It’s October, so pumpkins and ghosties are big… and some good stuff, too.
Elf
Counting Turkeys Pack – both these counting books features some pretty loopy birds, and are a lot of fun for seasonal counting and reading together.
Firehouse – I’m a big fan of Mark Teague, and I like the dalmatian in this fun story about tagging along at a fire house. A good one for firetruck fans!
Sing & Read Collection – These aren’t necessarily the most fantastically illustrated books, but I love books of songs for kids. The rhythm and rhyme are great for literacy, they help you remember the words, and they get to see the words on the page as you sing. Excellent all around!
Llama Llama Collection – I’m not crazy about Llama Llama myself, but I’ve seen first hand how it speaks directly to toddlers and young preschoolers and totally captures their frustrations and how their emotions can get out of control. Maybe not the stuff of classics and memories, but it really works for them.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar – A perfect example of a book that has become a classic, this Eric Carle favourite has plenty of concepts wrapped in a wonderful little story and illustrated with his signature collage art.
Things That Go Pack – I’m not always a a fan of packs, but there are lots of great titles in this one, and even the few weaker ones will be totally enjoyed by little vehicle nuts.
The Sleepy Little Alphabet – This cute bedtime book sees the letters of the alphabet turned into characters on their way to bed. It’s reminiscent of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, but with more varied personalities and a sleepier feel.
Family Favourites Pack – This is another really well-curated pack with some wonderful titles for sharing, from classics to fun newer stuff. if you don’t have soem of these already, it’s a good pick.
Klutz Kids Cooking – Cooking is great for kids – math skills, instruction following, and a bit of science are all involved, not to mention sharing time to make something special together. I love Klutz’s simple instructions and consistently good results, so this would be an excellent place to start.
SeeSaw
A Poppy is to Remember – This is a very nice one abut Remembrance Day and the symbolism of the poppy. It’s standard fare for primary grade classes and kinders, so it’s aimed appropriately for this age.
David Shannon Collection – There is a lot more to David Shannon’s work than just the No, David books, though a few of those are included here as well. he’s a phenomenal illustrator with a great sense of humour (his faces are fantastic), whether he is working with his own words or someone else’s. There isn’t a loser in this bunch.
Do Your Ears Hang Low Book & CD – I know, I know, it’s a book and CD of one song. But it’s cute and it’s funny and your kid may just want to listen to it enough times to merit the CD, so if you like silly stuff, it bears considering. I’d do it.
Diary of a Fly / Diary of a … Duo – Imagined diaries of insects make up a series of three silly stories from the same author as Click Clack Moo – who knows from funny. These are a little more sophisticated, but grades 1 to 3 quite enjoy the humour.
Elephant & Piggie: I’m a Frog – I’ll be honest, I haven’t even read this installment of the Elephant & Piggie series, but I love all the others so much, I can’t even fathom how this one could be any less amusing. I’m ordering it unseen, because I just trust these characters to crack me up.
The Three Little Pigs and the Somewhat Bad Wolf – Another Mark Teague title! This is a twisted fairy tale, which I generally enjoy, and his illustrations are wonderful.
Lucky
Diary of a Wimpy Kid #8 / series pack – The hit series keeps on coming… And plenty of kids are still loving it. They are funny and still have a big fan base, but given that it’s been going for a few years, I’d ask your kid, as some of the first wave of readers may have outgrown these.
Cam Jansen Spooky Mysteries Pack – Cam Jansen is a girl with a photographic memory who solves small mysteries when she remembers little details that most people have missed. The mysteries are always age appropriate (no CSI storylines here), and pleasantly, these mysteries typically work for boys as well, because the girl heroine doesn’t mean they’ve been written to be girly. Hurray!
Magic Tree House Ghosts Pack OR #1-12 Pack – I still love this series, which has been going strong for years, and is one of the rare ones I really recommend. it’s just as formulaic as any other, to be sure, but given that Osborne mines history for interesting times, people, and places, the stories still have lots of flexibility to be fresh and interesting. It’s also a nice fiction/non-fiction bridge, for those kids who are stuck on one side or the other.
Ramona Pack – I LOVE Ramona. The original sassy young girl, and still one of the very best, this set of stories about Ramona and her sister Beezus is great for reading aloud or alone and enjoying the scrapes she gets herself into.
