Four President’s Day Books to Read

President’s Day is just around the corner! Our current political climate has kids (and adults) asking questions, so why not spend the day off school curled up with a book (or two) about the leaders of our country. From how a campaign works to important moments in history, our collection of presidential books has a fun and educational selection!

1. If I Ran for President

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With one of the most talked-about election seasons in recent history just wrapped up, If I Ran for President explains the process of presidential campaigns to little ones. Through the imagination of a multicultural cast of children, this picture book shares the fun parts of running for an election, but also the hard work that is a part of the process.

2. How Kate Warne Saved President Lincoln

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Told with colorful collage-style illustrations, this historical book shares the story of the first female detective, Kate Warne, as she thwarts a plan to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln on his Inauguration Day. A great choice for girls in particular, this fun picture book surely educate your little one!

3. If I Were President

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Children from all over America imagine what it would be like if they became President of the United States. From having a personal chef make desserts to being sworn in at the Inauguration, the cast of If I Were President depicts both the fun and the serious parts of this important job. Interspersed with facts about the White House and American history, this picture book is as informative as it is imaginative.

4.  Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address

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Introduce your child to one of the most famous speeches in American history with this picture book. The actual text of the Gettysburg Address is accompanied by beautiful illustrations depicting historical moments from the early years of America. In our tense political climate, Lincoln’s unforgettable words are relevant in today’s world and current political climate. Complete with an introduction by scholar Gabor S. Boritt, this book is a perfect choice for a child’s first history book.

 

Four President’s Day Books to Read

Q&A With Gary Urey

Pursued is the first book in a gripping futuristic series, Secrets of the X-Point, by Gary Urey. In it, Axel Jack and Daisha Tandala are two thirteen-year-old friends running from a billionaire madman who killed their scientist parents and now wants what the kids have—GeoPorts (Geographical Transportation Systems.) The GeoPort, invented by their parents, has the ability to transport a person to any place on Earth within seconds. Soon, the chase becomes more than just a high-tech game of hide-and-seek, but a war for control of everything—money, culture, politics, and power.

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We were lucky enough to sit down with Gary and talk about basing fantasy in reality, changing directions, and Pursued.

Q. What’s the easiest and hardest part of creating a book?

A. There is no easy part of creating a book. However, there are plenty of hard parts, like filtering through a hundred bad ideas to get a good one and slogging through until the end. I have a few books that have sputtered out at the 20,000-word mark because the idea wasn’t strong enough. You need a lot of self-discipline to sit in a chair for hours and write when every fiber of your being wants to walk the dog, play on the Internet, or go jogging. Other than that, it’s the greatest job in the world!

Q: What was your inspiration for your title?

A: Honestly, Pursued was just a working title that survived the editor’s (the awesome Kristin Zelazko!) red pen. The series title, Secrets of the X-Point, made sense because the X-Point, a real phenomenon also known as an Electron Diffusion Region where the earth’s magnetic field connects with the sun, is the final piece of the puzzle that makes teleportation possible in the book.

Q. What was the process of working with your editor like?

A. Ha! It’s exciting and humbling at the same time. Exciting because you are working together to make the book better, humbling because a particular character, chapter, or paragraph you may love gets hacked by the editor and never makes it into the book. Writers need editors because the author is often too close to the material. Stuff that you thought was better than Shakespeare in reality may just be confusing to a reader. Also, grammar mistakes and poorly-worded sentences need a second pair of eyes to clarify.

Q. What makes your book stand out?

A. The science! The GeoPort device the kids use to teleport is only possible because of advanced GPS technology. The book is a traditional action/adventure thriller—kids on the run, bad guys want what they have, etc—but the kid’s ability to teleport isn’t through magic. Everything is possible because of advancements in science. Also, Pursued is just a gripping read with fun protagonists who must survive against almost overwhelming odds.

Q. Do you have any writing quirks?

A. Only if you call writing in a customized shed in my back yard quirky. I live in Maine where the winters are extremely cold. My shed is insulated and wired for electricity so I can plug in a space heater. Rarely do I need an air-conditioner in the summer. It takes about thirty minutes for the 6×6 shed to heat up so I can write. Also, I live near a busy intersection so I always wear Bose noise-reduction headphones. They completely block out all sound.

Q. Are you working on any other projects?

A. Yes, I’m working on books two and three of Secrets of the X-Point. I can’t wait to continue Axel and Daisha’s adventure! I’m also working on another humor book in the vein of Super Schnoz and am currently developing a pen pal-style book about two boys in outer space with the very funny Bart King of Bart’s Big Book of Girls Stuff, Boy Stuff, Gross Stuff, Spy Stuff, and many others.

