I remember buying a copy of Bunnicula by James Howe in third grade at my elementary school's book fair and loving it. Now I am reading the Bunnicula series with my third grader, and he loves it, too! It is the story of a family who goes to see a movie on a stormy night and finds a strange but cute bunny rabbit without a home. They take him back to their house and make him part of their family. The story is told through the eyes of the family dog, Harold. Harold along with the family cat, Chester, are put on guard when they notice this new, mysterious bunny doing some pretty strange things. Who is this new pet? This mystery story is fun and spooky but not too spooky. My third grader isn't a fan of any story that is too intense or scary, and he enjoys this. It is the perfect balance of gentle suspense that kids will love. recommended age: 7+
book of the day: i spy spooky night by walter wick and jean marzollo
18 days until Halloween! Here is another fun one to celebrate the season. Everyone knows about the I Spy book series. They have a million and one puzzling picture search books for kids of all ages (and their moms and dads, too) ranging in themes from holidays and seasons to school days and treasure hunts.
This Halloween-themed I Spy is set in a spooky old haunted house where guests can wander from a moonlit midnight courtyard to a cobwebbed library to an evil laboratory. Each scene comes with a list of objects for the reader to find hidden within the picture. First reader to find all of the items on the list wins an extra handful of candy corn! No? Well, that's how it works in my house.