Children’s Books for Halloween

Carol E Borrowman, the book expert on The Morning Blend came up with this list of fun reads for your kids this time of year.

Thought I’d pass it along!

1. “The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything” by Linda Williams and Megan Lloyd

young readers (2-5)

This is the perfect picture book for Halloween, especially for children 3 and under. It’s about an old lady who’s followed through the woods to her house by a ghostly pair of shoes, pants, shirt and then a giant pumpkin head. It has colorful illustrations, a great story (appropriately scary) and lots of SHAKING and STOMPING, CLAPPING and COMPING.

A great book for an older sibling who likes to read aloud to a younger one.

 

2. “Halloween Night” by Marjorie Dennis Murray & Brandon Dorman

young readers (2-5)

A group of scary characters–zombies, witches, ogres, mummies, monsters and more–gather in a haunted house the night before Halloween. The book follows the traditional “T’was the night before Christmas,” but it starts “‘Twas Halloween night, and all through the house/Every creature was stirring, including the mouse.” The images are exciting and it ends with a surprise.

Bone Soup

3. And finally for the young monsters in your house, the classic picture book, “Bone Soup” by Cambria Evans, which has Finnigan the ogre making soup with “spider eggs…dried mouse droppings…toe nails” and lots of other yellow greenish grossness. Always a favorite of mine.

For the older ghouls and boys

4. “Anna Dressed in Blood” by Kendare Blake

This book has the perfect balance of gore and romance about a young man, Cassio, a ghost hunter, who encounters Anna, a murderous ghost. She’s killing anyone who enters her haunted Victorian mansion.  Except she spares Cassio. Why? Full of secrets and curses and lots of bloooood! This was one of last year’s best teen horror novels of the year. A great read.

5. “The Diviners” by Libby Bray

 

This book came out last month. It’s a terrific supernatural mystery. Evie O’Neill, a libvely likeable teenager, is running around New York in the 1920s “with glamorous Ziegfield girls and rakish pickpockets.” But home life is far from glamorous. She lives with her Uncle Will, curator of “The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies” (the Museum of American Folklore and Superstition). Together they get involved and Evie discovers a supernatural secret about herself.

GI Jane Halloween Hoorah… the photos!

Corinna and David in 1940s gear at G.I. Jane Halloween Bash

G.I. Jane’s first annual Halloween Hoorah was a huge success!

Hundreds turned out, in costume, to support deployed single mothers and their families.

My husband David, a recreational pilot, was dashing as a
WWII Pilot, and I was his pin-up girl!

Corinna emcees the costume contest

One of the evening’s highlights was the costume contest that I judged, along with event founders Jula Jane and Keith Coggins.

Bonnie Schneider as a USO Girl

David and his pilot costume was in the top three, along with CNN’s Bonnie Schneider dressed as a USO Girl.

But the hands-down winner of the grand prize was a couple who emulated the Legendary “Kiss” that was captured on film  on “V” Day in Times Square, at the end of WWII.

"The Kiss" Costume Contest Winners

Take a look at the original photo, and you’ll agree, they deserved to win!

The Legendary Kiss in Times Square on "V" Day

All in all a wonderful night.

Already looking forward to next year!

Join me for Operation GI Jane’s Halloween Hoorah!

Still looking for something to do this Halloween?

Why not join me in supporting Operation GI Jane by attending their Halloween Hoorah, Saturday, October 29th in Buckhead, (Atlanta, GA).

If you’re anything like my husband, dressing up is not your favorite thing to do.

But relax, this one’s easy.

Betty Grable -- The Classic Pin Up Girl

The invitation says “Come as you favorite War-Time Hero, Politician or Pin Up Girl”.

So even the most costume-phobic soul can get away with just wearing a suit.

I, on the other hand, am busily Googling phrases like “polka dots” and “40s style rolled back hair”.

The best part?

You’ll be supporting a great cause.

Deployed Single Mom

I pulled this from their website:

“Operation G.I. Jane is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting deployed, single moms in the U.S. military by providing means of communication, airfare, necessities kits, healing therapy and career transitioning. Additionally, we work diligently to assist in any way we can to ensure the family bond remains strong.

There are single mothers serving all over the world away from their children and families, who need financial, emotional, and critical assistance beyond what is offered through established military programs and charities. Operation G.I. Jane was formed to fill that need, to pick up where the red tape leaves off.”

Click here to buy tickets.

Check back soon to see pictures from the event!