Martin Luther King Day: books for young readers

Today is the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. Americans celebrate this day not just as a holiday, but as a day of service to think about ways in which we can all make this country better. Here are books for parents to share with young readers who want to learn more about Dr. King, including two books by his sister Christine King Farris. Locate copies using the Amazon and World Catalog search boxes here on BookBag.

Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King Jr., by Jean Marzollo; illustrated by J. Pinkney (Scholastic). An eloquent and powerful introduction to the life and death of Martin Luther King, Jr. This simplified summation leaves out most of the details, while bringing the essence of his life and work to young readers. A foreword offers options for softening the facts surrounding his murder for preschoolers. Pinkney's scratchboard and oil pastel illustrations convey both the strength and gentleness of King's character. Both text and art carry his central message of peace and brotherhood among all people. This is a good choice for reading aloud. Adler'sPicture Book of Martin Luther King, Jr. (Holiday, 1989) covers the same material with more detail. --Eunice Weech, Amazon

My Brother Martin: A Sister Remembers Growing Up With the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., by Christine King Farris; illustrated by Chris Soentpiet (Aladdin). Farris recalls the birth of her two younger brothers and relates anecdotes that demonstrate both the mischievous exploits of the siblings and the love and understanding that permeated the close-knit multigenerational family in which they grew up. Using plain language, she describes conditions in the South during her childhood that separated blacks and whites- "Because they just don't understand that everyone is the same, but someday, it will be better." From their father's church sermons and his actions when confronting the hatred and bigotry, the children learned the importance of standing up for justice and equality. The warmth of the text is exquisitely echoed in Soentpiet's realistic, light-filled watercolor portraits set in the King home, in their Atlanta neighborhood, and at Ebenezer Baptist Church. The simple directness of this short biography will help young children understand the concept of segregation and the importance of Dr. King's message -- Susan Schleps, Amazon

March On! The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World, by Christine King Farris; illustrated by London Ladd (Scholastic). Although he is depicted as older and more serious than the mischievous little boy portrayed in My Brother Martin, Farris's unique perspective on her subject continues to be compelling. She concentrates on the march and the effects of the speech. Some phrases in the text are printed in a larger font and in color, emphasizing important aspects and establishing an appealing rhythm for reading aloud. Ladd's acrylic paintings are an excellent accompaniment to the text. His use of color and varying perspectives creates a great deal of visual energy, extending the excitement of the event. An informative addition.—Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, Amazon

A Picture Book of Martin Luther King Jr., by David A. Adler; illustrated by Robert Casilla (Holiday House). Adler examines King's family background, leadership of the Montgomery bus boycott, and the 1963 march on Washington, D.C. By focusing primarily on these events, Adler provides young readers with enough basic information to form a well-rounded picture of King and his ideals. However, the outstanding feature of this book is the vivid watercolor illustrations, which are sure to capture readers' attention. Casilla dramatically reveals the mood and feelings of the era. A fine introduction to King and the freedom movement, and one that would be equally useful for storyhour and discussion groups. --Jeanette Lambert, Amazon

The Story of Martin Luther King Jr., by Johnny Ray Moore; illustrated by Amy Wummer (Ideals Publishing) Parents quite often want to begin to teach their children about important aspects of history and culture even at the earliest of ages. This book is the perfect avenue through which parents can begin teaching their children about Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement. Moore has done a superb job in writing a biography that is short, concise and easy to understand. Even children with the shortest of attention spans can enjoy and understand this book. Friendly illustrations will make this book even more pleasurable for children. The boardbook format of this book makes it easy for children to handle the book and even turn the pages without parents having to worry about the book being damaged.--Stacey Seay, Amazon

Stories about angels and saints for the holidays

Here are some books that tell the stories of saints and angels, as well as the animals that are associated with them. As Christmas draws closer these books may remind readers about Christ's birth in a manger, and that the history of many religious figures (like Saint Francis) have been associated with specific animals. You can find copies of these stories using the search boxes here on BookBag.

