Best New Hanukkah Books for Kids 2023
A ROUNDUP OF
THE BEST NEW HANUKKAH BOOKS
FOR KIDS 2023
REVIEWS:
LATKE’S FIRST HANUKKAH
Written and illustrated by Alan Silberberg
(Viking BYR; $7.99, Ages 0-3)
Little ones will love meeting Latke, a lovable creation of author-illustrator Alan Silberberg’s whimsical imagination. What’s great about his books is that parents will be entertained reading them as much as their kids. The new 16-page board book, Latke’s First Hanukkah, is no exception. Add various voices for the characters during a read-aloud and you’re set!
Applesauce and Sour Cream get into a tiff over which topping tastes better, the Dreidels along with Latke spin ’til they drop, dizzy but likely delighted, and the sufganiyot (jelly donuts) “are full of joy (and jelly).” As each night gets underway, the counting of the candles continues as do the antics of Latke’s colorfully illustrated guests. Of course, included in the company is gelt, and on night six, the one that made me LOL was when Babka, Challah, Bagel, Kugel, Blintz, and Falafel arrived. There is much to enjoy here so why not join Latke for some laughs and a memorable first Hanukkah celebration?
HANUKKAH UPSIDE DOWN
Written by Elissa Brent Weissman
Illustrated by Omer Hoffmann
(Abrams BYR; $18.99, Ages 4-8)
★Starred Review – School Library Journal
I’m so happy there’s a new international-themed Hanukkah book to be added to bookshelves everywhere. Its illustrations are charming and kid-friendly with characters I’d love to try drawing myself (I particularly enjoyed the spread with everyone eating sufganiyot or jelly donuts) with Cousins Noah and Nora may live continents apart (Noah’s in New York and Nora’s in New Zealand), but it’s clear from their chats on the phone or via text that they are close. As Hanukkah approaches, the two set up a competition to see who has the best Hanukkah. Both also disagree on which cousin lived upside down on the planet, something many kids may think about and find funny.
This new slant on celebrating the eight-day Festival of Lights is clever as both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres’ differences are highlighted as the Hanukkah celebrations get underway. In New York, it’s winter and one day behind. In New Zealand it’s summer. In New York, it got dark early while in New Zealand, the sun set late. Despite that, on the first night of Hanukkah, both cousins lit the chanukiah or Hanukkah menorah. While Noah wore boots, Nora went barefoot, yet they both ate yummy latkes. I love this spot-on comparison: “Noah threw snowballs. Nora did cannonballs.” Whether skating or surfing, or learning the local languages, the Jewish cousins find the challenge they’ve tasked themselves with to be a tough one. They say the same prayers. Do the same good deeds and spend time with loved ones. So whose celebration is the best? And is it really about the differences?
Though the main characters may live thousands of miles apart, the beauty in this story is that ultimately the similarities between the cousins’ Hanukkah festivities, and their relationship are what counts and what will stand out to young readers.
EIGHT NIGHTS OF LIGHTS:
A Celebration of Hanukkah
Written by Leslie Kimmelman
Illustrated by Hilli Kushnir
(HarperCollins BYR; $19.99, Ages 4-8)
I’ve never seen anything quite like this interactive picture book that engages young readers all Eight Nights of Lights! The design invites children to participate safely (no real candles or matches are involved) in the Hanukkah celebration which they can enjoy in one read or return to each night.
On the first night, kids meet the narrator Lena, and her kitty, Pickles as they prep the menorah and learn its family history from her father. The educational elements are introduced so the youngest readers can learn about Hanukkah traditions. “It was the first night of the holiday, so there was just one candle to put in the menorah. Plus the shammash, the helper candle. The shammash was used each night to light all the other candles.”
The story progresses to the next night when readers remove the second candle from the book’s paper menorah to see what happens with Lena and her family. Different aspects of the holiday are shared every night; from dreidel playing to the story of the heroic Maccabee brothers, from giving presents to giving to others (tzedakah), from making latkes to eating jelly donuts, from a Hanukkah hike to acting out the Maccabee story with cousins. The story concludes with a fun Hanukkah party at the synagogue on the eighth night that includes cookie decorating, pin the shammash on the menorah, and singing and dancing to beloved Hanukkah songs. I can easily see children asking for this book every year as part of the celebration. It also makes a wonderful gift.
