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We love witchy reads, that’s no surprise, but we don’t love all things halloween, like haunted houses.  We typically refuse horror, however, this month’s VBC has us willing to reconsider.  Perhaps The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix will be the exception that makes the rule.  Perhaps I/we will have all the snarky things to say about it.  Likely both.  Register here to find out.

Dear readers, one of our goals here at Heart.Wants.Books is to support your bookish lives, and that may mean young readers in your life too, or perhaps young at heart readers.  I love a great middle grade novel, and so does one of my young readers.  They both also love a good mystery, even if they have to start listening to it under duress. (It was The Tower Treasure – I’m not a monster even if I think they are for refusing the Hardy Boys – also the audio was everything I wanted it to be.)  

• The Hallo-wiener by Dav Pilkey
• Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Peter Brown
• *Creepy Pair of Underwear by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Peter Brown
• *How to Catch a Monster by Adam Wallace, illustrated by Andy Elkerton
• *The Monster’s Monster by Patrick McDonnell
• There’s a Monster in Your Book by Tom Fletcher, illustrated by Greg Abbott
• What were the Salem Witch Trials by Joan Holub & Who HQ, illustrated by Dede Putra
• Bunnicula by James Howe & Deborah Howe, illustrated by Alan Daniel
• Skeleton Hiccups by Margery Cuyler, illustrated by S.D. Schindler
• The Monster Squad (Junior Monster Scouts #1) by Joe McGee, illustrated by Ethan Long
• *Quit Calling Me a Monster by Jory John, illustrated by Bob Shea
• Mickey Mouse and the Haunted House by Walt Disney Productions
• Little Monster’s Bedtime Book by Mercer Mayer
• Spookie Pookie by Sandra Boynton
• Baby Touch and Feel Halloween by DK
• Curious George: A Halloween BooFest by Margret & H.A. Rey
• Curious George Goes to a Costume Party by Margret & H.A. Rey
• Llama Llama Trick or Treat by Anna Dewdney
• Biscuit visits a Pumpkin Patch by Alyssa Satin Capucilli, illustrated by Pat Schories
• Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler
• Snowmen at Halloween by Caralyn M. Buehner, illustrated by Mark E. Buehner
• Stumpkin by Lucy Ruth Cummins
• The Spooky Express Louisiana by Eric James, illustrated by Marcin Piwowarski
• A Halloween Scare in Tennessee by Eric James, illustrated by Marina Le Ray

*I wish I could take credit for these titles, but they were surprise holds from my local library. 

Three books, I want to call out specifically, darling readers.  

1. Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Peter Brown: I adore this book, and my children have loved it for years.  I’m not sure how I missed that Creepy Pair of Underwear is the next book in the series, but I’m here for it, and want a book number three!
2. The Monster Squad (Junior Monster Scouts #1) by Joe McGee, illustrated by Ethan Long:  This title has been out a little over a year, but is a recent purchase for my library.  I spied it in the new books display of the juvenile fiction section and suggested it to both my little readers, who glared and moved on about making their selections.  I shrugged and put it in my stack to check out because I thought they’d both like it.  They whined about whose shelf to put it on when unpacking the bag, so I told them to leave it out for me to read.  I don’t know who picked it up first, but days later, both had consumed it and wanted the next book, which they also consumed. We are now waiting for number three, which is on hold.  I haven’t read this, but my people give it two enthusiastic thumbs up!
3. Mickey Mouse and the Haunted House by Walt Disney Productions:  This book was well loved when I was growing up and is still well loved by both my children.  It’s great, classic Disney, Halloween themed.  

If you need more October tales, for you or for your people, visit your local library or bookstore, either virtually or as safely as possible.  Our local library has screenings and requires masks, and you can still pick up curbside during the first hour of the day.  I do hope your local library is finding a way to keep readers in books.  If there are also online library resources, you can access from your favorite spot with wifi, we like Overdrive / Libby and Hoopla the most of the offerings our libraries have.  If your local bookstore isn’t open, check out ours, Parnassus Books.  They have curbside for locals and shipping for everyone.  Staff picks are available on their site if you need more direction too, with even more suggestions on their social media accounts!

~Nikki

And now for the biggest surprise – here’s a photo from my recent trip to New Orleans where I lived my best #AuntLife with my niblings. My sister went to their local library and got many seasonally appropriate reads for the nephew (since my niece is literally a month old) to supplement the few they already own. I read Spooky Pookie on average 8 times a day, usually 3 times in a row. I melt everytime the nephew says “lil-lul whie go,” that’s “little white ghost” for those that don’t know toddler speak. I hope these books bring seasonally appropriate joy to you and the very little in your house.

~Ashley

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