Saints Among the Animals, by Cynthia Zarin, illustrated by Leonid Gore (Atheneum) Zarin retells ten stories that chronicle the interactions of holy men and women with an eclectic menagerie of wild creatures. Saint Canice befriends a patient stag that allows him to use its antlers as a bookstand, Saint Jerome champions a misunderstood lion, and Saint Brendan is rescued at sea by a great whale. Two women are represented: Saint Hilda saves her fellow sisters from an influx of snakes, and Saint Werburge prevents a flock of greedy geese from gobbling up all of the seeds planted in farmland. The majority of the tales are set in ancient England or Ireland. Written in the conversational style of a storyteller, the selections contain lovely descriptions of the natural settings in which the saints and the animals coexist, and each legend is accompanied by a somber charcoal illustration depicting the saint and the featured animal.

The Day the Animals Came: A Story of Saint Francis Day, by Frances Ward Meller (Philomel) The blessing of the animals ceremony held at St. John the Divine's church in New York is the basis for this story about Ria, who misses her Caribbean home and the animals she left behind. Her baby-sitter, Mrs. Blum, takes her to the ceremony, and Ria initially feels bad because she doesn't have her own pet. But after she rescues a disagreeable duck, one of the church members invites her to bring Groucho, as he's named, for his blessing. The experience of becoming one with the community and their creatures makes Ria feel as if she's finally home. Weller's story of St. Francis Day, with its animals crowding into a church, may seem unlikely to some readers, but the author's note offers confirmation and clarification.

Special Friends: Tales of Saints and Animals, by Arlene Graston (Bantam Books) From the introduction: "There was a time when man was especially aware of the world around him and spoke a silent language with the living things that make up our planet. This was a silent language of love and respect and it made all living things equal in the story of Life. Some of the people who could do this were called Saints, a title that means they shared a deep love for God and for the Beauty of the Universe and found in their animal friends companionship, understanding and love. This silent language is not a secret one - nor do only saints know how to speak it. Silent means inside ourselves, within our thoughts and emotions, and because everyone has an inside and has thoughts and emotions, we can all speak it. All we have to do is listen and learn from our animal friends and the growing things around us."

Saints and Angels, by Claire Llewellyn (Kingfisher) Nonfiction. Beautifully illustrated with reproductions of artistic masterpieces, this is an easy-to-understand introduction to Christian saints and angels. Beginning by answering the question "What is a Saint?," Saints and Angels goes on to tell the stories of saints both familiar and unfamiliar--from the apostles to Joan of Arc to the very first American-born saint--as well as those of the angels and archangels of the Bible. Information on each saint's emblem, feast days, and patronage is also included.

Brother Wolf, Sister Sparrow: Stories about Saints and Animals, by Eric A. Kimmel; illustrated by John Winch (Holiday House) Nonfiction. If tidbits about Catholic saints in novels like Frank Cottrell Boyce's Millions make you want to learn more about the beatified, check out these fascinating legends of different saints' interactions with animals. From St. Brigid, who fed the poor with milk and butter from her cow, to St. Ambrose, whose mouth was swarmed by bees when he was a baby, to St. Francis of Assisi, who struck a bargain between a hungry wolf and the town it was terrorizing, 12 saints are profiled in these stories.

Happy Fourth of July!

July 4: Stories behind America's favorite songs

This Sunday America celebrates its 234th birthday! Here are the stories behind some of the country's most popular patriotic songs, colorfully illustrated and told simply for young readers to read along (and sing with) for the holiday. Use the World Catalog and Amazon search boxes here on BookBag to find copies of these inspiring stories.


This Land is Your Land, Woody Guthrie, illustrated by Kathy Jacobsen (Little, Brown) Ages 4-8 Since its debut in the 1940s, Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land" has become one of the best-loved folk songs in America. The classic picture book celebrating the ballad is brought to new life in this tenth-anniversary edition the whole family will love to share. Includes a full-color poster featuring one of Kathy Jakobsen's exquisite art pieces from the book.