Watch this video to see exactly how unique this interactive picture book is.
MORE NEW HANUKKAH BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:
Picture Book Review – Challah Day
CHALLAH DAY
Written by Charlotte Offsay
Illustrated by Jason Kirschner
(Holiday House; $18.99, Ages 3-6)
Have you ever tasted challah French toast? Better yet, challah stuffing at Thanksgiving? I adore it! My husband scores big points when he brings some challah home. You may compare it to brioche, but there are some differences setting them apart, the biggest being butter. There is no dairy in challah. Try it sometime and I have a feeling you’ll agree with me.
So now let’s find out about Challah Day written by Charlotte Offsay and illustrated by Jason Kirschner, a rhyming picture book released this past summer that I’ve been eager to read as not only a fan of the bread but of the author, too!
The story introduces a jubilant young narrator describing challah day at her house. Together, her family members ready the dough for this delicious egg bread. Challah is eaten on Shabbat (Sabbath) as well as throughout the year except on Passover. She takes readers through all the steps via top-notch rhyme (see sample below) making this an irresistible year-round read-aloud. As the preparations get underway, the words flow off the page and little tummies may start to growl. Baby is humorously included in the illustrations as well as an adorable corgi who just happens to be in the right place at the right time.
Yeast and sugar – water’s warm,
mix and watch those bubbles form!
Crack the eggs – one… two… three… four
Extra if some hit the floor.
The above stanza is from one of my favorite spreads in the kitchen where so much of the story’s action unfolds. Kirschner’s even spelled out Challah Day on the fridge in the form of magnets. Clever! The palette with lots of pale pinks and greens is pleasing and upbeat with a slightly retro feel, especially in Baby’s hairstyle and the kitchen design.
Everything comes together when the challah is cooked and special guests arrive—Grandma and Grandpa! Now that we’ve seen how it’s all done, it’s time to light the Shabbat candles and then enjoy the challah homemade with heart and lots of fun too! So much joy has gone into the baking and now we can delight (albeit vicariously) in the delicious taste of every last morsel. The love this family shares as they practice this beautiful tradition emanates from every page and spending time with them cooking may just get your family to start doing likewise.
There are even four pages of back matter including an Author’s Note, interesting info about challah (find out what the braiding symbolizes), and the recipe that the author uses to make her family’s challah which I am eager to bake!
Click here to download the recipe kit.
- Reviewed by Ronna Mandel
Thanksgiving Picture Book Review – Little Mole Gives Thanks
LITTLE MOLE GIVES THANKS
Written by Glenys Nellist
Illustrated by Sally Garland
(Beaming Books; $17.99, Ages 4-6)
From the Publisher:
Review:
An Interview with I Ship Author Kelly Rice Schmitt
SHANNON ANDERSON INTERVIEWS
KELLY RICE SCHMITT
AUTHOR OF
I SHIP:
A CONTAINER SHIP’S COLOSSAL JOURNEY
Illustrated by Jam Dong
(Millbrook Press; $19.99, Ages 5-9)
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY:
Come aboard a massive container ship as it pulls into port, loads up with cargo, and heads out to the open ocean. The ship’s voyage includes starry skies and stormy seas, swift currents and unforeseen delays. Through it all, the crew keeps working—with goods to keep the world going, they must carry on.
Rhythmic text from Kelly Rice Schmitt and delightfully detailed illustrations from Jam Dong provide a riveting look at the journey of one mighty ship.
INTERVIEW:
Shannon Anderson: Congratulations on your new book, I SHIP: A CONTAINER SHIP’S COLOSSAL JOURNEY. This is even more exciting because it’s your debut! This is a story about a ship’s journey, but what was the journey of this manuscript? How did it get acquired?
