Night Job by Karen Hesse

When I saw today's read, there was no way I was going to pass up on the chance to take a peek at it. It takes a look at a night time, school janitor and what he does as his son accompanies him.

(Time for a trip down memory lane....) My father worked as a high school janitor next to his regular job for many years, so that my six siblings and I could attend a 'better' school. We lived in the heart of a city, and the public high school in our district wasn't exactly a calm place. There were metal detectors and cops even back then due to the violence...and I'm talking fairly long ago. The private school was expensive, especially since my dad didn't earn much, and seven kids is a lot to put through. But as a janitor, he was able to secure us free tuition. So, he worked a physical labor job outdoors from 7:30am all day, and started his janitor job around 4pm or so until about midnight. I have no doubt that his sacrifice made a huge difference in our lives and even then knew the huge amount of effort it took as he'd sleep whenever he could on our couch.

I would, sometimes, accompany him, usually if I had a sport's game or practice of something and needed a ride home with him afterwards. So, this cover is nostalgic for me.

Anyway, let's see what this book is about, shall we?

 

NIGHT JOB

by Karen Hesse

Illustrated by G. Brian Karas

Candlewick Press

Picture Book

32 pages

ages 3 to 7

With lyrical narration and elegant, evocative artwork, Newbery Medalist Karen Hesse and illustrator G. Brian Karas share the nighttime experience of a father and child.

When the sun sets, Dad's job as a school custodian is just beginning. What is it like to work on a Friday night while the rest of the city is asleep? There's the smell of lilacs in the night air, the dusky highway in the moonlight, and glimpses of shy nighttime animals to make the dark magical. Shooting baskets in the half-lit gym, sweeping the stage with the game on the radio, and reading out loud to his father in the library all help the boy's time pass quickly. But what makes the night really special is being with Dad. Newbery Medalist Karen Hesse's quietly powerful story of a boy and his father is tenderly brought to life by G. Brian Karas in this luminous tribute to an enduring, everyday sort of love.

GOODREADS     /      AMAZON      /     PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

With family goodness, these pages raise awareness for the hard work parents and adults do to care for the kids.

The sun is going down, which means it's about time for a boy and his father to take off on the motorcycle and head toward the school. There, the father works as a night time janitor, and the boy accompanies him. While the boy, sometimes, helps out a little here and there, other times he reads books or even sleeps in a corner in the library. When the sun rises, they head home with a sense of family love and an extra twist at the end.

The illustrations will come across with familiarity as readers will see aspects of their own schools in the scenes. Plus, it will awaken dreams of what it'd be like to spend the night in the school when barely anybody else is there. Then, the text comes in with a gentle flow to match the night tone. It has a poetic feel to it, although it doesn't take on that form. This creates a lovely read-aloud, especially for school settings, since listeners will immediately let their imaginations drift into what it'd be like if they stayed in the school.

As to the messaging, there's two aspects which work nicely. First, these pages make it clear that parents often sacrifice quite a bit for the well being of their children. The father not only works diligently in his position and comes home in the morning tired from working all night. The second aspect is the large amount of care the father has for the son. While working, he never ignores his son, but makes sure he's comfortable and taken care of. Especially the scenes of the son reading books aloud in the library while the father cleans hold goodness pure. Even the last scene makes this entire loving atmosphere very clear and leaves everything off with a very caring note.

The Book of Frights for Spooky Nights by Leisa Stewart-Sharpe

Halloween is creeping in, and we're going to up 

THE BOOK OF FRIGHTS FOR SPOOKY NIGHTS

by Leisa Stewart-Sharpe

Illustrated by Eva Sanchez Gomez

Wide Eyed Editions

Middle Grade Horror

64 pages

ages 7 to 9

Open The Book of Frights for Spooky Nights—if you dare—and encounter the world's most haunted places in the journal of a long-lost Ghost Hunter.

Ghosts and ghouls, crypts and cryptids await you in The Book of Frights for Spooky Nights, the illustrated notes of a long-gone Ghost Hunter—a guru from beyond the grave who explored the world's scariest places.