America the Beautiful, by Katherine Lee Bates, illustrated by Chris Gall (Little, Brown) Ages 4-8 The song "America the Beautiful" gets a striking treatment from illustrator Gall, who opens with an introduction to the words, which were written as a poem in 1893 by 24-year-old Bates. The words were set to several different pieces of music, until, finally, a tune, written many years earlier, became the accepted version. Just as those who hear the song feel inspired by the patriotic sentiments, children will be stirred by Gall's pictures. Using hand engraving on clay-covered board and enhancing elements such as color with a computer, he offers a series of pictures resembling woodcuts in form and WPA paintings in style

You're a Grand Old Flag, illustrated by Norman Rockwell (Atheneum) Ages 4-8 Written in 1906 by George M. Cohan, "You're a Grand Old Flag" has been a favorite celebration song for generations of Americans. Now see it brought to life like never before as it is set with images of Americana, by the master of all things patriotic, Norman Rockwell. Children run to the swimming hole, families attend parades, a young couple kisses, and soldiers salute in this tribute to Norman Rockwell and the American culture, so beautifully immortalized in his art. With a foreword by Norman Rockwell's grandson, John Rockwell, this book is a treasure that families will love to sing along with.


My Country, Tis of Thee, photographs by Samuel Francis Smith (Cartwheel) Ages 4-8 The words to this familiar patriotic song are illustrated with stunning photographs of the American landscape and people. Children will enjoy celebrating the beauty of this country as they learn the words to "My Country Tis of Thee."



The Story of "The Star Spangled Banner, by Patricia A. Pingry, illustrated by Nancy Munger (Candy Cane Press) Ages 4-8 Fewer than two hundred words tell the story of how Frances Scott Key observed the Battle of Baltimore in September 1814 and was so moved by the sight of the flag still flying at dawn that he wrote the poem that became our national anthem. Included in this little book are the words to the first verse of "The Star-Spangled Banner" along with the admonition that we should stand up, remove our hats, and place our hands over our hearts when this song is played.

For Dad's day, a list of best-ever baseball books

It's Father's Day, and baseball season is in full swing. While kids may be thinking "gee, my dad always can use another tie," Dad may enjoy a good book while the kids are splashing in the pool (and before he has to fire up the barbeque). From Levi Asher's Literary Kicks website, here's a selection of baseball books for Dad that teens may like, too. Look for these on Amazon and World Catalog by using the search boxes here on BookBag -- and maybe give Dad a break from the grill today.

Bang the Drum Slowly, by Mark Harris: The story of a smart pitcher and his dumb, ill-fated catcher, this novel will draw tears from even the hardest-hearted Yankees fans. Any of Harris’s baseball novels are worth reading -- The Southpaw, Ticket for a Steamstitch -- but this one will make you cry. The closing pages of Bang the Drum Slowly rank right up there with The Great Gatsby in my personal literary ballpark. "From here on in, I rag nobody.” It’s one of the few great baseball books made into a good movie, starring Robert DeNiro and Michael Moriarty.

Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars and Motor Kings by Bill Brashler: Though fiction, this novel accurately depicts life on the Negro League barnstorming circuit during the bleakest days of segregated baseball. The book is dedicated to Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige, and Cool Papa Bell, three of the best players in history, who also appear in the story. John Badham actually made a pretty decent movie out of this, starring James Earl Jones and Richard Pryor, in 1976. It’s probably the most truthful portrait of a barnstorming team in the days of segregated baseball.

The Universal Baseball Association, Inc., J. Henry Waugh, Prop. by Robert Coover: A proto-Rotisserie League set in Dante’s Inferno, Coover’s book is disturbing in all the right ways. Henry Waugh is a paunchy Everyman whose real life is falling asunder, so each night he retreats into a fantasy baseball game he’d originally invented to kill some time. As he begins to invest his emotions upon every outcome, the game takes over his life like a psychological kudzu and, well, you can guess the rest.

A False Spring by Pat Jordan: A minor league pitcher confronts the weighty issues of existence and gets the hell beat out of him by Elrod Hendricks in the bargain. Jordan bases this remarkable novel on his own experience as a promising pitcher in the Braves organization. The title refers to the collapse of that promise, as the cruel arm of fate tosses him some unhittable curveballs, all of this beneath the impossibly huge skies of McCook, Nebraska.