Kelly Rice Schmitt: It’s fun to think of my writing journey paralleling the journey of Ship. Just like a container ship, it takes a lot of people and a lot of preparation to launch a book. I SHIP’s publication journey began with an amazing online retreat put on my SCBWI Ohio-North called the Triple Scoop ReTreat. I highly recommend this conference if they ever do it again. Attendees met with a published author mentor in small groups (created by the hosts according to MS style/ appeal, etc) for 2 Saturdays in a row, getting live feedback on an MS and then having time to revise in between in order to prepare the story for a live reading and feedback with an editor. My editor, Carol Hinz, loved the first version of I SHIP, which was originally focused specifically on the 2021 Suez Canal Crisis, where the Ever Given container ship was stuck in the canal and halted global trade for weeks. She thought the story would be more timeless if it were a general shipping book. The final option of the conference was the chance to add on a paid critique follow-up with the editor after you have revised with their notes. Carol had a few more suggestions and invited me to revise and then submit it to her! I did, and she acquired I SHIP. It was very exciting!
SA: What inspired you to write about a container ship?
KRS: After having multiple jobs related to energy ships in my energy trading and supply career, I knew I just HAD to write something about shipping for kids. I loved the idea of a shipping process book, but it took many years to find the right way to tell that story. It wasn’t until a critique partner, Christine Abely, suggested writing about a container ship getting stuck, like what happened in the 2021 Suez Crisis with the Ever Given, that I had a path forward with specifically writing about a container ship.
SA: This story is told from the ship’s first-person point of view. What caused you to choose this perspective?
KRS: I was inspired to use a first-person point of view while participating in Vivian Kirkfield’s #50preciouswords challenge, in which writers must tell a compelling story using only 50 words. While writing what is now going to be a follow-up to I SHIP (yay!) I was pushing myself to distill a very complex topic for kids into something simple and relatable. With only 50 words, I realized I could be both brief and emotional by telling the story through the eyes of the subject matter! I felt it also added a connection point for kids, bringing them more directly into that world.
SA: There is SO much to learn from this book. Readers can not only learn throughout the pages of the story but also through your glossary of shipping terms and STEM back matter information. What was your research process like for this book?
KRS: In addition to reading many adult books and watching media on the history and technology of container shipping, I also consulted with Youtuber Bryan Boyle to help us with accuracy. I loved his content (Youtube: @bryanboyle) following his journeys at sea as a U.S. Merchant Marine and thought he could help us convey this story with details that would resonate with people like him who work on these gigantic ships and, also, in the land-based jobs that support them. Bryan helped us make changes to both the text and art to better reflect real-life shipping. He was extremely helpful, and I hope we achieved that goal. I love back matter, and I had a lot of fun creating it for I SHIP. I hope everyone checks it out! There is also an activity guide that can be found here (https://lernerbooks.com/teaching_guides/804) with more fun activities, experiments, and coloring pages for PREK-5th graders to interact with the book.
SA: What do you hope readers will learn or take away from reading this?
KRS: I hope readers of all ages discover details about the amazing shipping process that enables 80 to 90% of global trade. Container ships, their ports, and the incredible teams that run them are the backbone of the global economy, and we can see the ripple effects in the supply chain when elements of their journey are interrupted. Urgent medication and vaccines may be delayed, toys may not arrive for a holiday, certain produce may not be available due to weather conditions on the journey at sea, in publishing—books due for a release date are delayed. Surprisingly, many of us know little about an industry that fundamentally impacts our daily lives.
SA: Do you have other projects ready to deliver to the world?
KRS: You have such great puns today, Shannon! I’m excited to share that I SHIP is the first in what will be a series of STEM books, all told in first person tense. The second book will be released in Fall 2024 and hopefully will be announced soon! I also have an unannounced forthcoming fiction picture book in progress with Knopf Books for Young Readers (a PRH imprint).
BUY THE BOOK:
Support your local independent bookseller or click here to purchase a copy.
AUTHOR BIO:
Kelly Rice Schmitt is a former energy trader and children’s writer who loves getting small humans excited about big ideas . . . like container shipping! Although she has scheduled ship logistics and tracked energy shipments around the world, she has never worked on a container ship. Kelly lives in North Carolina with her husband, young children, and many stacks of books. I Ship is her debut book. Keep up with Kelly at www.kellyriceschmitt.com or follow her on social media.
