Showing posts with label Halloween. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Halloween. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

A Child's Calendar by John Updike, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman


Here is another great introduction to poetry in a gentle, simple style. Pullitzer-prize winning Updike has written a poem for each month of the year. 
“At last, small witches
Goblins, hags,
And pirates armed/
With paper bags,
Their costumes hinged
On safety pins,
Go haunt a night
Of pumpkin grins” (from “October”).

Friday, October 31, 2008

My Monster Mama Loves Me So, by Laura Leuck, Illustrated by Mark Buehner


While Halloween is not my favorite holiday (regrets to my dearest family Halloween adorers), this book really got my attention 8 years ago. It is an endearing, monsterly depiction of how love is a verb. A great read aloud in your child's classroom at the Halloween party!

My monster mama loves me so!
Let me tell you how I know....
She tucks me tightly into bed,
then asks me if my spider's fed
and hangs my favorite bat above me.
That's how I know my mama loves me!

(New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books, 1999.)

Thursday, October 30, 2008

The Spider and the Fly, illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi



"Will you walk into my parlor?' said the Spider to the Fly. 
'Tis the prettiest little parlor that ever you did spy;...
"Oh no, no,' said the little Fly, 'to ask me is in vain,
For who goes up your winding stair can ne'er come down again."

This Caldecott Honors book is delightfully illustrated in black and white, keeping with the spirit of the original 1829 poem written by Mary Howitt. (You can apparently download an audio version of this poem with the same title on storynory.com (http://storynory.com/2006/06/26/the-spider-and-the-fly/). This tale helps children to learn how one can be wooed to dangerous ends by flattery. 

(New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2002).