Booky Kids: September 2012

About Me

My name is Genevieve Woods and in addition to being the mother of an adorable preschooler named Oscar and his adorable toddler brother Henry, I am the Children's Buyer at Spellbinder Books, a small independent bookstore in Bishop, California. I am often asked by customers for recommendations...and thus the idea for this blog was sparked.

Many sites recommending books for kids are created by librarians and non-profits. While these are great sites, they often recommend out-of-print books. This site is all about the great books that are available now! While I am not being paid for these recommendations, I would appreciate it if readers would purchase the books I recommend from local independent bookstores, or even B&N. Basically don't buy from the evil empire (A_A_O_), because if you do much of our literary knowledge will be lost.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Halloween Board Books!

2012 is a stellar year for the Halloween Board Book Fans (I may be the only fan, so in that case it is a stellar year for me)! This season we've seen the publication of not one, not two, but THREE fantastic chewable readers that will hopefully never go out of print.

1. Ghost in the House! by Kazuno Kohara

This graphic masterpiece appeals not just to the youngest of readers (great contrast) but toddlers, pre-schoolers, and parents as well. While the illustrations are captivating and the story is sweet, the book is just odd enough to give mom and dad a good chuckle. In a nutshell, a girl moves into a house, it is haunted, but it turns out she's a witch, so she washes the ghosts and uses them as curtains and sheets. He he he, ghost sheets. The hardcover edition was named a best illustrated children's book by the New York Times in 2008. The author is/was a Japanese student in the U.K. studying printmaking. I think she's found a job.

2. Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Sheffler

A Halloween Classic joins the board book club! This story of a witch, who can't seem to keep it together but is kind enough to offer everyone a ride, has been well loved since it first came out in hard cover in 2001. That is over 10 years of adoration! While the story has more words than the typical board book, this more durable format will be appreciated by families with more than one mini reader (a book that can entertain the 4-year-old but won't be destroyed by the 8-month-old - yeah!). Just like Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel and Stellaluna this story is loved by all ages in all formats.

3. Goodnight Goon: A Petrifying Parody by Michael Rex

This parody of Goodnight Moon is creepy enough to stand on its own! Mesmerizingly detailed illustrations will enchant all readers, even those who won't be able to get the joke. Lots of ghoulish critters and simple text make this a keeper for years to come.

OTHER GOODIES

Halloween 123s by Patricia Reeder Eubank