You Know Me, Al: A Busher’s Letters by Ring Lardner, Jr.: Until the Black Sox scandal, Lardner was baseball’s biggest, most perceptive fan. These fictional letters, first serialized in Chicago newspapers in the second decade of the 20th century have his patented ear and eye, among the greatest in literature. Written in the form of letters from rookie pitcher Jack Keefe to his pal Al back in Indiana, this novel is his finest. Keefe was an American original, noted critic Jonathan Yardley -- who wrote a superb biography of Lardner -- whose “expression of the vernacular ... had a lasting effect on the way American writers describe American talk.” Lardner published an entertaining sequel to this book called Alibi Ike.

The Natural by Bernard Malamud: Even though Malamud was swinging for the metaphysical fences with this novel -- attempting, as he did in all of his fiction, to pit good against evil -- he got enough of the idiom and the action right to have come damn close to the perfect morality play. A bat called Wonderboy carved from a tree cloven by a thunderbolt?

The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant by Douglas Wallop: Inspiration for Broadway’s Damn Yankees, this old yarn hits all the right diehard fan buttons. Joe Hardy arrives out for nowhere, two years after Malamud’s Roy Hobbs did the same thing in The Natural. Only Wallop’s book has a happy ending. That is, Joe Hardy -- er, Boyd -- is reunited with his long-suffering wife, but more importantly, the damn Yankees lose the pennant to the pitiful Washington Senators.

New Father's Day books for kids to share

Father's Day is rapidly approaching, and here are some timely tips and book suggestions for Dads and their kids from the BookDads website, as well as reading helps from the 60 Second Parent site on Twitter.

There's also good news for readers in Spanish, too: the launch of a Spanish-resource language site, Wikilengua. Look for any books you see reviewed on BookBag using the Amazon / World Catalog search boxes, and don't forget to visit the helpful community of folks over at BookDads!

Geek Dad: Awesomely Geeky Projects and Activities for Dads and Kids to Share, by Ken Denmead(Gotham Books) A fully illustrated, idea packed resource of fun, games and adventures geared toward the geek in us all. Ken Denmead is an engineer turned geeky dad who has found an inner calling through his many projects, crafts, and fun times with his kids. And what Geeky Dad isn’t waiting for Iron Man? We can certainly come up with a fun project that ties to the opening and gets readers excited for the release! Geek Dad started as a blog on Wired.com and now, Ken and his many followers spend their days making kites with lights to fly at night, video cameras that fly with the help of balloons, lamps made out of legos, and cyborg jack-o-lanterns for the holidays ... and lots more.

Cool Sports Dad, by David Fischer (Skyhorse Publishing) Fathers may not know how to swish foul shots or throw the perfect spiral, but NBA star Grant Hill and NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers do! With Cool Sports Dad, all Dads will have the sports know-how to really impress their kids. Sports greats like Derick Rose of the Chicago Bulls and New York Rangers Captain Chris Drury help hads stay on top of every detail behind every sport! Out in time for Father’s Day, Cool Sports Dad is packed with mini essays with step-by-step instruction from the world’s most knowledgeable sports experts. The contributors range from instantly recognizable All-Star names like Jerome Bettis and David Wright, to the next generation of extreme athletes like BMX biker and 2005 X Games silver medalist Scotty Cranmer and Bass-masters fishing champion Kevin Van Dam. All of these stars have been chosen for inclusion because they are at the very top of their profession, be it basketball, baseball, football, BMX racing or even fishing.

And if you're a brand new Dad (or soon will be) here's another idea from Chris at the BookDads website: I found the 60 Second Parent website on Twitter sometime late last year. I initially was going to the site to read up on infant development, but recently I have found them to have great resources for ideas of activities to do with your infant/toddler. I also wanted to share some of the reading resources I found on their site:

* 7 Ways to Develop Good Reading Habits

* Why Read to Your Baby

* Why Read to Your Toddler

* Why Read to Your Kindergartner

* Books Your 2 Year Old Will Love

Wikilengua, a new resource for Spanish readers

From the website of Spanish Book Distributors:

The web has a new resource for Spanish-language readers, Wikilengua.org. It's the collaborative platform for the Spanish language (much like Wikipedia) and aims to help the world's more than 400 million Spanish-speakers, taking the information from dictionaries, reference works, books and readers' original input.

