I decided to read books keeping in mind the Halloween theme over the weekend and found some fun new books to read while some are books I have always enjoyed reading (like Abra Cadabra) while the others are Halloween finds. All books go toward the Picture Book Challenge.

 

Edgar, Allan, and Poe, and the Tell-Tale Beets –

This is a hilarious twist on classic Poe. The Tell-Tale Heart takes on a fresh new perspective(not exactly fresh when what is under the floorboards is stinky vegetables!) in this story.

Edgar, Allen, and Poe are three boys who dread dinner everyday – they think up a way to avoid eating the broccoli, brussel sprouts and other yucky stuff their mom serves while letting mom think they ate it so they can have their dessert.They find their way out under the floorboard which works for a while until – in Poe fashion – the veggies come alive – they stink, they make noises, they explode out of the floorboard.

Colorful illustrations that speak for themselves accompany the alliterative, onomatopoeic language of this wonderful book. This is a book my daughter has already asked me to read over and over again.

The lesson: Always eat your veggies else they will be back to haunt you!!

Mystery of Eatum Hall, The– the pictures tell their own story along with the words in this dark yet humorous story. Glenda and Horace Pork-Fowler and the mysterious Dr.Hunter are the main actors in this story.  When food-loving Glenda and Horace receive an out-of-the-blue invitation from the new owner of ‘Eatum Hall’ for a weekend of eat-all-you-can, they pack up and reach Eatum Hall without thinking (what is there to think!).  No host to greet them as they reach Eatum Hall. But machines all around indulge their every whim. Clueless Glenda and Horace miss all the clues that something is wrong – from the invitation to the house itself. They feel sad that they are going to miss a grand pie feast on Sunday (which is after they leave) again not knowing what the feast is going to be made of! Readers get an ‘in’ into the ominous secret by looking at the shadowed yet colorful illustrations and the clever pun-intended wordings.
The lesson: Say No to strangers!

Ogre Fun– Ever wondered why ogres don’t live here(or there) anymore? Ogre fun gives you answers with the fun story of Young Gronny. He is bored – his elders warn him what happened when they tried to have fun before (The ogres sighed -“Remember catching hiccups from the troll?””Then itches from the witches almost made us lose control”) – but ogre explores and decides young humans are an easy scare. Little does he know he has caught something from them already!! The story is told in fun rhymes and the illustrations are fluid and bright.. The ogres are so very likable that we have read this many times already this weekend.
Warning: You can catch something too as you read the book..

Abra Cadabra and the Tooth Witch – This book is super cute – we love Abra Cadabra. I picked it just like that but am sure it will be good to read when kids start losing their first tooth (my son already did sometime back and my daughter not yet). With whimsical illustrations, the story tells you how the tooth fairy came to be and what happens to all the teeth she has. We have read it many times just because….