Guest Post - Halloween Books to Unleash Your Inner Kid

Today's post is by MJ Ware, Author of Super Zombie Juice Mega Bomb.  Thanks, MJ for helping promote my blog. Lady D.

Even before publishing Super Zombie Juice Mega Bomb (SZJMB), I wrote a lot of horror stories. However, since I write almost exclusively for kids and teens my stories aren't anything like your traditional, terrifying, horror stories. They're more blood and snot than blood and guts. With that in mind, I've compiled a list of great books to wake up your inner child, or maybe your inner young adult, this Halloween season.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan – I'm starting off with this one because, as a YA book it will appeal to more adults, plus it has zombies! Mary lives in the woods as part of a community surrounded by a fence that (usually) keeps the undead out. This one is really more of a romance novel with zombies. Still, it has great imagery which really makes it spooky.

The Witches by Roald Dahl – This book is definitely a kid's book, but it's so well written, anyone who loves books will enjoy it. And, compared to most of Dahl's other books, it’s pretty dark; in fact it's one of the 100 most banned children's books on account of the violence.

Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury – It doesn't get any more Halloween than this. It's a great story about a gang of guys (and one girl) who run into a haunted house while trick-or-treating. After you finish the book, check out the Emmy award winning cartoon version:



Coraline by Neil Gaiman – Gaiman is a master of scary books and Coraline is one of his best. Even if you've seen the movie, don't skip the book. It's a quick read at 35k (and it's one of those books that's hard to put down). Once you're finished, you might want to check out Gaiman's more adult themed The Grave Yard Book.

Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury – Okay, Bradbury is one of my favorite authors, so he's allowed two books on the list. Something Wicked This Way Comes, is much darker than The Halloween Tree, having deeper and more serious themes. It was published as an adult book, but really, it's a coming of age story that resonates with young and old alike.

Welcome to Horrorland by R.L. Stine – What list of scary books would be complete without something from the Goosebumps series? Obviously, this one's light reading and only for readers who enjoy kidlit. With its fast action and short chapters it's also a great choice for that reluctant reader in your life.

About the author:

M.J.A. Ware, known as M.J. to his friends, lives in the foothills of the Sierra Mountains with his wife and two daughters. He wrote Super Zombie Juice Mega Bomb because he felt there was a need for a zombie book with a broader appeal than just hard-core horror fans. A book that would not only appeal to both adults and teens, but would be teen safe.

When not writing about aliens, monsters and ghosts, he runs a company where he designs award winning video arcades. He’s currently polishing his latest novel, Girls Bite, a paranormal vampire story told from a guy's perspective.

Find SZJMB at: Amazon (print and ebook) Barnes & Noble  SmashWords  Apple

Win a Free ebook copy SZJMB. Enter by 10/31. Winner chosen at random and will be announced on or around 11/1.



Note from Lady D: If you like guest posts, comment here on the blog. I'll try to arrange more such posts according to the feedback I receive from you readers. Commenting is welcome and, at the moment, unmoderated.

Role Reversal

My Sparkling Misfortune
Laura Lond
Dream Books LLC (2010)
Print length: 164 pages
Rated 5 stars of 5 possible


My Sparkling Misfortune is a novella-length story aimed at middle school kids who love fantasy, yet also appeals to any age reader. The well-crafted story is told from the point of view of a very unusal protagonist - a villain, who is quick to let us know he is a villain by trade, and that we shouldn't expect him to be going around doing good deeds.

In general, one isn't supposed to like a villain, but the protagonist of this novel starts collecting a fan club almost from the first page and through no fault of his own. The hero-villain role reversal that occurs in this novella makes for good discussion material as well as bringing a new point of interest into the story.  Kudos to the author for bringing a most entertaining and unusual story to readers of all ages. My Sparkling Misfortune is the first of a new series, which, if the following books are anything like this first one, should be a big hit with readers young and old alike.

