What My Kids Are Reading: Fall Books 2017!
Since Wednesday’s post was about seasonal reading for adults, I thought I would include a kid-centered post as well! Fall is also a great time for kids to read seasonally, and there are plenty to pick from! In addition to all the classic kids’ picture books, there are some great books that are perfect for fall. Whether your kids want to read on their own or you read these to them, here are a few choices we’ve been enjoying, and will continue to read, in the next month!
Where the Wild Things Are
This is such a classic children’s book, and with beautiful illustrations of monsters and Max’s wild rumpus of a story, it’s so perfect for fall. (It’s even more fun if your kids are wearing monster costumes while you read it!)
Grimms’ Fairy Tales
This one is definitely for older kids, at least age 8 and up. With the Disneyfication of most fairy tales, it’s easy to forget their more gory origins. Violence, deception, and plenty of good vs. evil is a perfect fit for some Halloween reading. Don’t get me wrong, I love Disney! But if you’re looking for some scary stories, the Grimm brothers can’t be beat.
The Magic Tree House Haunted Castle on Hallows Eve
If you have elementary-aged kids, I’m sure you’re familiar with the Magic Tree House books. They are fantastic for kids who are ready for chapter books, as well as for kids interested in history. (It’s simple historical fiction for younger kids.) These two (one about a haunted castle in Camelot, the other about ghosts in New Orleans and Louis Armstrong) would be great to pull out this month to get a little cozy, not too scary, reading in.
The Witches
This is another one for slightly older readers, age 8 and up depending on their level of comfort with witches. Witches who hate children. The Witches is about a little boy who lives with his grandma. She tells him scary stories about real witches who hate children, and who hide among regular people. When they go on vacation in Norway, the end up staying at the same place as a witch convention, and the Grand High Witch discovers the little boy spying on them. If you love Roald Dahl, this is a must, but be aware that the book does deal with death and the potential death of a beloved grandma. But it’s one of my favorites, and witches and Halloween go hand in hand.
The Monstore
This is a fun picture book that both of my kids love to read every year. (They love it so much that it never stays with our seasonal Halloween books for long, and always ends up next to their bookcases.) Zach visits the Monstore for all of his monsterly needs, but when his little sister discovers it too, his plans go awry. This is a cute, fun book that’s not scary, and the illustrations are great!
The Graveyard Book
For older kids! Age 10 and up, for sure. I haven’t read this, but I would like to very soon. Neil Gaiman is the king of fantasy, a great genre for fall, and this one covers all the creepy Halloween bases as well. Bod lives in a graveyard. He is the only living resident there, and was raised by werewolves, ghosts, and other fantastical creatures. He has to balance the world of the graveyard with the world of the living, and the dangers that lie in each. If you have a child who likes fantasy and suspense, this would be perfect for them.
Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery
This was one of my favorite books as a kid, and I can’t wait until my kids are old enough to read it. It will definitely be required fall reading for them very soon. It’s such a simple story: a dog and a cat living in the Monroe house must figure out if the new pet, a bunny with fangs, is a vampire or not. This book. This book! I really hope kids today still read it. It’s funny, not too scary, and it’s about a vampire bunny who sucks the color out of vegetables! What more could you want?
The Magnus Chase series
This is my recommendation for a fall fantasy series. Rick Riordan does this so well, and the Magnus Chase series, about a boy who must save the world and Viking myths, is fantastic for fall. (Or anytime!) This is for older kids, and kids who are fans of Percy Jackson and the Avengers series will love this one. (The third book in the series, The Ship of the Dead
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Illustrated Edition
Fall is my favorite time to re-read the Harry Potter series, and this book will make a wonderful edition to any Harry Potter collection, and will be fun for any Harry Potter fan. I know the illustrations will be beautiful, and kids (and who am I kidding, adults too) will have a good time cozying up under a blanket and looking at all the magical beasts J.K. Rowling has written about. (Out November 7, 2017)
The Eerie Elementary series
This is a new series for me, and I’m going to be checking them out for my kids. These are chapter books for new chapter book readers, and for older readers who want a quick book to read. (And obviously, with a name like Eerie Elementary, excellent for Halloween!) Eerie Elementary is a scary school, and Sam Graves has to protect himself and his friends from all the weird things that happen at the school. There are 6 books in the series, and the 7th one (Classes Are Canceled!
Seasonal Reading: Fall
Fall is one of my favorite times of year for many reasons: pumpkin bread, cooler weather, re-watching Gilmore Girls, and reading certain books. Do you read seasonally? Fall is really the only time of year I like to read certain books, so I thought I would share a few with you that I’ve read that are perfect for Fall, and a few that I’m looking forward to reading. Whether you’re already wearing boots and sweaters, or you’re like me and cranking up the A/C and pretending it’s chilly outside, hopefully you can find a few here to add to your nightstand!
