A Curious Tale of the In-Between by Lauren DeStefano

A Curious Tale of the In-Between by Lauren DeStefano is a wonderful new book for children ages 8-12.  Although it would be a great book for anyone over the age of 12 who loves a good mystery/ghost story.

 I love this book. I loved it from the first paragraph.  This is the kind of book I would have loved when I was young.   The main character Pram is the kind of girl I would have wanted to be friends with when I was little.

Lauren DeStefano has woven a tale that is a spellbinding page turner.  It may be a little dark for some but that is all part of it's charm.  It has an instant classic feel about it, a must have new book for those who love magic, ghosts and mystery!

The Boo! Book by Nathaniel Lachenmeyer illustrated by Nicoletta Ceccoli

Autumn has officially arrived and Halloween is just around the corner.   I came across today's book and loved it immediately.   It is not necessarily a Halloween book and it really isn't scary but I like the sweetness of the story.

The Boo! Book by Nathaniel Lachenmeyer and illustrated beautifully by Nicoletta Ceccoli is a charming little story with illustrations that I love.   It is about a book that is haunted and the mischief that follows.  It has a  fun mixture of playful words and a surprise ending.  This is the kind of book to read with a child on blustery fall evening.  Perfect for bedtime since it really isn't scary at all.  A cozy kind of book that helps make imagination soar.   It is not a boisterous story but a mellow one even if it is about ghosts.   This is a classic storybook that will really can be read any time of the year.   A must have book for the bookshelf!

The 13th Floor: A Ghost Story by Sid Fleischman illus Peter Sis

Last week Newbery Winner Sid Fleischman, who won for the Whipping Boy, died at the age of 90. What an incredible man he was. Everyone always talks about his winning title but he was so much more than that one book. I personally loved the Carnival of Animals but sadly that does not seem to be readily available anymore. I loved it because they were tall tales that made me laugh. Great illustrations too.

The 13th Floor: A Ghost Story by Sid Fleischman & illus by Peter Sis is my next favorite book of his. I loved this book because it combines so many of my favorite elements: Ghosts, intrigue, adventure and pirates. Well I am not so much a pirate fan as I like ghosts but pirates can be fun too. I always liked the main character and he seemed like a real kid. Mr Fleischman was very good at writing real characters. This was part of his gift. The wonderful thing about great authors is that they are never truly forgotten. This is a perfect book for children who like adventure with a little mystery and fantasy thrown in. Mr Fleischman will be missed but his legacy lives on.