I have to recommend this often humorous, always entertaining novella to those readers looking for a quick, fun read and laughs on almost every page. The PDF document format of My Sparkling Misfortune was received free from the author in exchange for this review.   

This review has been simultaneously posted on Dragonviews and LibraryThing.

 

Haunted?

Coraline
Neil Gaiman
HarperCollins (2002)
Hardcover, 176 pages
Rated 4 stars of 5 possible

The story of Coraline takes place in a house that has been divided up into flats as they are called in the UK. Here in the United States, we might call them apartments or condominiums. Anyhow, Coraline lives in one such unit with her parents, who both work. Being the intrepid explorer-type, Coraline meets all of her neighbors and explores her home... One day, she finds a door, but it won't open. Being curious, Coraline asks her mother about the door...

The big, old house where Coraline and her parents live strikes me as being a good place to set up a haunted house on Halloween... and the story is just about that scary. Enough to give the reader a creepy feeling, but not so creepy as if something is going to reach out and grab you.  Well, okay, the author does reach out and grab your attention with his story about Coraline and the things behind a door that only she can open and pass through.

Recommended for kids age 7 and up who don't scare easily and who think a haunted house is cool, not creepy. This review has been simultaneously posted on Amazon.com, Dragonviews, and LibraryThing.

Search For Fun

Search for the Flaming Chalice
By Robert Shaw Kesler
Paperback: 153 pages
Publisher: Thatcher Forest (1998)
Rated:    4 stars of 5 possible

Search for the Flaming Chalice is an anthropomorphic tale of three martins - Carmen, Alger, and Gilbert - on a quest to find the flaming chalice, which will enable them to unleash the power of the purple stone they carry. The humor, magic and adventure combine to create a delightful and sometimes suspenseful tale that will appeal to fantasy fans, both young and old. The more experienced reader will recognize literary allusions to Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery," Shelley's Frankenstein, Rossetti's "Goblin Market," Dante's Inferno, and more embedded within the story.  Themes in the novel include friendship, family, courage, persistence, teamwork, and more, which makes the novel not only entertaining for younger readers but also a teaching tool for those a little older.

The main villain of the piece is Attila, an evil sorcerer.  I found him a bit weak in characterization, almost a joke at some points and perhaps too easily defeated as well... yet this didn't detract too much from my over-all enjoyment of the story, as too strong a villain would not be appropriate for a children's story.

That said, I hereby give this highly enjoyable tale a strong 4 star rating for being both entertaining and educational. I recommend this book to readers age 8 and up.

This review has been simultaneously published on Amazon.com, Dragonviews, and LibraryThing.

Secrets Revealed

Deep Secret
By Diana Wynne Jones
Hardcover: 383 pages
Publisher: Tor Books (March 1999)
Rated 4 stars of 5 possible

Rupert Venables is the Junior Magid assigned to Earth and also to the planets of the Koyrfonic Empire. When the Emperor dies without a known heir, Rupert begins his investigation and attempts to find the heir, whom Rupert knows must be there somewhere... Then, to complicate matters, Rupert's senior dies and appoints Rupert the senior, which, of course means that Rupert needs to leave the Koyrfonic empire and search Earth for a suitable magid to fill his old position.

The intense and sometimes humorous tale of Rupert's adventures - and mis-adventures - appeals to fantasy lovers, both young and old. The setting of the story in an alternate England adds a layer of charm to the story, even though the envelope of suspension of disbelief is pushed a bit far in some places. Readers deeply engrossed in the story likely won't notice the unbelievability too much.

Recommended for readers age 10 and up who are looking for a page-turning, fun to read adventure.

This review was simultaneously published on Amazon.com, Dragonviews, LibraryThing and YABooks Central.com.

