The Book Dragon

I am an avid YA book reader. Yes, even as fully grown adult, it's about all I read. Young adult fiction has appeal far beyond the teen years. The concepts are often very interesting to a reader like me who likes escapist fiction, fantasy and dystopian tales, but the themes are universal. Who doesn't remember how awkward the teen years are and how finding love, finding a purpose in life, a direction can be your whole world?  These themes still hold up in YA horror and thrillers as well. Imagine trying to get a date with your crush while also coming to grips with the fact that you may be a zombie. Sounds like fun. I've picked some recent spooky stories published in the past year that are sure to appeal to your teens this fall. 

Spooky season is here! There is something about fall that makes kids and parents alike want to curl up and read, but when Halloween approaches it's great to get a little scary or creepy with your tales. I’ve put together a list of titles that are perfect for fright night. Some are funny, some are scary, and all will put you in the Halloween spirit.  Featured are middle grade novels, early chapter books, graphic novels, and a few picture books that my kids loved. Most books are 2021 releases and readily available at your public library or a local bookstore. ( Look for a post in a few days with my Young Adult picks for teens). So curl up together under a blanket, read something a little haunted. And maybe bring a flashlight. 👻

Graphic Novel  Ages: 7 to 12 On Sale: October 26, 2021 One of the easiest formats to recommend for reluctant readers is graphic novels. Kids in my library system seem to eat them up and for good reason. A good graphic novel can lure a child into reading with its pictures alone. My seven year old often starts out with one just by looking over the pictures first before she dives into the story by reading the words on the page. Another Kind by Trevor Bream and Cait May is a delightful example of a graphic novel that draws you in with bright, appealing pictures and a cool concept. But it really shines in its storytelling.  Following a group of “Irregularities”, kids who are a hybrid of human and animal or alien, from an institution called the Playroom, the story moves from safety to danger as the kids try to find themselves in a cruel world that does not accept them for who they are. Forced to hide from normal humans and from people who would wish to do them harm, this group of kids find a

   As a information services librarian in a public library one of the most common questions or requests I receive is for a "good book." My fellow bookworms will laugh with me because someone's good book can be someone else's worst nightmare of struggling to get through scenes, failing to connect with characters and ultimately throwing that book into a pile of other unfinished titles on the floor.      Maybe that last part doesn't apply to most adult readers with a sense of the value of books (please don't damage your library books!), but it can apply to many kids.     I was the kind of kid who devoured books whole, bringing one with me everywhere I went. That insatiable love of reading led me to my career as a librarian. I wanted to share books for a living, either my own or another author's incredible world.     But in connecting with many kids and adults over the years, so many people looking for a good book, or just any book, but not knowing where to