The Witches by Roald Dahl

 From Goodreads: This Roald Dahl classic tells the scary, funny and imaginative tale of a seven-year-old boy who has a run-in with some real-life witches! "In fairy tales witches always wear silly black hats and black cloaks and they ride on broomsticks. But this is not a fairy tale. This is about REAL WITCHES. REAL WITCHES dress in ordinary clothes and look very much like ordinary women. They live in ordinary houses and they work in ordinary jobs. That is why they are so hard to catch." Witches, as our hero learns, hate children. With the help of a friend and his somewhat-magical grandmother, our hero tries to expose the witches before they dispose of him.

My Two Cents: I remember being delightfully scared when my teacher read this to the class in elementary school, and I had much the same reaction as an adult. (Okay, not quite as scared, but definitely delighted.) Like all of Dahl's books, this one is funny and a little naughty and unbelievably imaginative.

Grade Level: 2-6

Additional Resources:

• Visit Roald Dahl's official website. You might be surprised how many books he wrote!
• Try one of these fun witch crafts (not to be confused with "Try witchcraft!")
• Some of this story takes place in Norway--learn more about this cool country from National Geographic Kids. Does it seem like a good place for witches to you?
• There are some...unusual mice in this book. Learn more about regular mice in this animal encyclopedia.
• Check out this trailer for the movie based on this book.

More to Read:

• All of Roald Dahl's fabulous stories (but I think my favorite is Matilda)
• Another very spooky tale for October whose title says it all: A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz
• Another book about a boy who gets mixed up with spooky, magical creatures: Elliot and the Goblin War by Jennifer Nielsen
• A fun chapter book series about a younger, slightly nicer witch: Heidi Heckelbeck by Wanda Coven

Goblin Secrets by William Alexander

 From Goodreads: In the town of Zombay, there is a witch named Graba who has clockwork chicken legs and moves her house around—much like the fairy tale figure of Baba Yaga. Graba takes in stray children, and Rownie is the youngest boy in her household. Rownie’s only real relative is his older brother Rowan, who is an actor. But acting is outlawed in Zombay, and Rowan has disappeared.

Desperate to find him, Rownie joins up with a troupe of goblins who skirt the law to put on plays. But their plays are not only for entertainment, and the masks they use are for more than make-believe. The goblins also want to find Rowan—because Rowan might be the only person who can save the town from being flooded by a mighty river.

This accessible, atmospheric fantasy takes a gentle look at love, loss, and family while delivering a fast-paced adventure that is sure to satisfy.

My Two Cents: This National Book Award winner is magical, inventive, and very creepy. Rownie himself is immensely likeable and endearing, and even the creepiest characters are fleshed-out and fascinating. This book would spark interesting discussions and ideas about good guys and bad guys and impossibly amazing inventions. A great pick for kids in the mood for something strange and a little dark.

Grade Level: 5-7

Additional Resources:

• Visit William Alexander's website.
• Watch this video of the author reading a section from this book. (He even wears a fox mask for a minute!)
• Read this fun summary of ten goblin legends from around the world. Which one reminds you most of this book?
• One of the creatures Rownie encounters is a fish that swims in dust. Watch this video about mudskippers, a real fish that hangs out on dry land.
• Some of the characters in this story get around on gearwork legs. Watch this great introduction to gears from the Children's Museum of Houston.
• There are lots of birds doing strange things in this book. Watch the birds around you by going on a bird behavior scavenger hunt.

More to Read:

• Another magical, fantastical tale of a transient group of misfits: Howl's Moving Castle by Dianna Wynne Jones
• Another story with amazing gearwork and a lost, lonely boy: The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
• A less creepy tale of "magic, mystery, and a very strange adventure": Horton's Miraculous Mechanisms by Lissa Evans
• Another boy who is surrounded by magical creatures and up against almost-impossible obstacles: Rump by Liesl Shurtliff

The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls by Claire Legrand

From Goodreads: Victoria hates nonsense. There is no need for it when your life is perfect. The only smudge on her pristine life is her best friend Lawrence. He is a disaster—lazy and dreamy, shirt always untucked, obsessed with his silly piano. Victoria often wonders why she ever bothered being his friend. (Lawrence does too.)

But then Lawrence goes missing. And he’s not the only one. Victoria soon discovers that The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls is not what it appears to be. Kids go in but come out…different. Or they don’t come out at all.

If anyone can sort this out, it’s Victoria—even if it means getting a little messy.

My Two Cents: This is a perfectly spooky read for October. But underneath that creepy, mysterious exterior are some really lovely and moving themes of familial love, devoted friendship, individuality, and loving people not in spite of their differences, but because of their differences. And I'm always a sucker for a book with some good classical piano woven in.

Grade Level: 4-6 (might be a little too scary for some younger readers)

Additional Resources:
Claire Legrand's website, including a soundtrack for scenes in the book
Audio of Rachmaninov playing his Piano Concerto No. 3 (The whole song is amazing, but imagine Victoria humming about the first 20 seconds as she tries to avoid being captured in the spooky home.)
Video of the Faure duet that Victoria and Lawrence play together (this song may appear again later in the story...)
Halloween Gingerbread Mansions--yours could look like the Cavendish Home!
A very rare (and spooky) roach from South America that glows in the dark!

More to Read:
Another spooky book about smart, brave girl who discovers a twisted reality nearby: Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Another adventure book with an insect front and center: Masterpiece by Elise Broach
Another story about friendship in a town where nature is more than what it seems: The Mostly True Story of Jack by Kelly Barnhill

Be sure to check back Thursday for a great science activity from ecologist and author Heather Hawke that goes right along with this book!

I always love comments! Have you read this book? Any activities, resources, or companion books to recommend? Let me know!

MMGG Book 1: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

From Goodreads:

After the grisly murder of his entire family, a toddler wanders into a graveyard where the ghosts and other supernatural residents agree to raise him as one of their own.

Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn't live in a sprawling graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead. There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy. But if Bod leaves the graveyard, then he will come under attack from the man Jack—who has already killed Bod's family . . .

Beloved master storyteller Neil Gaiman returns with a luminous new novel for the audience that embraced his New York Times bestselling modern classic Coraline. Magical, terrifying, and filled with breathtaking adventures, The Graveyard Book is sure to enthrall readers of all ages.

Why it's MIGHTY:

This is a suspenseful, spooky retelling of The Jungle Book that includes a cast of ghosts, a witch, a monster, and plenty of other Halloweenish characters. In other words, it's the perfect book to read in October. The initial scene where the family is killed is by far the scariest, so if kids can handle that, I'm willing to bet they'll love the rest of the book.

MMGG Book 5: Missing on Superstition Mountain

From Goodreads:

It’s summer and the three Barker brothers—Simon, Henry, and Jack—just moved from Illinois to Arizona. Their parents have warned them repeatedly not to explore Superstition Mountain, which is near their home. But when their cat Josie goes missing, they see no other choice. There’s something unusually creepy about the mountain and after the boys find three human skulls, they grow determined to uncover the mystery. Have people really gone missing over the years, and could there be someone or some thing lurking in the woods? Together with their new neighbor Delilah, the Barker boys are dead-set on cracking the case even if it means putting themselves in harm’s way.

Why it's MIGHTY:

For me, the thing that stood out about this book was the setting. Broach's descriptions of the desert town of Superstition, Arizona created the perfect backdrop for fun characters and a great mystery. Plus, I love any book that will get kids excited about asking their own questions and learning more about a subject, and all of Broach's books do this really well.