My Mama Says There Aren't Any Zombies, Ghosts, Vampires, Creatures, Demons, Monsters, Fiends, Goblins, or Things


Judith Viorst - 1973
    Maybe there isn't any mean-eyed monster with long slimy hair and pointy claws going scritchyscratch, scritchy-scritchy-scratch outside his window. And maybe there isn't a Thing in his yard, coming to swallow him up. His Mama says there positively aren't. But...sometimes even Mamas make mistakes. Yes, once she said there wasn't any cream cheese for his sandwich, and then he found it underneath the lettuce. And once she said his tooth would fall out Thursday, and then it stayed till Sunday after lunch. And once he told her chocolate nut and she brought back rum raisin. Yes...sometimes even Mamas make mistakes. And so, when his Mama says that no creature is reaching out its hand, to pinch him or squinch him or push him or squush him or worse, can he believe her? For lots of times a Mama makes mistakes. But when it comes to demons and fiends and other bedtime terrors, sometimes even Mamas can be trusted.

The Key to Extraordinary


Natalie Lloyd - 2016
    Her ancestors include Revolutionary War spies, brilliant scientists, and famous musicians--every single one of which learned of their extraordinary destiny through a dream. For Emma, her own dream can't come soon enough. Right before her mother died, Emma promised that she'd do whatever it took to fulfill her destiny, and she doesn't want to let her mother down. But when Emma's dream finally arrives, it points her toward an impossible task--finding a legendary treasure hidden in her town's cemetery. If Emma fails, she'll let down generations of extraordinary ancestors . . . including her own mother. But how can she find something that's been missing for centuries and might be protected by a mysterious singing ghost? With her signature blend of lyrical writing, quirky humor, and unforgettable characters, Natalie Lloyd's The Key to Extraordinary cements her status as one of the most original voices writing for children today.

Uni the Unicorn


Amy Krouse Rosenthal - 2014
    Somewhere there must be a smart, strong, wonderful, magical little girl waiting to be best friends. In fact, far away (but not too far), a real little girl believes there is a unicorn waiting for her. This refreshing and sweet story of friendship reminds believers and nonbelievers alike that sometimes wishes really can come true.

Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich


Adam Rex - 2006
    Monster-sized. You try to address Dracula's hygiene issues. And don't even get me started on the Phantom of the Opera. Really, just read this book.

The Doll in the Garden


Mary Downing Hahn - 1989
    She had been warned never to go there...But as ten year-old Ashley followed the beautiful white cat through a small opening in the hedge, she stepped into an enchanted place...A place where she might find the answers...Who is the little girl with golden curls and the huge sad eyes? Whose voice cries out in the dark of night? Why does the white cat cast no shadow in the moonlight? Who is the owner of the beautiful doll found buried in the garden? And if Ashley discovers the truth, can she ever go back...?

Don't Bump the Glump! and Other Fantasies


Shel Silverstein - 1964
    Now available again after three decades, DON'T BUMP THE GLUMP! and Other Fantasies was originally published in 1964, the same year as his most famous picture book, THE GIVING TREE.

George's Marvelous Medicine / The Twits / The BFG


Roald Dahl - 1997
    

Dog Loves Books


Louise Yates - 2010
    At first he’s short of customers. But that’s all right, because when Dog is surrounded by books, he is never short of friends—or fun. And when customers begin arriving, he knows just which books to recommend.Louise Yates’s expressive little white dog—and his many expressive doggie customers—extend an irresistible invitation to the very youngest to try reading. It’s fun!

Daisy-Head Mayzie


Dr. Seuss - 1994
    But will fane and fortune prove a substitute for friends and family?By combining the funniest stories, craziest creatures and zaniest pictures with his unique bland of rhyme, rhythm and repetition, Dr. Seuss helps children of all ages and abilities learn to read.'Daisy-Head Mazie' is narrated by the watching Cat in the Hat.

Dragons Love Tacos


Adam Rubin - 2012
    They love chicken tacos, beef tacos, great big tacos, and teeny tiny tacos. So if you want to lure a bunch of dragons to your party, you should definitely serve tacos. Buckets and buckets of tacos. Unfortunately, where there are tacos, there is also salsa. And if a dragon accidentally eats spicy salsa . . . oh, boy. You're in red-hot trouble.The award-winning team behind Those Darn Squirrels! has created an unforgettable, laugh-until-salsa-comes-out-of-your-nose tale of new friends and the perfect snack.

Peter Pan in Scarlet


Geraldine McCaughrean - 2006
    M. Barrie's Peter Pan!In August 2004 the Special Trustees of Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital, who hold the copyright in Peter Pan, launched a worldwide search for a writer to create a sequel to J. M. Barrie's timeless masterpiece. Renowned and multi award-winning English author Geraldine McCaughrean won the honor to write this official sequel, Peter Pan in Scarlet. Illustrated by Scott M. Fischer and set in the 1930s, Peter Pan in Scarlet takes readers flying back to Neverland in an adventure filled with tension, danger, and swashbuckling derring-do!

Skippyjon Jones in Mummy Trouble


Judy Schachner - 2006
    . . and finds himself in ancient Egypt. His doggy pals, Los Chimichangos, want to visit the Under Mundo—the underworld— where mummitos rest in peas. But they need El Skippito's brains and courage to answer the riddle of theFinx and enter the mummy's tomb. Our hero is up to the task, and he's in for another grand and whirlwind adventure. Full of Judy Schachner's rollicking wordplay and bold, imaginative illustrations, Skippy's latest outsize outing will tickle the funny bones and warm the hearts of his many amigos.

The Snow Queen


Hans Christian Andersen - 1844
    Pym make the classic Andersen fairy tale even more magical. One of Andersen's best-beloved tales, The Snow Queen is a story about the strength and endurance of childhood friendship. Gerda's search for her playmate Kay–who was abducted by the Snow Queen and taken to her frozen palace–is brought to life in delicate and evocative illustrations.

A Stitch in Time


Penelope Lively - 1976
    to be part of the imaginings... Perhaps this is why she doesn't tell anyone about the mysterious noises she hears in the old, rented holiday house, the shrill barking of an invisible dog, the non-existent swing which creaks in the garden. But then she discovers a sampler, stitched by a girl who lived in the house over a hundred years ago, and Maria finds herself increasingly drawn into the life of the Victorian girl as past and present merge in a dramatic climax.

When the Sea Turned to Silver


Grace Lin - 2016
    However, the peace is shattered one night when soldiers of the Emperor arrive and kidnap the storyteller.Everyone knows that the Emperor wants something called the Luminous Stone That Lights the Night. Determined to have her grandmother returned, Pinmei embarks on a journey to find the Luminous Stone alongside her friend Yishan, a mysterious boy who seems to have his own secrets to hide. Together, the two must face obstacles usually found only in legends to find the Luminous Stone and save Pinmei's grandmother--before it's too late.A fast-paced adventure that is extraordinarily written and beautifully illustrated, When the Sea Turned to Silver is a masterpiece companion novel to Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and Starry River of the Sky.