 

Flights of Fancy

The Pirate Princess And Other Fairy Tales
By Neil Philip
Hardcover, 88 pages
Arthur A. Levine Books (2005)
Rated 5 stars of 5 possible

The characters of these seven fairy tales by Rabbi Nahman of Bratslav are dreamers, darers, doers, questers, finders, keepers, sages, seekers. Their stories will remind you of every fairy tale you've ever known, though they are like none you've ever read before: fascinating adventures folded with deep spiritual meaning, vividly rendered by storyteller Neil Philip and illustrated by artist Mark Weber.*

These little-known stories will appeal to the young and young-at-heart of all ages from the read-to-me set all the way up to adults who enjoy a flight of fancy from time to time. The book is generously illustrated, with color pictures on nearly every page; in fact, some pictures take an entire page all to themselves, yet care was taken to see that the pictures enhance the stories.

The typeface is large and easy to read, with generous spacing between the lines of text. In all, this is a quality production that would be a wonderful gift for the children on your Christmas giving list, perhaps even one that will be cherished by the whole family.

This review has been simultaneously published on Amazon.com, Dragonviews, LibraryThing and YABooks Central.com.

*Book description taken from front flap and copyright of same belongs to author of book.

A Magical Adventure

Pasha and the Lost Mountain   
by Gary Webster
T.C.C (The Children's Collective)
Kindle format: 304 kb
Paperback: 222 pages
Publisher: Fullproof Publishing Inc (June 26, 2009)
Rated 4 stars of 5 possible.

Pasha and the Lost Mountain is a magical tale about the adventures of two children and their dogs. The ancient plot of good against evil is depicted in a new series of books aimed at young adults who like a little fantasy in their reading material. This fun and fanciful page-turner appeals to all ages.

While some readers may not appreciate some of the humor in this highly readable novel, the majority of readers will probably like the action and adventure the protagonists experience while on their missions. This author, in his debut novel, has created some lovable and realistic characters.

Recommended for readers of fantasy and fiction ages 10 and up.

This review is simultaneously published on Amazon.com, Dragonviews, and LibraryThing.

Vampires In Your Dreams?

Vampire Plagues: Paris, 1850
Sebastian Rook
Scholastic Paperbacks (September, 2005)
Paperback: 208 pages
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Rated 2 stars of 5 possible

An ancient evil. A ritual gone wrong. The vampire plague is threatening like never before...

Jack wants to believe it is only a dream, that the vampires are gone, that they've been banished by an ancient ritual which sent their leader to the depths of hell. But he isn't so sure... Soon, Jack, along with his friend Benedict Cole (aka Ben), and Ben's older sister, Emily discover that the vampires are indeed not just in Jack's dreams. Can our heroes defeat the vampires once again and escape with their lives?

A little bit reminiscent of Lemony Snickett's A Series of Unfortunate Events, the Vampire Plagues trilogy finds our heroes losing their guardian just about every time they turn around. The difference is, in The Vampire Plagues, the youngsters are fighting a different type of evil. The middle book of this trilogy feels a lot like reading the middle third of a much longer book. There are plain references to the first volume, mostly incorporated in the first third or so of book 2 which don't help this volume stand alone very well.

Reading the Vampire Plagues trilogy should be an all or none proposition. If you read and liked the first installment, then by all means buy or borrow the second and then the third... this is an interesting story that should not have been broken up into a trilogy, but instead published as one longer novel.

A Purrrfect Detective Story

Rex Tabby, Cat Detective
Daniel Kirk
Scholastic Paperbacks (November 1, 2005)
Paperback: 140 pages
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Rated 5 stars of 5 Possible

When I first picked this novel up, I could not help thinking of the old Dragnet television series and Sargeant Joe Friday.  School Library Journal compared Rex Tabby with the old cartoon character Dick Tracy. Either way, it's cops and robbers with a cute twist; all of the main characters in the story are feline. Rex Tabby is also educational since most chapters end with a detective lesson.

I highly recommend this for young readers. I think even adults looking for a brief escape would enjoy reading Rex Tabby, either for themselves or to children not yet old enough to read. Don't miss out on the cutest detective novel on the market!