Cozy Books
These books make me want to curl up under a blanket with some hot chocolate and not leave the couch for hours!
Harry Potter
This one might seem obvious, but I love re-reading Harry Potter
Still Life
I’m a new Louise Penny fan, and I absolutely loved Still Life. (My review is HERE.) Her Inspector Gamache series, set in the Canadian town of Three Pines, is the perfect cozy mystery for cooler days.
The Nightingale
This is one of my favorite books, and Hannah is one of my favorite authors. This is the story of two sisters living in France during WWII, and the different paths they take to make it through the war. It is loosely based on a true story, and it’s a book I couldn’t put down until I had finished it.
Hook’s Tale: Being the Account of an Unjustly Villainized Pirate Written by Himself
This was published in July, and I have been looking forward to reading it so much. This tells the story of Captain Hook, starting in his childhood, and how he went from a little boy living with his widowed mother to a famed, much-feared pirate. A fairy tale twisted around so the villain is the star? Yes, please!
Creepy Books
It is October, and if there’s ever a time to read seriously creepy stories, it’s now!
Final Girls by Riley Sager
Y’all, I don’t watch slasher movies and I don’t generally read gruesome books, but I made an exception for Final Girls, and you should too! (My review HERE.) The books tells the story of a “final girl,” that is, a girl who was the only person left after a mass murder. I know. Stick with me. It’s a well-told story, and you will be awake and on your toes through the entire thing. Maybe read it with the lights on, though.
Lies She Told by Cate Holahan
I chose this from Book of the Month after Prose and Palate recommended it as a guest judge. Liza Cole is an author whose career isn’t doing so great. Her personal life is also struggling, so she disappears into the murder mystery she’s writing. Before long, her real life is mirroring her literary heroine’s life, and Liza has to figure out what’s really going on. I cannot WAIT to read this on a stormy October night.
Sharp Objects
Really, any Gillian Flynn will do for a creepy read, but Sharp Objects is, in my opinion, her creepiest. Camille Preaker is a reporter who returns to her hometown to investigate the murder of two young girls. She also just happens to have recently completed a stay at a psychiatric hospital. So of course, her own psychological issues and past become intertwined with her investigation. This one is seriously creepy, and it will keep you up at night!
A Long Fatal Love Chase
This book was published posthumously, and I read it years ago. And I’m still thinking about it. Rosamond Vivian, feeling like a prisoner in her grandfather’s house, is whisked away one night (a stormy night, of course) by Philip Tempest to live a life of excitement and passion. However, it’s not all she expected it to be, and Rosamond is soon running away from Philip, who continues to stalk her. This is no Little Women, and I love it!
Mysterious Books
These books aren’t creepy, but they are mysterious. If you want a cozy, intriguing book without feeling like someone is watching you through the window, try one of these!
Practical Magic
Alice Hoffman, queen of magical realism and mystery, has written a prequel to Practical Magic, which is why I’m recommending the two together. Read Practical Magic first (My review HERE.) and then pick up The Rules of Magic on October 10 to get even more of the Owens’ family history. These books have magic, mystery, and family drama, and they are my favorite books to suggest for the Fall.
Station Eleven
This was a surprise favorite for me, and it is one of my absolute favorite books. It’s a dystopian novel set in the not-so-distant future. A flu pandemic hits, civilization ends, and a group of arts-loving people travel around what is left of the country performing music and Shakespeare in an effort to not the arts die out. But when they reach one small town, a prophet prone to violence shakes up their group, and they must escape or risk never making it out at all.
Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero
I received a copy of this book from Doubleday, and I’m looking forward to finally reading it this month! If you ever watched Scooby Doo, or enjoyed Hardy Boys mysteries as a kid, this is the book for you. It is not about the Scooby Doo characters, but it basically tells the story of what would happen when those characters grow up and must come back together to solve a mystery again. This is a fun book for adults who want to return to that world one more time!
The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage (Book of Dust, Volume 1)
I may be on a book-buying ban, but I still pre-ordered this one. This is a prequel to Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy (The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass), and if you haven’t read that trilogy and you enjoy mystery, sci-fi, and fantasy all in one, go out and buy them now. Right now. The original trilogy is about a girl named Lyra as she travels through her universe and others trying to figure out . . . well, basically the meaning of life and why everything is the way it is. The Book of Dust is the first in another trilogy, and this one will focus on Lyra as a young child and how she came to be living at Jordan College (where we first see her in The Golden Compass). These books are so, so good, and there is plenty of mystery involved!
