birth with another baby and has
been living a very
> boring life with the Drudgers. When her real
father, "the Bone", brings
> the Drudgers the son he had been raising, Fern knew
instantly that this
> truly was her father. "The Bone" was
anything but boring. He had the
> ability to change into anybody or anything. However,
as of late, this was
> becoming more and more difficult. He was hoping
that perhaps Fern might
> have some magical powers passed on to her through her
mother, who died at
> childbirth. If so, then he could use Fern's
help in trying to find his
> wife's book, "The Art of Being Anybody",
before his archrival, the Miser,
> finds it and uses it to do evil destruction.
>
> The book takes you on a ride that you're not quite
sure where it's going
> to end up. But when you meet Fern's
grandmother, there is an immediate
> bond with the reader, Fern and her grandmother.
This part of the story is
> reminiscent of Inkheart because of grandmother's
great love of books.
> Fern and her father find that grandmother's house is
completely
> overflowing with books. There are books stacked
up in the closets,
> cupboards, even in the utensil drawers. It's
obvious that grandmother
> values and loves books and tests Fern to see if she
is a "true reader".
> Let's see if you know some of these questions posed
to Fern - Grandmother
> offered Fern some Turkish Delights. Would you
take them? Which story are
> these candies from? Grandmother offers a dish
with different types of
> bubble gum making each piece a full course, which
story does this idea
> come from? When Fern passes with flying
colors, grandmother is quite
> pleased and happy that Fern is staying at her
boarding house. But Fern
> and her father are on a quest to find that special
book and are have great
> difficulties because the house is so full of them.
Plus, they have just
> discovered that the Miser is staying there as well -
and searching for the
> same book. Fern discovers that she has magical
abilities that just might
> help her find that book. But she will also meet
some very unique and
> enchanted characters as her magic becomes more
apparent.
>
> The illustrations, by Peter Ferguson, are outstanding
and full, and only
> add to the rich characters described in the book.
This would be a
> wonderful read aloud for families, teachers and kids
ages 8 to 13. Also,
> there's a sequel coming next year. Oh, and the
answers to the Turkish
> Delights book is The Witch, The Lion and the Wardrobe
by C.S. Lewis. And
> the book the bubble gum question refers to is Charlie
and the Chocolate
> Factory by Roald Dahl.
>
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> If you have never read James Howe's series of books
starting with
> Bunnicula, you are truly missing some outstandingly
funny, yet
> suspenseful, books. These books are built on
the premise of solving
> crimes with animals as the main characters. Bunnicula
is Howe's first
> book and was first written back in 1979, but has been
reissued several
> times since due to the huge popularity of the book.
Written from the
> perspective of the family dog, Harold, there is some
speculation on his
> part about the new bunny the family just adopted.
He thinks it's a
> vampire rabbit. The whole premise is hilarious,
making Bunnicula a
> classic and a terrific read aloud for all ages.
There are also great
> illustrations, by Alan Daniel, sprinkled throughout
the entire series.
> The other adventures of this same family and their
hilarious pets are:
> Bunnicula Strikes Again, Howliday Inn, The Celery
Stalks at Midnight,
> Nighty Nightmare and Return to Howliday Inn. The
last book listed has
> recently been reissued and should be easy to find at
bookstores.
>
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> Another outstanding series that has just been
reissued are two books by
> award winning author, Susan Cooper. The Boggart
is a wonderful blend of
> storytelling and humor. Ms. Cooper has a gift
for writing beautifully,
> with strokes of genius throughout the book. She's
able to bring in old
> Scottish folklore into a modern setting, making the
storyline believable,
> yet comical. When Emily and her family discover
that they've just
> inherited a Scottish castle, they are anxious to
visit this new dwelling.
> However, the boggart, a mischievous and invisible
sprite, ends up going
> back to America with Emily and her family. This
is the setting for an
> outstanding read aloud for all family members! Her
next addition to this
> series, The Boggart and the Monster, takes the reader
back to Scotland
> where this impish boggart meets up with the Loch Ness
Monster and tries to
> help save him, along with Emily and her brother, who
are visiting the
> castle for a short time. Again, Cooper brings
the reader completely into
> a land of cliffs and castles where the adventures of
these characters are
> sure to engage the reader from start to finish!
>
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> Wizard at Work, by Vivian Vande Velde, is a new book
recently published by
> Harcourt that had a wizard helping many different
characters throughout
> the book. The chapters include: rescuing
a princess, corralling unicorns
> that have become unruly, helping out a lonesome ghost
and helping to
> promote an unmarried princess. The adventures
of this funny young wizard
> will bring a smile to your 7 to 12 year old!
>
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> Now for some outstanding Halloween picture books:
>
> Skeleton Bones & Goblin Groans: Poems For
Halloween, by Amy E. Sklansky,
> is full of delightful poems just right for this
spooky night! The
> illustrations, by Karen Dismukes, flow perfectly with
the words. Ms.
> Dismukes has surrounded the poems with her clever
beads and fabric making
> this poetry book great for all ages.
>
> Creature Carnival, by Marilyn Singer, is another
poetry book filled with
> the most unusual animals you'd never see at a
carnival. Gris Grimly has
> the ability to illustrate with the macabre, making
this quest a quencher
> for imagination!
>
> One Dark and Dreadful Night, by Randy Cecil, will
surely tickle your funny
> bone. The head of the theater company wants to
dare to scare you with his
> three tales of fright. But the Wayward Orphans
actors have different
> ideas.
>
> Spooky Hour, by Tony Mitton, is a wonderful rhyming
text counting down
> from Midnight. But, its Guy Parker-Rees's
bright and neon colors that
> will strike you first!
>
> My Creature Teacher, by Laura Leuck, will have you
laughing as the
> students are monsters and the school is filled with
monster antics. The
> illustrations, by Scott Nash, make the school seem
almost not surreal.
>
> And last, but not least, Boris and Bella, by Carolyn
Crimi, and
> illustrated by Gris Grimly, have a monstrous couple
that are at opposite
> ends of personality, yet will they, could they, might
they come together
> and on Halloween eve?
>
> All picture books would be fun for ages 5 through
adult! So happy
> Halloween Reading!