Troubling Tonsils!
Author: Aaron Reynolds
Illustrator: Peter Brown
Summary: A spooky early reader chapter book where our friend Jasper Rabbit narrates a creepy cautionary tale about a young marmot named Charlie. Terrified of his upcoming surgery, Charlie wakes up on the big day to discover that his infected, golf-ball-sized tonsils have mysteriously vanished from his throat on their own.
Recommended Ages: 5 to 9 years
Themes, Skills, & Concepts: This book shows that it is totally normal to feel scared or worried about going to the doctor or having a medical procedure! By telling a spooky but funny story about Charlie the marmot, the book proves that our imaginations can make ordinary things feel like big, creepy mysteries, but laughing at our fears can help us feel brave instead.
Extension Activities: "Imagine looking for your favorite pair of socks only to discover you can only ever find one, leading you to realize your room isn't just messy—you actually have a Sock Monster living in your closet! Far from being scary, this creature is just terribly clumsy, always cold, and uses your missing laundry to knit tiny sweaters for its family of dust bunnies. In this story, you catch the monster red-handed in the middle of the night, only to discover its hilarious excuse for the theft. As you write, describe what this silly creature looks like, the funny conversation you have together, and the clever deal you make to share your socks peacefully from now on. Draw a fun monster with our friend Rob to help illustrate your story! Click here!
What Makes a Monster?
Author: Jess Keating
Illustrator: David DeGrand
Summary: What really makes a monster? Discover some of the world's scariest creatures and you decide what a monster is!
Recommended Ages: 4-9 years
Themes, Skills, & Concepts: This informative, non fiction book will get the children excited about learning some of our most interesting and scary animals!
Extension Activities: Have children pick survival traits from two or three animals in the book. Next, they will draw a brand-new creature that combines these features. Finally, they will invent a name for their animal and write a short description explaining how its "scary" traits help it survive in the wild.
Weird but True! Halloween
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Summary: Weird but True is a fast-paced, nonfiction children's book packed with 300 wacky, surprising, and spooky facts about the autumn holiday. Published by National Geographic, your kids will discover some of the strangest facts about Halloween!
Recommended Ages: 5-10 years
Themes, Skills, & Concepts: This book shows that Halloween is full of amazing science and history secrets waiting to be discovered! Instead of just telling a story, it proves that everyday things—like why we carve pumpkins, wear costumes, or love sweet candy—are actually connected to wild animal facts, history mysteries, and cool science. It teaches you to look closely at your favorite holiday and discover how wonderfully weird our world can really be!
Extension Activities: After reading this fact filled book, have kids create a Fact or Fiction quiz to share with their friends. Kids can research Halloween traditions or animals associated with Halloween and try to trick their friends! Click here!
Bone Soup
Author: Alyssa Satin Capucilli
Illustrator: Tom Knight
Summary: A Halloween-themed adaptation of the classic "Stone Soup" fable following three hungry witches who only have a dry bone to eat. By using clever trickery, they convince their monstrous neighbors to contribute ghoulish ingredients like eyeball stew and frog legs. Will they share with their friends?
Recommended Ages: 4-8 years
Themes, Skills, & Concepts: Even though the characters are spooky monsters who initially refuse to help, the story that cooperation and working together can turn scarcity into a celebration that everyone can enjoy.
Extension Activities: Making a kid-friendly "Bone Soup" is a fun, collaborative process that turns everyday ingredients into a spooky, delicious vegetable feast. To begin, bring one carton of vegetable broth to a boil in a large pot to serve as your soup's liquid base. Next, carefully stir in your "ghoulish" ingredients: round sliced carrots to act as monster eyeballs, sweet corn kernels for goblins' teeth, shredded cabbage or spinach for witch's hair, and small elbow or penne pasta to represent the spooky bones. Finally, reduce the heat to medium-low and let the mixture simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes until the pasta and vegetables are perfectly tender and ready for everyone to share! Click here!
The ABC's of Screams!
Author: Gillia M. Olson
Illustrator: James Loram
Summary: This fun ABC book is perfect for our youngest Halloween fans and will take them on a spooky and fun Halloween ride!
Recommended Ages: 4-8 years
Themes, Skills, & Concepts: By pairing intimidating monsters like blobs, aliens, and giants with the familiar, rhythmic structure of learning the alphabet, the book teaches children that scary things become less frightening once you name them, study them, and turn them into a game.
Extension Activities: Brainstorm "scary" Halloween theme words. Let children choose a word, write about their scary choice, and illustrate in the style of the book. Combine into a classroom book!
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