LITERALLY DISTURBING: TALES TO KEEP YOU UP AT NIGHT by Ben Winters with illustrations by Adam Watkins. Price Stern Sloan 2013.

Here is a collection of wonderfully, shivery poems to read to kids who love scary stories. Black cats, vampires, ghosts: all the usual suspects are here in rhyme, each poem taking up just one page with an accompanying black and white illustration. Use to teach tone, mood, rhyme, scan, etc.

Beholding Bee

BEHOLDING BEE by Kimberly Newton Fusco. Knopf, 2013 (Listening Library audiobook)

Bee always takes care to cover her "diamond," the birthmark on her cheek that causes folks to stop and stare and make rude comments. This is not easy when she has to work at the hot dog stand of a traveling carnival. Her guardian, Pauline, does what she can to protect Bee. But, one day, Bee and Pauline are separated. Bee is left to deal with Ellis, the cruel owner of the carnival. Before long, Bee is heading out, running away accompanied only by a dog and a tiny pig. Somehow, Bee manages to find her way to a house, a place where she is welcomed by two elderly women, women no one else seems able to see. This coming of age story, set during WW II, is about acceptance, about love, and about family.

Love and Lore

MONSTROUS BEAUTY by Elizabh Fama. MacMillan/FSG, 2012.

Hester is 17 and works part time as a re-enactor in a village fashioned after Plimouth Plantation. One night on the beach, she encounters Ezra, a young man with whom she feels a keen attraction immediately. Syrenka is a mermaid who becomes human in order to find happiness with a human, one named Ezra. Though set centuries apart, there is a strong connection between Hester and Syrenka and Ezra, too. Murder, betrayal, ghosts, and more make this a compelling read. With elements of gothic, wonderful romances at the epicenter, and plot twists, this is sure to be a hit with lots of readers.

Monster Mash

GHOST IN THE HOUSE by Ammi-Joan Paquette with illustrations by Adam Record. Candlewick Press, 2013.

A ghost is joined by some of the other creatures of the night in this cumulative story told in poetry. A monster, a mummy, a skeleton, and a witch join the ghost as they travel through the house tracking down a noise. Who or what could be causing it? <623>

ROMPING MONSTERS, STOMPING MONSTERS by Jane Yolen with illustrations by Kelly Murphy. Candlewick Press, 2013.

A day in the park for monsters includes all of the ordinary things: swings and slides, ice cream, and fun. Simple rhyming text will make this a terrific choice for emerging readers. <624>

VAMPIRE BABY by Kelly Bennett with illustrations by Paul Meisel. Candlewick Press, 2013.

When Tootie gets her first teeth, they are her canines. Her older brother is convinced that Tootie is a Vampire Baby because of the teeth and because Tootie loves to bite. Can he help Tootie find a new home? <625>

Boo!

GHOSTS IN THE HOUSE by Kazuno Kohara. Roaring Brook, 2008.

Ghosts are in the house
Whatever can a witch do?
Wash and dry and hang?

<469>

things that go bump in the night

THE SCARY PLACES MAP BOOK: SEVEN TERRIFYING TOURS by B.G. Hennessy with illustrations by Erwin Madrid (Candlewick Press 2012) transports readers to the land of mythical monsters, the western terror-tories and other ghostly places. Along the way, readers are asked if they can spot hidden objects as well. Visual acuity is only one skill needed to navigate these tours. <275>




Grouch, Grumpy, and Little Gloom n Doom build THE MONSTERS' MONSTER in Patrick McDonnell's latest book (Little Brown 2012). Their creation, however, is not quite what these nasty little monsters intended. He is kind and generous and he giggles! Can the monsters' monster help tame the little terrors? <276>




BIG MEAN MIKE (Candlewick 2012) loves his car. When he discovers a little bunny in the trunk, he quickly places it on the sidewalk and hauls off. However, the bunnies seem to multiply and appear in his glove box and even under his front seat. Michelle Knudsen shows the softer side of a big mean Mike and the illustrations by Scott Magoon add to the hilarity. <277>




How can you get a little ghost to go to sleep when he is not tired? In BEDTIME FOR BOO by Mickie Matheis with illustrations by Bonnie Lieck, Mother instructs Boo to listen to the sounds of the house at night. The thunder and howling and hissing all lull him to sleep. <278>

Seeing ghosts

Henry Winkler and Linn Oliver team up again for a new series, Ghost Buddy. Book #1: HERO TO ZERO (Scholastic, January 2012) introduces readers to Billy Broccoli as he and his family move to a new home and a new school. Billy now has a stepsister and while he might not exactly think of himself in a Cinderella situation, he is not exactly happy with the move. Add to the fears about a new school the fact that his bedroom in the new house is in shades of lavender and pink. One more complication: it comes equipped with a ghost named Hoover Porterhouse. Billy's problems are just beginning in this adventure, mystery, school story that is certain to please those readers who already love Hank Zipzer and welcome new fans as well. <664>





Capstone's imprint, Stone Arch, highlights short easy to read chapter books. BASEMENT OF THE UNDEAD by Jason Strange (Capstone 2011) features zombies living in the basement of the school, school bullies, and lots of chases. Jason Strange is the narrator and the "detective" who investigates strange occurrences in Raven's Pass. If there are monsters to be found, leave it to Jason Strange to come to the rescue in the nick of time. <665>

Hanging out with boys

FRIENDS WITH BOYS by Faith Erin Hicks (First Second, February 2012, courtesy of NetGalley) combines the very realistic story of Maggie's first year in high school with a nifty ghost story. Maggie has been home schooled all her life. Her first day of high school is both exciting and terrifying at turns. It also means having friends outside of her rambunctious brothers to whom she is just one of the guys. Maggie manages to make some new friends and begins to see how different her brothers' lives are outside of their house. Add to this coming of age story, the story of the ghost who has followed, not exactly haunted, Maggie for years and the GN format, and you have a book certain to pull in a wide array of readers. <653>

Dark and not so scary

In LITTLE OWL'S NIGHT by Divya Srinivasan (Viking 2011), Little Owl comes awake as the other animals are seeking a place to sleep for the evening. He watches other animals who are still active in the fading light as skunk hunts for food and a mother possum walks with her family. The colors glow against the black backdrop of the double page spreads, making the illustrations seem almost three dimensional. <509>



Mary Quattlebaum and illustrator Patricia Castelao give readers a Casper meets Ratatoiuille in THE HUNGRY GHOST OF RUE ORLEANS (Random House 2011). Fred enjoys his old house but is disturnbed when new residents open a restaurant. Thhings are too clean and neat for his taste. How can these duiametrically opposed residents find peace? <510>