What is great about Wikilengua.org is that users can present words, idioms and grammatical rules from all over the world, not just those that appear on RAE (the Royal Academy of the Spanish Language). Since it began last August, the site already has over 5,000 subscribed readers and recently added 1,500 more. Together they could collaborate and form a great tool for everyone looking for answers about Spanish. While still in its infancy, it could prove to be a formidable resource to understand the different idioms used all over the world, and a great benefit for libraries as well.

Spanish from Spain and the RAE is understood and used by all Spanish-speakers. Because most of the books used in classrooms around the world to teach Spanish during the last two generations have been published in Spain, or by Spanish publishers, most Spanish-speakers have learned what could be called Castillian Spanish. The same is true for most of the books published as Spain, and it’s publishers, produce the great majority of titles.

There are, nevertheless, many idioms, slang and expressions, that vary in different countries and even communities within each country. These are not always represented in RAE or other sources. They bring richness to the language and can now be represented within this community.

Parents will find the site a useful resource for Spanish language and topics. Wikilengua should be bookmarked at every library that serves Spanish-language readers so that all those readers could continue enriching the common language. Visit this website and start collaborating by reading, commenting, adding your own expressions and sharing your knowledge. Send any comments or suggestions to blog@sbdbooks.com

Memorial Day books for kids

Summer's first holiday is here already, but there is a more serious meaning behind all the parades and picnics that may have children asking questions about the meaning of Memorial Day, originally created in 1868 as Decoration Day to honor the fallen soldiers of the Civil War. Here is a colorful collection of kids' books that will answer some of those questions and give parents the opportunity to discuss broader issues of patriotism and service to America. Look for these using the Amazon and WorldCatalog search boxes here on BookBag.



Memorial Day Surprise, by Theresa Golding, illustrated by Alexandra Artigas (Boyds Mills Press), Ages 4-8. Marco goes to the Memorial Day parade and learns the importance of the holiday beyond picnics and parades. This is a good book for young readers who may wonder what all the excitement is about, with simple and bold illustrations that capture the eye as well as the imagination.



The Wall, by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Ronald Himler (Sandpiper), Ages 4-8. A boy and his father have come to the Vietnam War Memorial to look for the boy's grandfather's name among those who were killed in the war. Bunting's understated prose captures the meaning of the memorial to the American people, especially to those who lost loved ones. Himler's gauzy watercolors are a perfect addition. A sensitive and moving picture book, and a great discussion book as well.



F is for Flag, by Wendy Cheyette Lewison (Grosset & Dulap) Ages 4-8. June 14 is Flag Day, but with so many American flags proudly displayed on Memorial Day this book is perfect for reading together with a young child. F is for Flag shows in simple terms how one flag can mean many things: a symbol of unity, a sign of welcome, and a reminder that everyone in America is part of one big family.

Memorial Day, by Jacqueline S. Cotton (Children's Press) A picture book that explains the meaning and importance of the holiday. Large and colorful photographs tell the story in simple and easy-to-understand concepts for young readers that gives parents the chance to talk about the deeper ideas of patriotism and history.


Let's Get Ready for Memorial Day, by Lloyd G. Douglas (Children's Press) Ages 4-8. Some of the first concepts children learn about are those connected to holidays and traditions. In Let's Get Ready for Memorial Day, Amy makes a flag for the holiday and takes it to a war memorial with her father. A strong and important lesson about the sacrifices many people make to keep America strong.

Celebrating Martin Luther King Day

Today is the holiday celebrating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Many holidays are seen as a "day off" -- instead, King Day is a day of service, a "day on," to think about working toward Dr. King's goals of equality and justice for all Americans. Here is a suggested group of books for children interested in reading about King's life and work.

The list comes from the MLKday.gov website, where there is much more to explore -- reading for all ages, websites, and other information. (Resources from the National School & Community Corps and the Free Library of Philadelphia).

