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Librarians – I Desperately Need Your Input!

I have been asked to write a chapter for a book on the intersection of children’s literature with horror fiction. The book’s editor wants a librarian’s perspective.  I am looking to get additional input from children’s librarians and elementary school media specialists. So far  the research I can find regarding the value of scary stories and horror fiction in engaging readers and in the library is incomplete, at best (so if you know of any academic research I can use, please let me know). I am hoping to collect some input from you here.

The topic is: Where are the scary books? The place of scary stories in reading and at the library.

If you are a school librarian in a K-8 school or a children’s librarian in a public library, or feel like you have something that you’d like to add to help shape what I write I would really appreciate it. I would be interested to read responses here.  A request for this information from the children’s librarians at my local public library was met with disinterest, and that’s part of what I am writing about, but I know that’s not representative of all children’s and school librarians! So please help, and spread the word to others if you know them.  Here are the questions I am looking to have answered:

1.) What do you think constitutes “scary books” in the elementary or children’s library collection?

2.)Do you purchase scary books and horror fiction for your elementary, middle school, or children’s collections? Why or why not?

3.) What criteria do you use when making purchasing decisions?

4.) How do you answer the question “Where are the scary books”?

5.)Where are your “scary books” physically located?

6.) What titles, subjects, or genres would you consider looking in to find “scary books”?

Anyone who would like to contact me personally about this topic, please email me at monsterlibrarian@monsterlibrarian.com and title your subject line: Scary Books for Kids.

Thank you!

Posted on November 13, 2012 by , Reply

Halloween Scares for Beginning Series Readers

Series books get a bad rap. Newly minted independent readers LIVE for series books. As in any genre fiction, there are conventions to every series book– similar structure, predictable plots, characters who appear consistently (and can usually be described in just a couple of words) and character types that repeat (obnoxious jokester, daredevil, athlete, etc.)

These are great for beginning readers. They follow the familiar characters through a story that allows them to use their new skills to predict what happens next and solve a mystery or survive an adventure. Series books allow kids to put into practice the skills they have mastered to really become independent readers.

Are series books for beginning readers great literature? Most are probably not. But, while some of them drive me stinkin’ crazy (Geronimo Stilton, anyone?) some are really good, fun reads, occasionally informative, and with mystery, adventure, and suspense to grab any reader… and often, they include kids just like the ones who might be reading the books. And whether you or I like the writing style or the characters or not… these books are sticking around. Goosebumps and its related series, which aren’t included on this list, are now reaching a second generation of readers! Got a series reader looking for a Halloween book? I’ve got some lists for you. The first is a list of series that touch on scary or supernatural topics, usually with a generous dose of humor. Following that, I’ve got a list of Halloween titles from series you might already recognize on the shelf that you can hand to your favorite Geronimo Stilton fan. Enjoy!

 

Scary and Supernatural Series for Kids 

43 Old Cemetery Road: Dying to Meet You (book 1) by Kate Klise and M. Sarah Klise (grades 3 and up)

Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist: Flight of the Phoenix (book 1) by R.L. LaFevers and Kelly Murphy (grades 3 and up)

The Poison Apple Books: The Dead End (book 1) by Mimi McCoy. This series is written by various authors. (grades 3 and up)

My Sister the Vampire: Switched (book 1) by Sienna Mercer (grades 3 and up)

Scooby-Doo Readers, Level 2: The Map in the Machine (book 1) by Gail Herman (grade 1 and up)

The Hamlet Chronicles: Seven Spiders Spinning (book 1) by Gregory Maguire (grades 3 and up)

The Bailey School Kids: Vampires Don’t Wear Polka Dots (book 1) by Debbie Dadey and Marcia Thornton (grades 2 and up)

Dragonbreath: Dragonbreath (book 1) by Ursula Vernon (grades 3 and up)

Tales from the House of Bunnicula: It Came From Underneath the Bed! (book 1) by James Howe and Brett Helquist (grades 2 and up)

Creepella von Cacklefur:  The Thirteen Ghosts: A Geronimo Stilton Adventure (book 1) by Geronimo Stilton (grades 1 and up)

 

If you have a series lover already and want to get them into the Halloween spirit, you are in luck… many popular children’s series have titles that are specifically targeted for Halloween or have a supernatural tie-in.

