Try a twist on the Frankenstein story! Slime scientist Victoria and her assistant/dog Igor already make and sell creative slimes. One night she gets an idea for a new slime, and when she makes it, lightning strikes it. Gasp! It’s alive! Will the slime get her and Igor? What does it want from her?! This picture book is perfect as a slightly spooky (but, turns out, not really) story for Halloween.
Cute Animals That Could Kill You Dead by Brooke Hartman, Illustrated by María García
Recommended by Ms. Katherine, for ages 6+
Do you know which of your favorite animals is hiding a secret poison barb in their ankle or which animal’s skin contains enough toxin to kill up to ten thousand mice? From sea otters, to platypuses, to the northern pygmy owl, to the flying gecko, be prepared to “AWW!” and “AHH!” at the same time as you learn about some of the shockingly dangerous traits of some of nature’s cutest creatures!
Big Boy 4014 and the Steam Team: The World's Largest Steam Engine Roars Bac to Life! b Marsha Diane Arnold
Recommended by Mrs. Murphy, best for ages 6+
Remember when the world’s largest steam engine roared through Des Plaines? Crowds came out to see her moving through this train town. This illustrated book shares the amazing story of how Big Boy 4014 returned to the rails after decades of retirement. Information on the history of these engines and details of 4014’s restoration are included.
Did you know the Middle School section has a collection of manga classics? Among them is Frankenstein, and it is October...so there is no better time to dig into an illustrated version of this monster.
Every Redwall audiobook I’ve listened to is amazing, but this one is especially well-done, with a full cast that brings each unique character (and their respective British dialects) to life. The land of Mossflower was once a happy home for its woodland residents, but now the tyrannical wildcat Tsarmina has taken over and made the animals’ lives miserable. However, with the entrance of the noble warrior mouse Martin, all of that will change. And so begins an adventure filled with heart, humor, (very) intense action, and of course, lots of food. This is the second book of the Redwall series, but as it’s a prequel you don’t need to be familiar with the first installment to enjoy this one.
This is a great movie at any time of year, but it does take place during spooky season so why not check it out?
The main character is nerdy Lewis who recently moved in with his eccentric uncle in an old Victorian mansion in Michigan. He pretty quickly figures out it is filled with magical items, like an armchair, and that his uncle is a warlock.
Unfortunately, the prior owner of the house was an evil warlock who hid a magical clock somewhere in the house. If Lewis and his uncle don't find the clock in time, the whole world will be in danger.
Jack Black stars as the uncle so there is a lot of humor in this movie, but it is scary, so it isn't a good choice for younger kids.
Did you know that we have board games for even the youngest library users? This delightful stacking game is for ages 2+, and helps with the development of fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and free play. With easy-to-follow rules, and a play time of about 10 minutes, this is the perfect way to introduce littles to the fun of games together as a family. Will the tower of animal friends fall? Finding out is part of the fun!
If you are looking for a fun, spooky game to play for Halloween, reserve a copy of Goosebumps: Terror in Little Creek!
Navigate the small town of Little Creek as Sloane Spencer, a young teen, as she and her friends work to solve the town’s mysteries. You will come face-to-face with monsters and explore haunted locations, all inspired by the series by R.L. Stine.
Recommended by Becky, contains materials for all ages
Illinois residents have access to thousands of e-resources free of charge and no library card is required. Enjoy eBooks, images & videos – the collection includes classic fiction, children’s fiction, graphic novels, Chicago authors and much more. Download the BiblioBoard app (from the iTunes app store for iOS or from the Google Play Store for Android). Create an account profile and be able to access the collections while outside of Illinois. You will also have the ability to download content for offline reading, and to add bookmarks and notes.