Hungry Stories Duo – Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and followup story Pickles to Pittsburgh are paired here in a pack worth getting if silly and absurd is up your alley. my kids loved these, and the movies have introduced them to a whole new crop of kids.
The Giving Tree – I’ll admit it, I’m not a fan of the Giving Tree, though I do love Shel Silverstein’s poetry dearly. Still, if it’s a story you love, this is a good purchase.
Jon Scieszka Pack – two of Scieszka’a best-known books, this pack includes one book of short little very silly tales and one of my favourites fractured fairy tales. His take on the three little pigs is perfect for reading aloud and full of good laughs for kids and adults alike.
Socks & Ribsy Pack – Cleary is best known for her Ramona books (see above in this flyer), but she’s written some other very enjoyable stories for the same grade 2-4 age group as well, these two starring animals. A good pick for Cleary fans and animal lovers.
Babymouse #4: Rock Star – Babymouse is a graphic series for about grades 2-3 with a lighthearted flair and humour. They skew girly, with their pink and black colour scheme and the storylines, but I love that it’s a nice intro to graphics for girls, who may not all have been into the comics that usually draw boys to the idea of visual narrative.
Captain Underpants Collection – Okay, I know. he’s rude, crude, and enough with the fart jokes. But? He’s also hilarious and plenty of boys love him, not to mention the half-graphic format works really well for reluctant or less confident readers. As much as they make some parents crazy, these really are fun and a great hook for the kid who needs something a little sillier to get engaged.
Arrow
Hatchet – an award-winning book about the adventure of a young boy’s survival in the woods after a plane crash by respected author Gary Paulsen. An excellent”guys read” choice with a flavour of Jack London.
Heroes of Olympus #4: House of Hades – This series is a sort of parallel series to the famous Percy Jackson – he is not in these books, but they happen in the same world,. complete with Camp Half-Blood. As always, Riordan’s action-packed writing keeps pages turning.
Big Nate: Game On – Big Nate is, as I’ve said before, sort of the natural successor to Diary of a Wimpy Kid – half-graphic, sassy, and great kid appeal. A touch cheekier, but still funny, any fan of the former is pretty sure to enjoy these.
Guinness Book of World Records – an old standby that fascinated us as kids, and still has kids poring over it, this is the perfect browsing read, and is unbeatably catchy for the reluctant reader.
Haunted Canada Pack – These are accounts of reported hauntings from across the country, making for perfect ghost stories to share, tell around a campfire, or set the mood for Hallowe’en. Got a ghost lover? This should keep them busy for a while!
Hideout / Swindle Pack – Gordon Korman has scored another terrific, funny series with these, which I’ve been quite enjoying. A class full of kids with specific talents keeps getting involved in things… with pretty amusing results. (I keep likening Zoobreak to a heist movie a la Ocean’s Eleven with a dash of comedy.)
Amulet Pack – This is a fantasy series of graphic novels that I have reviewed before and love. It is beautiful, both in art and story, and kids also tend to love it if they are into fantasy.
Klutz Mini Capsters Jewelry – I love Klutz kits of super clear instructions and consistently good results, and I also like that they have everything you need included. They make great gifts, too, so I like taking advantage of the cheaper pries in the book club flyers.
Guardians of Ga’Hoole – This is a seriously extensive animal fantasy series by a top-flight author. If Redwall or Warriors is your kid’s cup of tea, this might be a good pick for them.
National Geographic Space Encyclopedia – Space is awesome, and so is National Geographic. If you’re looking for a good nonfiction book on the topic, this is sure to be factual and beautiful, both.
Combat Stunt Planes – Another how-to book that will be a hit with kids who like making things. This book includes several types of planes to try, too, so they can perfect them, compare them, and have races… They love this stuff.
Stargirl – A wonderful book about a quirky girl who doesn’t fit in, and a boy who loves her, this one skews a little older. It’s a lesson, a look at opportunity lost, an encouragement to look further and to follow your heart. It’s a lovely one by Spinelli, who writes a lot of offbeat characters very well.
The Kane Chronicles Box Set – Rick Riordan’s other series – this one, based on Egyptian mythology rather than Greek. to be honest, I am waiting for the whole series before I read them because I can’t handle the waiting,. but I haven’t read anything from Riordan that doesn’t move along engagingly.
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