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!