As you flick through the Ghost Hunter's chilling firsthand narrative, you'll experience running from the headsman's axe in the Tower of London, seeking out the seasick spirits aboard the Queen Mary in California, and escaping the pharaoh's wrath in the Valley of the Kings, with this frighteningly factual compendium of spooky sites from around the globe. For each haunted locale, you'll first read the research of the ghost hunter, learning all about the real history and beliefs behind the creepy goings-on. Then, you're put in the middle of the action as you read their account of visiting each place in an attempt to finally complete the Book of Frights, and end its curse for good... From treading the storied cemeteries of Edinburgh to dodging the Headless Horseman in Connecticut, these are adventures you wouldn't want to go on alone!

As well as the featured locations, scattered throughout the book are many more secrets and facts to uncover in the bitesize tales of the Ghost Hunter's travels to farflung places, grouping together spooky castles, eerie countryside, forests of fear, and even whole islands said to be haunted.

With hauntingly beautiful illustrations and a thrilling fact-or-fiction, book-within-a-book narrative, The Book of Frights for Spooky Nights is best read by the flickering light of a campfire, or a flashlight way past bedtime...

GOODREADS     /    AMAZON     /     PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

Chills, thrills, and myths mix with nonfiction goodness to create a read, which showcases the many fears around the world.

The first pages lure in with a short, creepy tale. The book is coming for you in a haunting way, and it carries a note from a ghost hunter, who explains this book is cursed. After setting this chilling tone, the pages dive into the various myths, which have served as ghost stories for generations. These are broken down into locations such as opera halls, mansions, castles, and more. Each one holds about four pages of various tales surrounding each location. These are presented in a few short sentences each in small paragraphs, which are placed in various locations on each page. Each one gets a short title (to keep things organized), and each one is accompanied by a small illustration to make sure the creepy atmosphere sits. It forms an informative and enticing read. At the end, the cursed book visits again to wrap everything up.

There's a delightful mix between creepy vibes and presentation of the various myths and legends. These aren't ghost stories, but rather, each one gives a quick summary of the myth...just enough to make it clear and attention grabbing. The illustrations carry darker tones and stick to the haunting atmosphere nicely, which dribbling in just enough visual information to make things understandable when needed. The text is great for the age group and keeps even more reluctant readers in mind thanks to the briefness of each myth. I wasn't a huge fan of the italics font. While it sticks nicely with the atmosphere, it doesn't make reading much more difficult for anyone who isn't strong on the word end. Still, these are written with care and keep the interest in the pages.

Not only is this great for fans of spooky myths and legends, but it would work nicely in classrooms and school libraries as an introduction to a theme or project. 

And here they are...

Leisa Stewart-Sharpe is an author of children's non-fiction and picture books. Born in Bundaberg, Australia, Leisa grew up fascinated by wild places and even wilder animals. As an adult, Leisa brings that fascination to a wide array of children's books, taking in everything from chocolate to buried treasure and sharks to environmental activism. Her works include the companion books to the BBC's Blue Planet II, The Green Planet and Frozen Planet II, as well as Happy Stories for Animal Lovers (Ivy Kids, 2023) and The Comeback Creatures (Wide Eyed Editions, 2024). Leisa lives in England with her family.

Eva Sánchez Gómez was born in Puigcerdà, Spain. She graduated with her Fine Arts degree from University of Barcelona and focused on illustration in “Escola Francesca Bonnemaison” of “La Diputació de Barcelona”. Her tender, grumpy, melancholic, funny, or ironic characters accompanied her all along this learning process. Since then, she has illustrated more than thirty novels and picture books for publishers from different countries. Three of her published books as illustrator have been part of the prestigious White Ravens list in 2020 and 2021.

In the Witch's House by Amy Houts

Halloween is only 15 days away! I just brought my Halloween deco boxes out of the basement and will have to get that going, or this holiday will just run right by me. We don't really get trick-or-treaters where we live (when you live in your own valley with the next neighbor 1/2 mile down a dirt, very bumpy road, that just doesn't happen). And since I only have my last daughter in the house, and she's finishing up her Senior year of high school...well, Halloween just isn't the same as it once was. But I try to remember to keep it fun, at least. 