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SOCIAL MEDIA:
For the author –
X (Twitter):https://twitter.com/
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/
For the illustrator –
Jam Dong website: https://jamdongart.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jam_
For the interviewer –
Shannon Anderson website: www.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/
Young Adult Novel Review – Something Close to Magic
SOMETHING CLOSE TO MAGIC
Written by Emma Mills
(Atheneum BYR; $19.99, Ages 12+ )
★Starred Review – School Library Journal
If you enjoy food and fantasy, Emma Mills’s Something Close to Magic will satisfy those cravings. In seventeen-year-old Aurelie’s world, people avoid magic because there are supposedly too many bad consequences: eating food prepared magically is said to later increase your hunger twofold. Once Aurelie seemed to have abilities and studied the supernatural at school. Now she’s alone in the world, serving unending days in an unpaid apprenticeship. Magic is far from her mind until a dashing stranger named Iliana walks into Basil’s Bakery and stirs things up. Iliana is a Finder (bounty hunter) and needs Aurelie’s abilities as a Seeker to help locate the people she’s tracking.
The teens soon set off on an adventure along with Quad (a troll who often steals the show with her clever lines delivered in a deadpan manner) and Prince Hapless (who seems to live up to his surname—assigned to royalty according to their personality traits). All four main characters are delightful in their unique ways. The story’s twists take the reader to interesting places as we peel back layers of deception. I appreciated how the budding romance with Prince Hapless plays out. Quad may be my all-time favorite troll!
- Reviewed by Christine Van Zandt (www.ChristineVanZandt.com), Write for Success (www.WriteforSuccessEditing.com), @ChristineVZ and @WFSediting, Christine@WriteforSuccessEditing.com
Picture Book Review – Dear Star Baby
DEAR STAR BABY
Written by Malcolm Newsome
Illustrated by Kamala Nair
(Beaming Books; $18.99, Ages 3-8)
I wish Dear Star Baby had been around when I was a child. It would have helped me understand the silence in my house when my mom came home from the hospital following her two miscarriages. Thankfully Malcolm Newsome and Kamala Nair’s picture book is available for young readers now to help them cope with the loss as a result of either miscarriage or stillbirth in a moving, meaningful way.
The narrator of the story is a boy who dreams of becoming an older brother. He’s ecstatic when he learns that his dream will come true. The tale is told via a letter he’s writing to the unborn sibling. The spreads in the book when the family is preparing for the baby’s arrival are full of joy and light. “Mama took me shopping. She let me pick your blankets and a toy (well, two toys).”
Sadly, “Mama needed to rest in bed …” but she soon needed to go to the hospital where she miscarried. The touching spread above is told in language easy for youngsters to understand, and never speaks down to them. The loss of his unborn sibling is gently shared by the boy’s parents in a loving and caring moment. “She said you went to be with the stars instead.”
At home, the grieving child sees changes in his parents. His mother cries and there is not much conversation with his father as they deal with the loss. But being together helps and being held helps even more. So when the family looks at the night sky and discusses their Star Baby, everyone has a different feeling which is absolutely fine. Dad sees Star Baby far away and Mama feels him close by. There is no right answer, no right way to feel. What matters is being able to experience the grief and ultimately healing in a way that works for each individual. That’s why I loved this sentence from the child, “I think you’re in both places. Here with us even though I can’t see you.”
Nair’s warm palette for her art is soothing for this sensitive topic. I especially liked the evening scenes where the night sky bursting with stars conveys hope and comfort like the hugs the family shares.
Newsome’s Author’s Note brought me to tears when he wrote about his own personal experience after his wife’s miscarriages and I’m so glad he wrote Dear Star Baby so others can benefit too. This is a thoughtfully written book that will prompt important discussions for families dealing with grief and bereavement.
- Reviewed by Ronna Mandel
Early Reader Review – Dirt and Bugsy Bug Catchers
DIRT AND BUGSY BUG CATCHERS
Written by Megan Litwin
Illustrated by Shauna Lynn Panczyszyn
(Penguin Young Readers; Available in trade paperback $15.99,
and hardcover, $4.99; Ages 6-7)
Author Megan Litwin and illustrator Shauna Lynn Panczyszyn have created an Early/Progressive Reader Level 2 book for young readers learning to use picture and context clues, recognize beginning, middle, and ending sounds, and predict what will happen in the text in this sweet story of friendship Dirt and Bugsy: Bug Catchers, Book #1.
