No Halloween book list would be complete without “Georgie” by Robert Bright. Written in 1944, Georgie features not only the gentle little ghost from the title, but the wonderfully spooky illustrations by Bright himself. Georgie lives with the Whittakers and provides them with a little ghostly routine of a creaky floorboard and a squeaky parlor door. But when Mr Whittaker decides to fix these, where does that leave Georgie, who really doesn’t want to scare a soul? This vintage Halloween tale has been delighting parents and children for more than 60 years and should take its rightful place on the bookshelves of families for 100 more.
Monthly Archives: October 2010
Saturday: The Vanishing Pumpkin
Where else can you find a 700-year old woman, an 800-year old man, a rapscallion, a ghoul and a varmint? Not to mention characters who say things like “Great snakes!” (which, let’s face it, everyone should say now and then…). Look no further than the delightful book, “The Vanishing Pumpkin” by Tony Johnston, illustrated by, none other than, Tomie DePaola. My sons wait all year long to check this book out of the library each October and now my older son loves to read it to his little brother with all the silly voices he can possibly muster. What starts with a missing pumpkin and a hearty desire for pumpkin pie quickly becomes a veritable parade of Halloween misfits and a seriously old wizard. Don’t miss this wonderful Halloween book. (Or I might just have to say “Great snakes!”)
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Friday: Humbug Witch
I do hereby declare that it’s time for all things Halloween. Sure, we may have another two weeks to go, but, my word, the stores are already putting up Christmas for goodness sake. So, let’s hear it for the best Halloween children’s books around..
My first pick is chosen from a place of sheer sentimentality. This was one of those books on my bookshelf as a child that was worn and gorgeous and smelled slightly musty – all perfect ingredients for the most wonderful books. I haven’t seen it in many bookstores lately, and I hope to goodness it is still accessible to all children everyone.
Humbug Witch by Lorna Balian is truly one of the most delightful Halloween books around. Published in 1965, it’s still a classic with a delightful surprise ending. And, really…who could resist a cat named Fred?
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Thursday: The Wicked Big Toddlah
For those of you who share in my love affair with all things Maine and New England, you should know that there is a seemingly endless supply of wonderful books by Maine authors and about Maine. Down East Books offers a fantastic line of such children’s books – with classics like “Miss Rumphius” by Barbara Cooney and Robert McCloskey’s “One Morning in Maine” and other, perhaps less known, treasures, like “Antlers Forever” by Frances Bloxam.
One of the more delightful of these, chosen by my darling friend Alison – who has exquisite taste in books…and friends… is “The Wicked Big Toddlah” by Kevin Hawkes – about an oversized baby delivered to a family in Maine. From the enormous diapers to the struggling stork, the words and illustrations are fantastic…my favorite is when Uncle Bert meets the baby for the first time and says, “That’s a wicked big toddlah ya got theyah, Jessie!” and I can’t help but thing of how much I love that very accent on annual trips to Maine every summer. It’s a fun ready – with adorable pictures and a perfect fix for this Maine-iac.
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Monday: Little Blue Little Yellow
Little Blue Little Yellow by Leo Leoni
i bought this at the national gallery in washington d.c….for those of you who love Leo Leoni already (Swimmy,Frederick, etc) you’ll just love this one. not only is it subliminally fantastic for teaching children how to mix colors, it’s also a wonderful message about understanding and friendship…it reminds me a bit of Shel Silverstein’s The Missing Piece and the Big O (a favorite as well), but the artwork is just gorgeous and simple and lovely.
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Thursday: The Happy Hocky Family
The Happy Hocky Family by Lane Smith
You might know Smith from “Stinky Cheese Man” fame, but you’ve got to get this one. Best excerpt”
Grandma has come to visit.
Grandma’s perfume smells like flowers.
LOTS and LOTS of FLOWERS.
“Grandma, do you hear the Magic Monkey? He is calling us from outside! Open the window so we can hear him, Grandma. OPEN the WINDOW WIDE!”
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Tuesday: George’s Marvelous Medicine
George’s Marvelous Medicine by Roald Dahl
an outstanding book not only because it’s Dahl, but because George says that his wicked grandmother’s mouth resembles a “dog’s bottom”
don’t miss the cd recording of this as well, narrated by richard grant…
Campbell and Brodie give it 5 Bootie Shakes out of a possible 5 because “George gets to do what I wish I could but can’t and it’s awesome and I love it.”
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My Mama’s Goodnight
On more than one occasion, I have been asked for children’s book recommendations. Now, let me get a few things straight. If you look up “Literature Geek” in the dictionary, there’s a photo of me – looking rather svelte and fetching, I might add. I was an English major at Stanford and then apparently couldn’t get enough, so I stayed on for graduate school for a Masters in English too. I love books. I have always wanted to be a writer yet, save for the occasional published short story or, wait for it, my entry into “Chicken Soup for the Single Soul”, I’m more inclined these days to suggest really amazing children’s books to others. And, yes, I’m that annoying mother who consistently gives books as presents to kids for their birthdays…which probably rates me along with argyle socks on the children’s’ wish lists…But, I love them and I love it when a book makes me and my children smile.
I am lucky enough to have two sons who adore books – and, fortunately, have inherited my quirky sense of humor when it comes to literature. Example? All books sound better when read out loud with a British accent. It’s the truth. Try it. Even my sons do it now and it warms my heart like nothing else to overhear my older song reading Captain Underpants like Mick Jagger.
Now, this blog is not like a book club. I loathe book clubs. I think perhaps it has to do with the fact that I spent a great part of my education sitting in small rooms with other literary people talking incessantly about every minute detail of every great work of literature since the dawn of man. And I’m done. I have no interest in sitting together with a bunch of people talking about Oprah’s latest book pick. Even the inherent cocktails aren’t enough to draw me in. And I love sitting around and I love books and I love cocktails, just not altogether in the same room. This might also be due to the fact that my taste in books is, well, not exactly mainstream. Sure, I adored Olive Kitteridge and I even read the Twilight series (and, yes, subjected myself to the teeming masses of fellow suburban moms to see the movies) but if I were to be completely honest, I’ve always been drawn to the more obscure books. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve read Jane Eyre exactly 256 times and I still swoon over Rochester. And, when prompted, I can recite entire passages of The Great Gatsby, but I also adore Brautigan’s Trout Fishing in America and Collins’ The Woman in White and sincerely hope you run out and buy those two immediately.
The same applies to children’s books. Again, no one loves The Giving Tree more than I…I even played the tree in my 4th grade recital..but these recommendations are meant to propel you to your local library or bookstore armed with a few tricks up your sleeve. Some books are quite famous, some are no longer in publication, but all are wonderful.
So, without further ado, let’s begin…
Oh, and in case you were wondering, the name of this blog comes from the title of a children’s book I wrote and carry around in my pocket like a talisman. Maybe someday it will make this list as well…
My Mama's Goodnight 