What are you guys up to on that day? Do you decorate a lot, just a little, or not at all?

Plus, we live in the heart of the Bible Belt, which dampens the general excitement for the holiday, anyway.

Oh! And I'm suppose to tell you about today's read! Well, today's read looks absolutely adorable as a girl is forced to enter a witch's house. I have a feeling this one could be really well done if it takes the direction I'm hoping it will. But let's just dive in and see what it holds, shall we?

IN THE WITCH'S HOUSE

by Amy Houts

Illustrated by Berna Datema

Monarch Educational Services, LLC
Picture Book

pages 42

ages 5 to 8

Something strange is happening in the witch's house...
When a curious child steps inside, cobwebs swish, bones clatter, and mysterious sights await. Not everything is as it seems. With lyrical language, gentle suspense, and a cozy twist ending, This read-aloud favorite offers just the right mix of spooky and sweet. Perfect for autumn storytimes, family bedtime reading, or classroom fun,
In the Witch's House invites young readers into a not-so-scary tale where imagination takes center stage. Ideal for ages 5+, clean content, and full of magical charm without fear or fright.

GOODREADS     /      AMAZON     /     PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

Get ready for an adorable read with tons of spooky vibes and surprises, too.

A Dad announces that he's taking his daughter to the new neighbor's house, but she's not sure she wants to go. After all, it does look a bit spooky, and she is a little shy. When they get there, things are even darker and stranger than she expected. The front door creaks open with nobody answering, cobwebs hang in the corners, a snake dangles from the ceiling, and so many other things definitely hint that this is a dangerous witch's house. And then, Dad disappears. The little girl doesn't know what to do and soon races everywhere to find him. But before she can, she runs across the witch.

The author has done a marvelous play between spooky, over-active imaginations, and fun. The little girl's hesitation will, at first, have many readers wondering why she's so careful, but then, the tension starts to build, especially when she finds all sorts of things which scream witch and odd. It's impossible not to believe that the little girl was right in her first assumptions...and wonder why in the world the Dad isn't as hesitant, and then, he disappears! And yet, the book never crosses into scary. The illustrations bring everything across with enough lightness in the imagery and colors to make sure it doesn't grow dark. And when the witch appears...well, let's just say that any tension readers had will begin to switch gears. It's a lovely balance to make a fun read, which will keep readers in the pages and have them smiling by the end.

This is written in rhyme and flows well. The text is kept fairly short, making sure the tale rolls right along, but there's enough to build the atmosphere and girl's thoughts to draw in. This makes it a lovely read-aloud from group and smaller sittings. Add the detailed illustrations, which will have readers revisiting the scenes, and it's a wonderful, Halloween read from beginning to end.

And here they are...

When Amy Houts taught preschool at Head Start, dramatic play was a favorite of her students. She was inspired to write this book after one of their Halloween celebrations. Amy is the author of 100+ books for children for both faith-based and general market publishers. Amy’s faith-based books include bath books, Noah’s Ark and The Creation (Sunbeam/Bushel & Peck Books), God’s Earth is Something to Fight For (Sunbeam/ Bushel & Peck Books), and God’s Protection Covers Me (Beaming Books). Amy’s educational books include 60 retold tales for the series, Compass Children’s Classics. Her 10 nonfiction science early readers were published by Highlights. To find out more, visit her website: www.amyhouts.com.