The book opens with an illustration of best pals Dirt, who, of course, has dirt on his face, and Bugsy, who is wearing a ladybug t-shirt. Panczyszyn depicts smiles on their faces and arms around each other’s shoulders showing the bond between these friends. Her illustrations are joyful with wonderful detail.
Using both short and long sentences, Litwin guides the reader with words that explain the different kinds of bugs the boys like to catch. Bugs that crawl. Bugs that slide. The reader learns about various bugs as they crawl on the boys’ arms and down their legs. Dirt and Bugsy don’t mind. They love bugs!
The action changes when rain begins to pour down on the boys and their bugs. The progressive reader can use the more in-depth plot to figure out how the boys will find a solution to their problem. This is a great way for readers to decipher the problem and come up with a solution.
Litwin’s words guide children to think about how rain affects the bugs and how they can use their brains to come up with a plan. The plot has been set, and a problem has arisen, so the reader can now stop and think of solutions before continuing to read. This is a fabulous way to teach kids about plot development.
Together the boys decide they can build a shelter and that shelter will be a bug barn. Panczyszyn draws a beautiful, large red barn with a sign that reads ALL BUGS WELCOME as imagined by the pair but when the page is turned, the real bug barn is three cardboard boxes with towels tied to sticks to shield the rain. That problem is solved But now—they have no bugs.
Setting off individually, the boys spy, dig, lift, and sift placing the bugs in glass jars. They give the bugs individual names and play games until the rain stops. And then the bugs crawl, slide, and fly home. The story ends with talking quotes teaching the reader about quotation marks and dialogue tags.
The back matter outlines How To Be A Good Bug Catcher. I can see kids getting psyched to go out and search for their own bugs. There is also a suggestion for other Level 2 books and some Level 3. Once kids fall in love with the series, they can move on to book #2 in the series, Beetle Mania available now.
- Reviewed by Ronda Einbinder
An Interview with Illustrator Michelle Jing Chan
AN INTERVIEW WITH
MICHELLE JING CHAN,
ILLUSTRATOR OF
LUNAR NEW YEAR
Written by Mary Man-Kong
(Big Golden Books; $10.99, Ages 2-5)
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY:
ABOUT LUNAR NEW YEAR
Celebrate the Lunar New Year and learn about all of its traditions with this Big Golden Book!
Every year, millions of Asian families come together to celebrate the first new moon in the sky. Now preschoolers can learn about the zodiac animals, the delicious food, the exciting parades, and all the fun traditions. Filled with colorful illustrations and simple, yet informative text, this Big Golden Book is perfect for reading again and again to the whole family. Happy Lunar New Year!
INTERVIEW:
Q: What initially drew you to the manuscript for Lunar New Year: A Celebration of Family and Fun?
Growing up, I read many Golden Books, but never one about my own culture. When I first read this manuscript, I was so excited to see a story about a holiday that I grew up celebrating and with characters who reflected me and my family. I’m thrilled that this next generation of Asian children will get to grow up seeing themselves represented in ways that we didn’t have. It was also a treat to bring the words of Mary Man-Kong, the author, to life! She has written several other stories for Golden Books, Disney, and other licensed properties.
Q: What was your process for illustrating the cover?
The art director, Roberta Ludlow, provided very detailed guidelines for illustrating the cover and each spread–which I really appreciated. For the cover, she and the team at Golden Books wanted two children in traditional outfits running with a dragon. I started with three different rough sketches.
Once the team picked their favorite, I filled in base colors and finally rendered the details and lighting.
Q: What traditions are covered in this book?
Though this book mostly focuses on 春节 (The Spring Festival, aka the Chinese term for Lunar New Year), it also touches on other cultures and countries that celebrate Lunar New Year, including Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Q: What was your favorite part about illustrating this book?
I designed the family to look like mine! The parents and grandma are modeled after my own, and the designs for the little girl and boy are based on my brother and me as kids.
Q: What do you love most about how the book turned out?