A Picture Book of Martin Luther King, Jr., by David A. Adler. (Holiday House, New York)

Dear Dr. King: Letters from Today's Children to Martin Luther King, Jr., by Jan Colbert (Editor), et al. (Hyperion Books for Children)

Meet Martin Luther King, Jr., by James DeKay. (Random House)

The Life and Death of Martin Luther King, Jr. by James Haskins. (Beech Tree Books)

Martin Luther King, Jr. (Black Americans of Achievement series), by Robert E. Jakoubek, edited by Nathan I. Huggins. (Chelsea House)

Martin Luther King, Jr.: Civil Rights Leader, by Kathy K. Lambert. (Chelsea Juniors)

If You Lived at the Time of Martin Luther King, by Ellen Levine, Illustrated by Anna Rich (Scholastic)

King: A Biography, by David L. Lewis. (University of Illinois Press)

Happy Birthday Martin Luther King, Jr., by Jean Marzollo. (Scholastic, Inc.).

My Dream of Martin Luther King, Jr., Illustrated by Faith Ringgold. (Crown).

I Have A Dream, by Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King. (Scholastic).

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Companion, selected by Coretta Scott King. (St. Martin's Press).

I Have A Dream: Writings and Speeches that Changed the World, edited by James Melvin Washington. (Harper).

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from all of us at BookBag!

Holiday books from the BookDads website

The holidays are here, and the BookDads site has a selection of books about winter celebrations -- not just Christmas, but Kwanzaa and the winter solstice too. Look for copies of these books using the World Catalog and Amazon search boxes here on BookBag, and be sure to visit BookDads, which always has interesting book ideas year-round.

The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats (Viking Juvenile) This classic picture book isn’t strictly a holiday book, but carries a timeless appeal for its depiction of the magic of winter. A young boy awakens to find that it has snowed during the night, and goes out to explore his city under its snowy white blanket. The story is told without text, making it ideal for pre-reading children, and is a trailblazer for its depiction of a young African-American child as the protagonist.

The Shortest Day: Celebrating the Winter Solstice, by Wendy Pfeffer (Dutton Juvenile). This book simply explains the phenomenon of the winter solstice, and how and why it came to be celebrated by peoples around the world. The solstice is described primarily in the context of the natural world, making this book widely appropriate for both freethinker and religious families of all denominations. Instructions for science activities and simple solstice celebrations are also included.

The Magic Tree House #29: Christmas in Camelot, by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House) Reading The Magic Tree House chapter books to children can be a wonderful way to introduce them both to the concept of longer stories and to the history of America and other cultures. For children already familiar with the Magic Tree House, it can be a special treat for them to experience a seasonal story set in the world of characters they know so well. In this tale, Jack and Annie must go on a journey at Christmastime to save Camelot from being forgotten forever.

Kwanzaa Kids, by Joan Holub and Ken Wilson-Max (Puffin) This lift-the-flap book is an excellent introduction to Kwanzaa for very young children. With its many Swahili terms and different traditions, Kwanzaa can be a bit challenging for children to learn about. This book cuts to the essentials, with each two-page spread giving a very short explanation about one of the Nguzo Saba – the seven Kwanzaa principles – and showing the corresponding candles on the kinara. The illustrations are bold and colorful, and help make learning about Kwanzaa easy and fun.

We Belong Together: A Book About Adoption and Families, by Todd Parr (Little Brown). Todd Parr lends his trademark colorful illustrations and upbeat writing to this affirming book about all different kinds of adoptive families. Each two-page spread completes the sentence “We belong together because …” and tells the many reasons that adoptive families feel bonded to each other. This book sends the positive message that all adoptive families are born out of love, and can be shared not only with adopted children but also non-adopted children to introduce them to the idea of adoption.

Two picture books for Halloween by Adam Rex

Being a monster isn't all frightening villagers and sucking blood. Monsters have their trials, too. Poor Frankenstein's cupboard is bare, Wolfman is in need of some household help, and it's best not to get started on Dracula’s hygiene issues.