[Top]Review: Romancing the Throne
As an American, I’m thoroughly obsessed with all things royal. William and Kate, Elizabeth, Diana, those castles. I love all of it. However, most of the books I read surrounding those subjects are non-fiction. I love the history of it all too! But I was ready for a light and fluffy book to break up my reading pile, and I knew it had to be Romancing the Throne
Two sisters, the fashion-conscious Charlotte and studious Libby, are away at separate boarding schools after their family moves up in the social world thanks to their mom’s shoe company. Charlotte’s school, Sussex Park, is prestigious, and her group of friends includes socialites and the next King of England, Prince Edward. When an administrative scandal at Libby’s school forces her to transfer to Sussex Park, Charlotte brings her into the group. By this time, Charlotte and Edward are dating, and she wants nothing more than for her boyfriend and sister to get along. But when they start getting along a little too well, friendships and relationships are broken up, and Charlotte isn’t sure if her happily ever after will ever come.
This is a fun, light book, and if you are a fan of all things royal, you’ll probably enjoy this. It’s not as good as The Royal We, but it was still a great escapist read for this category of book. (And if you haven’t read The Royal We, add that to your list immediately! It’s basically royals fan fiction, but it’s great.) The plot is predictable, but well-written, and I read it in a couple of days because I couldn’t put it down.
While this is a fun, total escapist read, the female characters are surprisingly strong and well done. Yes, they like boys (ok, a prince), and Charlotte loves clothes and makeup, but they don’t let boys dictate their decisions or their futures. Both Charlotte and Libby are strong, smart, and ambitious, and I appreciate that in any form!
If you like women’s fiction and stories about the (fictional) royal family, definitely add Romancing the Throne
⭐️⭐️⭐️
[Top]What My Kids Are Reading: September 29, 2017
Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire
This week we have both new and old books on our radar, and my kids are learning that books can serve more than one purpose. My 8-year-old is using them to learn more about history, as well as using them to understand why bad things happen in the world. (This is truly a foreign concept to most kids.) My 6-year-old is now reading required books at school and using an educational website to read books for school at home, so when it’s time for fun reading, he just wants a fun and silly book. (Which I completely understand!) What are your kids reading this week? Let me know!
The 8-Year-Old
I Survived the Attacks of September 11th, 2001
We hadn’t talked to my 8-year-old about 9/11, but he found out about it this year and had a ton of questions. While we answered as simply as we could and focused on how many people helped after, he still wanted to know more. Finding books about 9/11 for this age was harder than I thought-most of the books are written for ages 10 and up. But he loves the I Survived series, so when I saw there was one for this event, I knew it would be perfect. It’s about an 11-year-old boy who goes into Manhattan to find his friend’s dad, and he just happens to do this on 9/11. It is told from his perspective, and covers a wide array of issues and emotions. The book is well done, and handles 9/11 sensitively and honestly, and it also opened up some great discussions about that day. This can be such a hard topic to navigate, especially since most of us still remember that day very clearly, and this book does a great job in making 9/11 a bit easier to understand for the younger crowd.
The 6-Year-Old
The 52-Story Treehouse
We are continuing with the Treehouse series, and have started the 4th! As I’ve said before, these books are wild and crazy, and perfect for elementary aged kids who like funny and silly stories. In this one, Andy and Terry’s publisher, Mr. Big Nose, has gone missing, and they have to figure out what happened to him before they publish their next book. Their new iteration of their treehouse includes a make your own pizza parlor, a detective agency, and a ninja snail training academy. Sound ridiculous? It is, and that’s why it’s great!
What We’re Reading Together
Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire
We are still working our way through the 4th Harry Potter book! This is a long one, and we only read it together before bed, so we don’t have as much time to read it as we did during the summer. That’s ok with me, though, because this is my favorite Harry Potter book! I do think we’ll take a break after this one and move on to The Chronicles of Narnia, because I think books 5-7 are a little too dark and scary for now. (Unless my 8-year-old talks me into them. Which he probably will!)
[Top]If the Creek Don’t Rise GIVEAWAY Sponsored by Sourcebooks
Y’all, you know how much I loved Leah Weiss’s If the Creek Don’t Rise. If you don’t, please read my review of it HERE, so that we can all love it together.
I don’t do this often, but I loved this book so much (and Leah is incredibly nice) that I’m excited to partner with Sourcebooks for a ridiculously awesome giveaway in honor of Leah’s debut novel. (And when you read If the Creek Don’t Rise, I promise you’ll be shocked that it’s her debut. It is that good.) This giveaway includes some amazing Southern items, including delicious biscuit mix (you have to make biscuits if you’re Southern), whiskey glasses, and a nice, big bottle of Southern Comfort. Also included in the giveaway? A Draper James tote bag that is SO cute. (And in case you forgot, Draper James is fellow Southerner Reese Witherspoon’s company.)
All you have to do is click this link to enter:
http://books.sourcebooks.com/if-the-creek-dont-rise/
Good luck, y’all!!
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