I love how the festive scenes like the fireworks and dragon scenes remind me of my own childhood celebrating Lunar New Year with my family!
Q: Do you have other projects in the works?
Yes! I have three other picture books releasing in 2024 (MAMIE TAPE FIGHTS TO GO TO SCHOOL by Traci Huahn, Crown/Penguin Random House; STAY ANGRY, LITTLE GIRL inspired by the words of Madeleine L’Engle, FSG/Macmillan; GOODNIGHT SOUNDS by Debbie S. Miller, Bloomsbury). My author-illustrator debut picture book, CELEBRATING DONG ZHI: THE WINTER SOLSTICE is releasing in 2025 with Bloomsbury.
BUY THE BOOK
Support a local independent bookstore and purchase a copy here.
Paper Boat Booksellers in Seattle – Order by phone at 206-743-8283, via email at bookorders@paperboatbooksellers.com, or in person.
Or from Bookshop.org here.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
FOR ILLUSTRATOR MICHELLE JING CHANG
Website: www.michellejingchan.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/michellieart
IG: www.instagram.com/michellieart
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@michellieart
FOR AUTHOR MARY MAN-KONG
Website: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/18838/mary-man-kong/
ILLUSTRATOR BIO:
Michelle Jing Chan is a queer Chinese American author-illustrator who works on picture books and comics for kids and teens. Ever since she could hold a pencil, Michelle has loved using art to bring the daydreams in her head to life. Her work has been featured in the Wing Luke Museum, Buzzfeed, and Upworthy. When not drawing, Michelle is petting the neighborhood cats, obsessing over a book, or getting jump-scared by spooky TV shows. Visit Michelle at www.michellejingchan.com or on social media @michellieart.
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AUTHOR BIO:
Mary Man-Kong is a children’s book editor and author living in New York City. When she’s not editing or writing, she loves traveling with her amazing family on awesome adventures.
Board Book Review – Dia de Muertos
DÍA DE MUERTOS:
A Papel Picado Lift-the-Flap Book
Written by Dori Elys
Illustrated by Alicia Más
(Little Simon; $8.99, Ages birth and up)
FROM THE PUBLISHER:
In the vein of Coco, this bright board book highlights the beauty of Día de Muertos with colorful lift-the-flaps that look just like papel picado revealing details of the holiday.
REVIEW:
This 14-page interactive board book written by Dori Elys and illustrated by Alicia Más is not only lovely to look at, but it’s also made the Día de Muertos holiday accessible to little ones. Right from the opening line, we’re greeted in Spanish and English:
¡Bienvenidos! Welcome!
It’s Dia de Muertos.
Won’t you join us
in this colorful celebration?
Every spread is decorated with the traditional papel picado cut paper folk art although here it’s been die-cut onto two-colored sturdy flaps.
Lifting each flap reveals some helpful information about the traditions. The one pictured above explains when the Mexican holiday takes place annually. Not sure when? It’s November 1 to November 2. Under the candles flap below the meaning of altars is explained. This “showcase of love” honors those who’ve passed away. Spanish words such as ofrendas (offerings), mira (look), and familia (family) are introduced with the art providing more ways to decode new vocabulary.
In these vibrantly illustrated pages, kids will learn that Día de Muertos is a joyful occasion where family, food, flowers, photos, candles, animal guides, and skulls play a big role. And, the loved ones who are gone from our physical world (the land of the living) are very much alive in our hearts. The holiday has become popular around the world, allowing people of various backgrounds to honor the memory of those who’ve passed on.
Seven New Halloween Books for Kids
HALLOWEEN BOOKS 2023
~ A ROUNDUP ~
PEEKABOO PUMPKIN
Written by Camilla Reid
Illustrated by Ingela P. Arrhenius
(Candlewick Press; $9.99, Ages 0-2)
The eight pages of this adorably illustrated interactive board book will easily entertain little ones. On their own or with a parent’s help, children will find the bright, bold Halloween-themed graphics irresistible. Slide the tab and a mouse emerges from a grinning grandfather clock. Friendly-looking flames light up a candelabra and a ghost greets a black cat from behind a door. The text is spare but gently rhymes so a read-aloud is ideal to accompany the fun activity for busy little hands. More books are available in this popular series.
