Top 5 Children's Winter Reads

The Nutcracker by E.T.A. Hoffmann

With the holiday season in full swing and winter approaching, I thought it would be nice to share some of my favorite seasonal children’s stories. What books are on your winter reading list?

1. The Nutcracker by E.T. A. Hoffmann

As a lover of ballet, The Nutcracker is easily my favorite holiday story. This one keeps visions of sugar plums dancing in my head all winter long. A perfect choice for the tiny dancer in your life.

2. The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Anderson

Fairy tales have a special place in my heart, and what better way to celebrate the season than by reading this wintery favorite. With the popularity of Disney’s Frozen, this will likely be an easy favorite for kids.

 3. Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George

For me, winter is the prime time for fairy tales and this YA retelling of the Norwegian fairy tale “East of the Sun and West of the Moon” is no different. While it might be better suited to teen readers, tweens and upper Middle Graders should be able to appreciate this one.

4. How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss

A perennial favorite with adults and children alike, it’s not really Christmas time until our green-skinned friend comes out. It’s a classic for a reason.

5. The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

What’s more magical and comforting than the thought of jumping on a train and heading up to the North Pole on a snowy night? Whimsy and wonder abound in this heartwarming little story, and it continues to charm readers of all ages. 

Top 5 MG & YA Halloween Reads

Looking for something spooky to read to get you in the mood for the Halloween season? Well, look no further! Here is a list of my top five favorite spooky Middle Grade and Young Adult books, in no particular order.

Top 5 MG & YA Halloween Reads

Rabbit in Red by Joe Chianakas; photo courtesy of Goodreads

1.  Rabbit in Red by Joe Chianakas

If you are in any way a fan of the horror genre (especially slasher movie classics), then this is the book for you. This YA is dark and bloody, but not without humor too and not to mention FUN. It is Cabin in the Woods meets Ready Player One. In it, teenager Bill Wise wins a trip to the studio of his favorite director to compete in a contest that tests his love for the horror genre and win an internship with the studio. But is this contest really as it seems? I'm not telling - you'll have to find out for yourself. And I strongly recommend you do.

2. The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier

Set during the time of the Potato Famine era, this middle grade book tells the story of two Irish children who have journeyed to England to find work in a remote manor house. They quickly discover that they have found themselves in a house haunted by a mysterious figure called “the night man” who plagues the family who lives there. The children must uncover the secrets of this phantom before it is too late. This is pure classic gothic horror at its finest, and underneath the creepy atmosphere there is a beautifully sincere heart resting in the core. 

3.  Doll Bones by Holly Black

This is one of my favorite books of all time. It is a middle grade mystery and tells the story of three friends who go on an impromptu adventure to bury a doll which they believe is haunted by the ghost of a dead girl. But it is so much more than that. It is simultaneously creepy and sentimental, haunting and tender. At it's heart, this is a coming-of-age story laced with gentle brushes of paranormal horror. It is eerie, it is touching, it is brilliant. 

4.  The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls by Claire Legrand

Another fun and creepy middle grade horror, The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls is delightfully quirky and unsettling. Young Victoria doesn't like nonsense so when her friend Lawrence disappears and things go topsy-turvy, she launches a quest to restore order to her perfectly manicured life. This investigation leads her to the sinister title orphanage where Victoria finds herself in over her head with the malevolent mistress who oversees its operations. It's very reminiscent of Neil Gaiman's "Coraline", but unique enough to stand on its own creepy, crawly legs.  

5.  Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Lovers of J-horror flicks, rejoice. This is the perfect book to get your ghostly fix. While Joe Chianakas' Rabbit in Red veers more toward the slasher genre, Anna Dressed in Blood goes the route of the supernatural. It is a dark YA about Cas Lowood, a teenage ghost hunter who ends up getting tangled in the story of a tragic phantom known as Anna Dressed in Blood. It is utterly frightening and heartfelt at the same time, and it truly exemplifies the YA Horror genre. It's a must read for any horror enthusiast. 

Author Spotlight: Jennifer Gadd

In this "Author Spotlight" I interviewed Jennifer Gadd, author of the recently published book, CAT MOON by Distinguished Press. It is a Middle Grade horror, perfect for kids who like a little touch of spookiness in their stories. 

CAT MOON by Jennifer Gadd

C.J.: Can you tell us about some of the inspiration for your newly released book, CAT MOON?

Jennifer: A few things come to mind on this. One is a long-time interest in the folklore around lycanthropy. Couple that with the character of Remus Lupin from the Harry Potter series and the burgeoning market for teen vampire stuff, and you have a pretty good medium for what I wound up writing.


C.J.: What was your biggest challenge that you faced during writing this book?

Jennifer: When I wrote the book ten years ago, my girls were 11 and 16. And the thing about kids is that they constantly need stuff. Finding blocks of time where I wouldn’t be interrupted was the thing I remember being very frustrating. 

C.J.: Who was your favorite character to write?

Jennifer: Oh, Emma, definitely. I love that girl so much. She sort of sprang out of my imagination fully-formed, as it were, so I always knew exactly how she would react, what she would want, and what she would say without having to think very hard about it.

C.J.:  If you could transform into any animal, what would you choose?

Jennifer: I would like to be a dog who lives in my house. Because that’s a pretty cushy proposition.

C.J.: Who are some of your favorite authors and favorite books?

Jennifer: In my opinion, the finest novel ever written is The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. It is just so tightly written, with hardly even one word wasted. Just brilliant. I do love a lot of “canon” literature—Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and George Eliot, to name a few. For more popular authors, I would choose Agatha Christie, Douglas Adams,  Candace Robb, and Anne Perry.

C.J.:  How did you get started as a writer?

Jennifer: I don’t remember ever NOT being a writer, to tell the truth. I can remember writing short stories and poems in elementary school. Anytime there was a writing-based choice for school projects, that was my option.

C.J.: What advice do you have for young, aspiring writers? 

Jennifer: Read everything you can get your hands on. Read good stuff, read bad stuff, read easy stuff, read hard stuff. Read. And then write. Write every spare second you have available. And don’t forget to make time for writing. Make it a priority. If you don’t, life will always manage to take the time from you.

You can find CAT MOON here:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Smashwords