 

 Individual Halloween Titles in Popular Series Books

Geronimo Stilton: Cat and Mouse in a Haunted House (book 3) by Geronimo Stilton (grades 2 and up)

Ivy and Bean: The Ghost That Had To Go (book 2) by Annie Barrows and Sophie Blackall (grades 1 and up)

Stink Moody: Stink and the Midnight Zombie Walk (book 7) by Megan MacDonald and Peter Reynolds (K and up)

Magic Tree House: Haunted Castle on Hallows Eve (book 30) by Mary Pope Osborne and Sal Murdocca (K and up)

Junie B., First Grader: Boo! And I Mean It! (book 24) by Barbara Park and Denise Brunkus (grades 1 and up)

Bailey School Kids: Mrs. Jeepers’ Scariest Halloween Ever (Bailey School Kids Super Special #7) by Debbie Dadey and Marcia Thornton Jones (grades 1 and up)

Bailey School Kids: Aliens Don’t Carve Jack O’Lanterns (Bailey School Kids Holiday Special Edition) by Debbie Dadey and Marcia Thornton Jones. (grades 1 and up)

A to Z Mysteries: Sleepy Hollow Sleepover(Super Edition #4) by Ron Roy(K and up)

Dragonbreath: No Such Thing As Ghosts (book 5) by Ursula Vernon (grades 3 and up)

American Girl: Meet Molly, An American Girl: 1944 (book one) by Valerie Tripp and Nick Backes (grades 3 and up)

Piper Reed: Piper Reed, Campfire Girl (book four) by Kimberly Willis Holt (grades 3 and up)

Nate the Great: Nate the Great and the Halloween Hunt (book twelve) by Marjorie Weiman Sharmat and Marc Simont (K and up)

Cam Jansen: The Mystery At The Haunted House by David Adler (book thirteen) by David A. Adler and Susanna Natti (grades 2 and up)

Henry and Mudge: Henry and Mudge Under the Yellow Moon (book 3) by Cynthia Rylant  and Sucie Stevenson(K and up)

 

I hope you and your series reader find something here that works for a nice creepy Halloween read. Enjoy!

Posted on October 30, 2012 by , Reply

Teen Read Week: It Came From The (Classroom) Library! Teen Nicholas Harris on the Unwind Trilogy

What’s the point of Teen Read Week? This is what it’s all about– bringing YA fiction to the forefront in the minds of everyone– librarians, educators, parents, and teens (although not necessarily in that order). Nicholas Harris, an eighth grader at Clark Pleasant Middle School in Greenwood, Indiana, was assigned to read Unwind by Neal Shusterman last year in class, and he agreed to write a review for us of the Unwind Trilogy (two books, so far). Want to see an end to readicide? Bring the right book into the classroom and library and bored teens like Nicholas Harris are hooked.  Thanks, Nicholas!

*********************************************************

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2009

ISBN-13: 978-1416912057

Available: Hardcover, paperback and Kindle edition

 

UnWholly by Neal Shusterman

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2012

ISBN-13: 978-1442423664

Available: Hardcover and Kindle edition

 

I read Unwind last year for my 7th grade English class. The book was a trip that you never wanted to end. At first, I thought this book was going to be a bore because most books that you have to read in class are unreadable. After the first chapter though, I was hooked for Unwind. I liked how it switched from between the main characters points of view and it just captured my attention and I couldn’t put the book down. I found it interesting how the parents could choose to “unwind” or have their kid taken apart when they reached thirteen years old if the kid was bad or didn’t act like they wanted him to behave. I finished the book the first week we started reading it.

This year, when I found out that the author was coming to our school to speak and I could buy the second book when he was there, I was overjoyed because I wanted to read the next book so bad. I even was able to get my book signed. It was so popular at my school that they ran out of books and had to go buy more copies at the book store. I rushed home that afternoon and began reading it immediately and finished this one in only two days. UnWholly, the second book was even better! I love the continuation of the storyline and how the kid was made of different “unwind” parts.

I can’t wait for the third book to come out so I can see how the story ends. I think everyone that reads these books will really like them and they are not boring like many of the books that you read in school.

Reviewed by: Nicholas Harris

Posted on October 18, 2012 by , Reply
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