• Reviewed by Ronna Mandel
FIRST NIGHT OF HOWLERGARTEN
Written and illustrated by Benson Shum
(Penguin Workshop; $18.99, Ages 4-6)
What’s Halloween without werewolves? The story opens with an invitation “to your first night of Howlergarten.” Children are told they’ll transform into their true were-selves for the first time making me curious to see how Shum would depict this. He does so by introducing readers to Sophie, a sweetly drawn biracial main character worried she won’t transform despite assurances from her parents that they’ll love her no matter what.
The clock on Sophie’s nightstand shows 6 p.m. “Good evening, Sophie.” Her teacher welcomes her to class where she soon meets Emma, an overly confident classmate not concerned in the least about transforming, unlike Sophie. When werewolf skill practice begins, Sophie doesn’t excel at anything. Did this mean she was destined to remain human? Sophie makes new friends and finds the training that follows improves her outlook. But her fears return as the full moon rises. Buoyed by her buddy Teddy, the kids clasp hands and countdown to transformation time. When, in a clever twist, things don’t turn out as expected, the werewolf pack shows empathy and accepts everyone, bushy tails, padded paws or not.
This heartwarming picture book can also be read when starting school for the first time, moving up to a new year, or for its SEL elements about acceptance. • Reviewed by Ronna Mandel
THE SKULL:
A Tyrolean Folktale
Written and illustrated by Jon Klassen
(Candlewick Press; $19.99, Ages 6-9)
★Starred Reviews: Booklist, The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, Horn Book, Kirkus,
Publishers Weekly, Shelf Awareness
This eerie tale begins before the title page when we find that, one night, “Otilla finally ran away.” And run she does, into the forest, until she’s someplace unfamiliar and (maybe) someone is calling her name. Coming upon a “very big, very old house,” her knocking is answered by a skull! From there, the story unfolds—but I can’t tell you how, you have to read the book. Let me just say that Jon Klassen’s creepy, unexpected reimagined version of this folktale has crept onto my Top Ten favorite Halloween books. It has heart. It has twists. It has a talking skull!
Klassen’s art feels familiar in Otilla’s wide-eyed expression, yet there’s enough new to keep his illustrations fresh. In one of my favorite scenes, Otilla and the skull don decorative Tyrolean masks (after the skull says they’re just for show!) and dance in an empty ballroom.
I appreciate the craftsmanship of his writing with the parallels he alludes to between the two main characters. This book will be one I return to for many Halloweens to come.
It’s written as a chapter book of sorts with sections and clever subheadings, but the book will also appeal to picture book readers. It’s flawlessly executed, an example of an author-illustrator at a career peak.
After the story, Klassen explains the history of how he came to write this story and how tales evolve in the telling.
- Reviewed by Christine Van Zandt
SCARIEST. BOOK. EVER.
(Goosebumps House of Shivers #1)
by R.L. Stine
(Scholastic Paperbacks; $7.99, Ages 8-12)
If anyone knows how to tell a scary story, it’s R.L. Stine. Scariest. Book. Ever. grabs hold of you from the first page when the twins, Billy and Betty, are left in the remote Wayward Forest where their Uncle Wendell (probably) lives. They have no memory of him but hear he’s quite the storyteller of strange and frightening tales. When he finally shows up and says he’s got the scariest book ever they don’t quite believe him until they come face-to-face with nightmarish creatures and must help their uncle keep the book out of the wrong hands lest true terror be unleashed.
This book is like a roller-coaster ride: once you turn that first page, you’re along until the end, holding your breath, wondering what’s around the next turn.
As a kickoff for Stine’s new Goosebumps House of Shivers series, Scariest. Book. Ever. does not disappoint. It has frightful creatures, plot twists, fast-paced action, and, in true Stine fashion, humor. I’m a fan of his books but was still impressed that he can keep conjuring intriguing tales to scare us with.
There’s a reason this best-selling author is one of the most popular children’s authors in history. Pick up this book; you won’t be able to put it down.
