Happy Halloween from Three to Read Jr.! Candy and costumes aren’t the only treats on offer this spooky season. Whether your child will go door to door this year as a superhero, a princess, or a terrifying zombie, these picks are sure to get them into the Halloween spirit. (Pun intended.)
EARLY READERS
Goodnight, Broom: A Spine-Tingling Spoof by Deb Adamson, Illustrated by Ma Pe
SUMMARY:
Help the witch get ready for bed! This board book puts a paranormal twist on a classic bedtime story. Step inside the cottage of a young witch and her guardian, filled with cauldrons, cobwebs, and critters galore.
WHY:
Margaret Wise Brown’s Goodnight Moon is one of the most iconic — and lampooned — children’s books of all time. Goodnight Broom gives this old favorite a delightfully spooky update for young readers, with endearing illustrations from Ma Pe and clever rhymes courtesy of author Deb Adamson. From jars full of eyeballs to a frog — yes, a frog — jumping over the moon, readers will be treated to all manner of endearingly creepy oddities. It’s the perfect bedtime read to close out a fun-filled night of trick-or-treating.
ELEMENTARY READERS
Luna and the Witch Throw a Halloween Party by Dan Murphy and Aubrey Plaza, Illustrated by Hannah Peck
SUMMARY:
Luna Lopez wants to be a witch — a real one, like her grandmother in Puerto Rico. Luckily, there’s another real witch who lives just down the street, Pheenie, who wants to throw a Halloween party. Pheenie agrees to teach Luna all her tricks of the trade if Luna helps her plan a blowout Halloween bash. But Luna might have her work cut out for her — she needs to make sure Pheenie doesn’t scare away her guests! Will this Halloween party be frightfully fun or just frightening?
WHY:
Actress Aubrey Plaza first dipped her toes into the picture book world with 2021’s The Legend of the Christmas Witch. Now, she and collaborator Dan Murphy return with yet another bewitching tale — this time, appropriately, for spooky season. At the heart of their latest spellbinding story is an endearing intergenerational relationship between an aspiring young bruja and her well-meaning (but adorably out-of-touch) witch neighbor. Packed with rhyming spells and Hannah Peck’s festive illustrations, Luna and the Witch Throw a Halloween Party is sure to become an annual favorite. (Or maybe even one your child enjoys year-round!)
MIDDLE GRADE READERS
Mystery James Digs Her Own Grave by Ally Russell, Illustrated by Devin Forst
SUMMARY:
Left in a cemetery as a baby and raised in a funeral home, 13-year-old Mystery James is no stranger to death — or the afterlife. She’s also recently developed the ability to see (and smell!) ghosts, including the late philanthropist Lady Ellis, who warns Mystery of an impending grave robbery. When Lady Ellis’ heirloom necklace disappears, blame falls onto Mystery’s Tia Lucy, jeopardizing the family’s funeral home. It’s up to Mystery and her friends to crack the case and clear Tia Lucy’s name. But between Mystery’s sleep paralysis demon and the vampire-ghost hybrid prowling the cemetery, it won’t be easy.
WHY:
This year has been incredible for middle grade horror, with a wide variety of spooky picks for readers to choose from. Mystery James is the second book from emerging MG horror writer Ally Russell, author of It Came from the Trees and the Book of Outcasts for Netflix’s Wednesday. With a plucky protagonist spearheading a diverse cast, this first installment in an upcoming duology is perfect for amateur sleuths with a taste for the macabre. The book also includes illustrations of Mystery’s notebook pages, where she jots down details on important and potentially unfamiliar death-related concepts, such as epitaphs and embalming.
That’s it for this week’s Three to Read Jr.! Tune in next week for more incredible recommendations for your little bookworm.
Start the school year off right with 3TR’s Back-to-School Picks.
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