Berna Datema is a Dutch children’s book author and illustrator. Born in Alkmaar, the Netherlands, she studied to become an art teacher in Amsterdam and went on to attend the Vogue Academy of Fashion Design. She worked as fashion designer for children’s clothes, specialized in prints and repeat pattern design. Berna’s first children’s book series, which featured a family of meerkats, were illustrated in watercolor and ink and published by C. de Vries-Brouwers in Antwerp. Along with writing and illustrating,
Berna designed digital materials for scrapbooking, working for international websites and shops. Berna took part in several inspiring courses by platforms Domestika, Lilla Rogers, and Skillshare, such as Editorial Illustrating and Illustrating for Children’s Books. Berna is member of childrensillustrators.com and SCBWI. Visit her website: https://www.bernadatema.com

Raven Saga, Vol. 1 by Chihiro Howe

Today's read dives into the fairy tale direction, and I'm, actually, really looking forward to it. It seems like an eternity, since I last had my hands on some sort of fairy tale retelling, and I'm hoping that this one does a nice job with bringing tons of original aspects, while hitting enough familiarity to make a reader smile. It doesn't hit the shelves until January, so I'm hitting this one early.

Ready to dive into the fantasy realm and see what this book holds?

RAVEN SAGA, VOL. 1

by Chihiro Howe

WEBTOON Unscrolled

YA Adventure /   

Graphic Novel

304 pages

COMING...

JANUARY 6th!!!

Perfect for fans of fairy tales and Studio Ghibli, this gorgeous fantasy graphic novel adapted from the hit WEBTOON comic tells the story of a girl on an epic quest to rescue her grandmother in a world populated by fairy tale characters.

Wen lives in a land of fairy tales and has never seen the world outside of her home. The house where she and her grandmother, Clarimonde, reside is protected and secluded by a magical barrier. Wen dreams of exploring the world and seeing the ocean one day, yet her grandmother insists that she stay inside their little bubble where the seasons never change.

When a peculiar boy with a band of ravens begins capturing magic users across the kingdom, she must uncover the secrets held within the woods before the world is robbed of its happily ever after.

One day, a mysterious prince passes out just outside the barrier and Wen crosses over to help him. In the confusion outside the protective circle, the boy and his flock of ravens descend and abduct Wen’s grandmother. Wen decides to travel with her newfound friend, Prince Corliss, and his trusty sidekick Theo the swallow, on a quest to save Clarimonde.

On her journey, Wen discovers that the outside world isn’t as magical as she once thought, and danger lurks around every corner. But with the help of her friends, she will do her best to unravel the mystery of the boy with the ravens, and more importantly, the mystery of her own past.

This volume collects episodes 1 to 17 of the enchanting WEBTOON comic Raven Saga.

GOODREADS      /      PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

With the atmosphere of pure, simple fun, these pages hint at familiar tales while weaving a completely new story of its own.

Wen has lived with her grandmother as long as she can remember on the small piece of land in a clearing in the forest. She enjoys her life and gets along with the animals very well, and Grandma makes sure to bring her gifts and lots of books when venturing into town. There's only one thing Wen isn't totally happy with; their land is spelled and protected, meaning she's not allowed to step beyond the rock border. Although she dreams of one day seeing the world beyond, she also knows her grandmother only has her best interests at heart. When an odd light zooms in from the outside, it beckons to Wen in a way she can't ignore, and before she knows it, she's beyond the border and into the forest. Here, she discovers an injured prince with a flower insignia on his ring. While her grandmother is very upset, the old woman reveals that she's been waiting for a prophesied flower to appear, and this might be exactly it. Just as her grandmother is about to reveal the truth about Wen's past, a boy with crows attacks and steals the grandmother away. But before she completely disappears, she's able to tell Wen to find a certain individual and makes the prince promise to protect Wen until this task is complete. But that's going to be easier said than done.

Wen is everything a fairy tale heroine should be: innocent, friendly, and very kind. Her isolation has left her with a naive purity, which makes her enjoyable to follow and root for, especially since she's not completely stupid. She might have a lot to learn, but she's quick to realize mistakes and knows when to stand her ground. It will be fun to see what happens to her in this series, since there is quite a bit of room for character growth. With the prince, who is facing an odd curse, and other characters, such as the Pied Piper and Jack, the one who defeated the giant at the top of the bean stalk, there are all sorts of surprises. Not everyone is kind, and many characters are even gray. 