- Reviewed by Christine Van Zandt
WITCH IN THE COUNTRY|
(Crimson Twill series)
Written by Kallie George
Illustrated by Birgitta Sif
(Candlewick Press; $14.99, Ages 7-9)
Crimson Twill is a likable young witch who does very non-witchy things from the way she dresses to brewing lemonade in her cauldron. In Witch in the Country, the latest installment in the series, Crimson’s friends Mauve and Wesley and Dusty the broom are coming to visit her from New Wart City. Crimson has everything planned, a list of her favorite things from ripening rotten apples and gathering broom straw to croaking the frogs (to catch their misty, green frog breath!). When things don’t work out, Crimson is disappointed until she remembers something important.
As with the other books in Kallie George’s beloved series, the stories are heartfelt and fun. Crimson’s unique witchiness is adorable and she’s a likable character that I will keep following as the books explore more of her world.
The evocative black-and-white illustrations throughout give us a thorough glimpse into Crimson’s country lifestyle. Can I come visit and croak frogs too?
- Reviewed by Christine Van Zandt
THE CURSED MOON
by Angela Cervantes
(Scholastic Press; $18.99, Ages 8-12)
Sixth-grader Rafael “Rafa” Fuentes loves writing and telling ghost stories but when his strange cat-lady neighbor begs him not to do so on the night of the eerie, blood moon, Rafa doesn’t listen to her. He soon realizes her crazy warning may be true when his tale about The Caretaker (who drowns unsuspecting kids in the pond) seems to come true.
Beyond this, we learn about Rafa’s family and how he doesn’t really feel like he fits in at school. Telling terrifying tales has gotten him a tiny bit of social status but, at best, it’s wobbly.
I like how Angela Cervantes develops the connection and community of Rafa’s family, friends, and neighbors. That Rafa’s mom is finally coming back from being incarcerated adds a unique angle as we see the complex (and opposite) emotions he and his sister have about this homecoming.
- Reviewed by Christine Van Zandt
NIGHTMARE KING
by Daka Hermon
(Scholastic Press; $18.99, Ages 8-12)
The nightmares Shane’s been having make him not want to sleep, but he can only do that for so long. As he fights with the scary images in his mind, he begins to wonder if the Nightmare King will capture him in this winner-takes-all game of tag. Dream scenes become increasingly scary and it seems there’s no escape for Shane the next time he slumbers.
Daka Hermon accurately shows us Shane’s love of playing basketball. Since his recent near-death accident, he wants nothing more than to get back to the top of his game and avoid butting heads with the bully who’s more than ready for Shane’s permanent removal.
Just as in Hide and Seeker (Scholastic, 2020), Hermon takes a seemingly fun game and imbues it with sinister twists and turns.
- Reviewed by Christine Van Zandtn(www.ChristineVanZandt.com),
Write for Success (www.WriteforSuccessEditing.com), @ChristineVZ and @WFSediting, Christine@WriteforSuccessEditing.com
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Check out this interview about The Book Crew Needs You!, another great new Halloween book.
HAPPY HALLOWEENIE
Written and illustrated by Katie Vernon
(Little Simon; $7.99, Ages 1-5 )
Cute or Scary? All Black or All White? Weenie is trying to decide what to wear for Halloween in this adorably illustrated board book with spare text.
LILA AND THE JACK-O’-LANTERN:
Halloween Comes to America
Written by Nancy Churnin
Illustrated by Anneli Bray
(Albert Whitman & Co.; $18.99, Ages 4-8)
“An Irish immigrant moves to America bringing a now beloved Halloween tradition.”
HOW TO SPOOK A GHOST
(Magical Creatures and Craft series)
Written by Sue Fliess
Illustrated by Simona SanFilippo
(Sky Pony Press; $19.99, Ages 3-6)
Brave kids investigate a strange noise and make a new ghostly friend.
A rhyming picture book with added Halloween history, puppet craft, and costume-making tips.
THE OCTOBER WITCHES
Written by Jennifer Claessen
(Simon & Schuster BYR; $17.99, Ages 8-12)
“Practical Magic meets Hocus Pocus in this sweet and enchanting middle-grade fantasy novel about a young witch who must uncover the secrets of her family’s past to end their longstanding internal feud.” A debut novel ideal for the Halloween season.