Adam Rex has written and illustrated two picture books just right for Halloween: Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich (2006) and his newest, Frankenstein Takes the Cake (2008), both published by Harcourt Children's Books. In Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich, nineteen funny poems delve into the secret lives of the Creature from the Black Lagoon, Bigfoot, Godzilla, the Phantom of the Opera, and other scary creatures.


In a range of illustration styles from Charles Schulz to John James Audubon, Rex uncovers funny, scary and clever truths about everyone's favorite monsters.

Loaded with all manner of small rhyming stories (titles include "The Lunchsack of Notre Dame" and "Godzilla Pooped on My Honda"), the book is not merely a showcase for Adam Rex’s painting skills — he’s as equally talented at penning fantastic light verse. This is not a book of rhymes that dumbs anything down, and kids will find the results pretty funny:

If invisible men cause complaint, / get a squirt gun, and fill it with paint. / And wherever you go, / squirt around you to show / who’s a visible man, and who ain’t.

and:

Sure, Hyde was snide, he always lied, / and women cried to see him. / And yet, it still was such a thrill / when Jekyll got to be him.

Frankenstein Takes the Cake goes in a slightly different direction. There are similarities to the first book (the black and white Edgar Allan Poe bits replace the Phantom of the Opera glimpses, for example) but Rex has added a bit of a plot to his story as well. Now you end up with a story, eyeball-popping illustrations, and humor, stuff that kids and adults will find positively hilarious. And yes, there’s an obligatory poop joke too.

So what happens? Well, it’s just about time for The Bride of Frankenstein to get married, and you know what that means. Letting her parents know that she is A) Alive again and B) Marrying a fellow who’s green. Meanwhile there are catering questions to take into account (some advice... do NOT offer vampires “steak” or a werewolf silverware).


There’s a flower girl to freak out (not hard). And there’s a buffet line with some delicious and unfortunate (for Dracula) garlic bread on the menu. Other poems in the book discuss varied topics as the Headless Horseman’s dilapidated head, the dangers of answering your door the day after Halloween, and alien spam. It all ties together by the end, until you’re left with a cranky raven badgering you to finish the book.

Rex’s dialogue-turned poetry is pretty sharp, but there are other shorter poems, based on Japanese haiku, that are nicely twisted too. “A Haiku about Adam Rex” reads, “He knows Frankenstein’s / the doctor, not the monster. / Enough already.”

In the Kaiju Haiku section, there are pen and ink drawings done with just a hint of red. One features red blossoms, falling upon the barren earth. It’s only when you refocus your eyes that you realize that you’re looking at a scene of devastation: it's Godzilla trampling Tokyo. It is accompanied by the poem “An autumn rampage / the sound of leaves and soldiers / crunching underfoot.”

The real reason to buy the book, of course, is its sheer goofiness. Where else are you going to encounter the line “Quoth the raven: Tipper Gore..." The pop-culture name-dropping has been scaled back a fair amount from the first book, but Rex allows himself to be extremely silly in that way once in a while. No other author would ever think of “peep” as one of the ghoulish words of Edgar Allan Poe. (And then there's the Headless Horseman’s blog.) Both Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich and Frankenstein Takes the Cake are gross, cool, weird, and fun. Everything, in fact, that kids look for in Halloween books.

Super-scary stories for Halloween

Are you scared yet? Halloween is almost here and there are still plenty of great books to read this month. Here are some super-scary stories for tweens to read with the all the lights on -- if you dare! Look for these books using the World Catalog / Amazon search boxes here on BookBag.

After the War, by Tim Lebbon (Subterranean Press) Two short, dark and grim tales of Tim Lebbon's Cataclysmic War cycle set in Noreela: "Vale of Blood Roses" is the story of a mercenary's journey back home and the valley he discovers filled with a strange group of post-apocalyptic survivors, and "The Bujuman" tells the tale of Korrin, a hunter alone and outcast, in his battle to stay alive after a great plague. Continuing to explore Noreela City from his 2006 and 2007 novels Dusk and Dawn, Lebbon himself calls these stories noir fantasy. Both stories are loaded with gruesome sights (especially in noir fiction, apocalypse is not pretty) and the writing is sharp and quick as a knifeblade. Both of these tales read like quick sketches for a longer work-in-progress -- Lebbon mentions writing these while preparing for his latest Noreela novel, Fallen. The reader won't need a deep knowledge of the Noreela novels but After the War might whet your appetite for learning about the history of Ventgorians, the Poison Forest and the Violet Dogs. There's no doubt more to come in the Noreela saga -- best choose your weapon now.