The graphics carry a hint of light, bubbliness. Still, the needed tension and emotions come across clearly to keep the tale from growing too sweet or simple. The text slides right along to keep everything flowing. It's a nice balance between the two and keeps boredom away. While there are moments of tension and hints of darker elements, this story holds gentle humor and innocence close to ensure a light fun the entire way through. And this fits very well to the characters and plot.

I'm really looking foward to seeing where this one goes next because Wen has quite the adventure before her.

Happy Book Birthday, Leaf Town Forever by Kathleen Rooney and Beth Rooney!

 

It's happy book birthday time! Today's read is perfect for the Fall weather and the leaves falling from the trees. We've had a very odd season, and while leaves have finally begun to fall...somewhat...it doesn't look like Autumn here, yet. Honestly, I have to mow the grass this week again, and I'm always done with that mid-September. But those leaves can't hang on the trees forever, and the cooler temperatures have to be arriving at some point. So, I'm going to hope that this read guides me into colored leaf dreaming and see what it holds.

LEAF TOWN FOREVER

by Kathleen Rooney and

Beth Rooney

Illustrated by Betsy Bowen

University of Minnesota Press

Picture Book

32 pages

ages 4 to 8

Leaf Town suddenly springs up. One day the clearing outside the school is empty, and the next it’s a bustling town complete with a hotel, shop, and mayor. Children gather and find treasures everywhere: feathers, acorns, lost rings, an old medal, and plenty of leaves and pine needles. They even uncover a silver skeleton key in the muddy banks of a nearby creek and proclaim it the heart of Leaf Town. As the town grows, it attracts the attention of the kids up the street, and a colossal fight threatens to destroy everything that was built. But the heart of Leaf Town is saved, and the kids rally to rebuild their city together, expanding to welcome the neighboring kids as well as all sorts of birds and animals. They hang a sign, Leaf Town Forever, and pass the key to the next generation of children who will look after their beloved town.

Based on a true story, Leaf Town Forever is the gentle tale of a town created by children with vivid imaginations. The timeless and universal saga, written in haiku, reminds both kids and adults that some dreams are worth protecting. Unfurling over the cycle of seasons, this is the story of an enchanting place full of tenacity and hope, creativity and fun—a connection to the natural world within reach for us all if we unite to make and maintain it.

GOODREADS    /     AMAZON

MY TIDBITS

Playful hours outside let imagination take flight in this inspiring read about a town of leaves.

This is the story of a bunch of kids, who decided to use all the leaves on the ground to form a town. They do this by clearing off smaller circles and piling the leaves along the edges to create 'buildings' or spaces. The kids claim their space and make stores, libraries, or anything else a town would hold. They even head out to collect things to decorate their spaces. The town grows and the kids are having a great time until the leaves are blown away. But this isn't the end of the game by any means.

Everything about these pages celebrates Autumn and children playing outside together. The hues in the illustrations lean toward the browns and oranges to keep the atmosphere in the right season the entire way through. The reader follows the kids as they form their buildings and hunt for decoration, and it inspires kids to head outside and try this on their own. Even when the leaves blow away, there isn't much time spent on the disappointment. Rather, the kids go with the flow. It reminds of neighborhood kids meeting after school or on weekend...or even of recess outside. It works well as an idea for a project as well.

The tale flows nicely and draws in as the text fits well to the intended age group. This makes for a smooth read-aloud for group settings or for cozier sessions at home. 

And here they are...

Kathleen Rooney is a founding editor of Rose Metal Press, a nonprofit publisher of literary work in hybrid genres, and a founding member of Poems While You Wait. She is author of five novels, including Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk and Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey, as well as the poetry collection Where Are the Snows. She lives in Chicago and teaches at DePaul University.

Beth Rooney is a visual journalist based in Oak Park, Illinois. A writer and photographer, she is drawn to stories that explore our place in the world and show how individual circumstances reflect larger truths. 

Betsy Bowen is author and illustrator of many children's books, including Pocket of Prairie and The Lost Forest, both published by the University of Minnesota Press. She lives in Grand Marais, Minnesota.