Emily the Strange: The Lost Days, by Rob Reger; illustrated by Rob Reger and Buzz Parker (Harper) Fiction. In her first novel-length adventure, Emily the Strange has amnesia and finds herself in the town of Blackrock with nothing more than a slingshot, the clothes she's wearing (all black), a pencil, and a notebook with 11 pages torn out of it. She can't remember anything--for instance, is she a kid, or just very short? Is she a dog person or a cat person, or does she even think those are valid categories? And what's she doing in Blackrock? Fans of smart, snarky goth-girl Emily -- who graces everything from t-shirts to skateboards to the pages of comics -- will gleefully devour this dryly funny, unusual story tinged with menace and mystery.

Prophecy of the Sisters, by Michelle Zink (Little, Brown) Dark Fantasy. Soon after their father dies under mysterious circumstances, orphaned twin sisters Lia and Alice Milthorpe discover that an ancient prophecy has pitted them against one

another in a mystical battle between good and evil. One of the sisters will save the world -- if she can prevent the other from bringing about its end -- but which one? Set in a small town in upstate New York in the 19th century and written with a distinct Victorian air, this haunting novel features richly drawn characters, psychological nuances, spells, fallen angels, and murder most foul. Shiveringly delicious.

The Game of Sunken Places, by M.T. Anderson (Scholastic) Fantasy/Adventure. If you took Jumanji, made it more sinister and disorienting, and threw in some offbeat humor to relieve the tension, you'd have something like this madly entertaining, action-packed book from the author of Whales on Stilts. Best friends Brian and Gregory have accepted an invitation to spend their vacation at the dreary and isolated old mansion where Gregory's eccentric Uncle Max lives. But Uncle Max's invitation was just a cover for his plan to use the boys as pawns in a supernatural board game with rules they can only guess--and with actual trolls, ogres, and assorted other monsters as opponents!

The Dark Pond, by Joseph Bruchac (HarperTrophy) Horror. Boarding school student Armie Katchatorian inherited strong intuition from his mother, a Shawnee Indian. Since he was a little kid, Armie's talent has made his classmates think he's weird, so he's become something of a loner and spends a lot of time roaming the woods that surround his school. When he finds a dark, eerie pond in the woods and notices that many sets of animal tracks lead to it, but none lead away from it, Armie knows that he's come across something evil. Readers who enjoyed Native American author Joseph Bruchac's Skeleton Man and other suspenseful tales that incorporate Native legends will want to dive into The Dark Pond.

Invasion of the Road Weenies: And Other Warped and Creepy Tales, by David Lubar (Starscape) Short Stories. In this collection of 35 tales, a town is overrun by threatening and unsmiling joggers, a girl finds her Halloween transformed by a special pair of gloves, a mummy pursues revenge, and a boy takes a shortcut to an unexpected place. Author David Lubar writes fun stories that range from strange to creepy to totally bizarre; some of them are too silly to be scary, but others are sure to give you a serious case of the willies. Mr. Lubar does something else interesting (especially for all of you up-and-coming writers out there): he explains how he got the idea for each story at the end of the book.

Double-Dare to Be Scared: Another Thirteen Chilling Tales, by Robert D. San Souci (Cricket Books) Short Stories. The scary things in these 13 tales of trauma and terror run the gamut from monsters in the woods to enormous spiders to ghosts, demons, and aliens. If you love getting a good shiver of fright but don't like long books, then this collection of spooky stories and the first volume of horror short stories by author Robert D. San Souci, Dare to Be Scared, are just right for you. Want even more scary short stories? Check out The Dark-Thirty by Patricia McKissack or Beware!, a collection of thrilling tales by various authors that was edited by none other than master of creepiness, R.L. Stine.