Q. What books did you like to read as a kid?

A. Comic books! I was obsessed with them. My favorites were Spiderman, Green Lantern, Silver Surfer, Captain America, Fantastic Four, Night Crawler from the X-Men, and many others! My favorite books as a kid were How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell and Of Wolves and Men by Barry Lopez, a non-fiction book about the primal connection between wild wolves and humans. I still have my original copy!

Q. Why write children’s books?

A. My goal was never to be a writer. As a young man, I wanted to be an actor. I graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in NYC and hit the audition trail. I had a roommate during those days who was an artist. His name is Steve Casino, a well-known pop artist today, who back then wanted to be a children’s book illustrator. He landed a job illustrating a book about the life of Wild Bill Hickock. I remember picking up the manuscript the publisher had sent him and hearing a very powerful bell ringing in my soul. From that moment on, I wanted to write children’s books.

 

Thanks so much, Gary! Find out more about Pursued here or check out a cool book trailer about the series here.

 

Q&A With Gary Urey

8 Valentine’s Day Books for Kids (and Teens too!)

Inspire a love for reading this Valentine’s Day with Albert Whitman books about love, kisses, hearts, and everything in between. From sweet picture books to somewhat steamy romance novels, we have something for readers for all ages. Take a look at our list below to check out some of our favorites for February 14th!

1. It’s Valentine’s Day, Chloe Zoe!

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Follow Chloe Zoe on an adventure as she makes valentines for all her classmates, including her extra-special friend George. This familiar character and cute story are bound to have young readers excited for a class party of their own. Crafty kids will also enjoy the activity kit on our website! Scroll to the bottom and click on the link to make valentines of your own!

2. Next to You

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Full of adorable illustrations of piglets in sweaters, baby monkeys in trees, a basket full of chicks and all sorts of other baby animals, this easy-to-read book is a delight for kids and adults. Available at Target and at other retailers, this book makes a great gift for your own little valentine or a mom-to-be. What’s cuter than that?

3. A Kiss Means I Love You

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This fun book teaches little ones how say “hello” with a wave, “I love you” with a kiss and “let’s go!” with a tug. Photographs of real children show the ways we communicate without using words, and the rhyming text makes it a great pick for read-aloud story time. Available as a picture book and as a board book, A Kiss Means I Love You is a great choice for preschool and early elementary readers.


If you’re looking for something for older readers with crushes of their own, check out some of our AW Teen romance novels. Follow a variety of characters, including edgy former rock star Adam and sweet yet shy Kaycee, as they encounter first kisses, heart-pounding crushes, and tough decisions.

1. All the Forever Things

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Gabriella has grown up helping with the family business—running a funeral home. She knows that not everything lasts forever, but she’s surprised when her best friend, Bree, begins acting distant because of her new boyfriend. Then, a love interest of her own comes into the picture. After a strange prom night, Gabe thinks her friendship with Bree might truly be over. Teen of all ages will be captivated by this story of changing friendships and new romances.

2. Resurrecting Sunshine

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For teens who aren’t going gaga over Valentine’s Day, Resurrecting Sunshine is a perfect pick! This edgy love-story-meets-sci-fi plot follows Adam Rhodes as he deals with the loss of the first girl he loved. Just when all hope is lost, Dr. Elloran comes to him with an interesting proposal—one that might be able to bring his lost love back to life. The plot thickens as Adam learns more about this new technology and the family who runs the mysterious lab.

3. Has to Be Love

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Clara has a tough decision to make. Does she accept her admission to a writing program at Columbia University? Or, does she commit to her boyfriend, the only person in her town who doesn’t look at her differently because of the bear attack scars on her face? Set in a small town in Alaska, Clara’s choice becomes even more difficult when a new student teacher comes into her English class. Confusion, new feelings, and fears build as Clara keeps her secret and tries to make a choice.

4. South of Sunshine

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Kaycee Jean McCoy has grown up in conservative Sunshine, Tennessee. She would rather kiss a boy than let anyone know about her true feelings. Then a new girl, Bren Dawson, moves into town and Kaycee can’t help but fall for her. But will she risk the approval of her friends and family for a new love? This book celebrates finding a balance between loving your roots and loving yourself.

5. Hurricane Kiss

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When natural disaster strikes her hometown, Jillian McKay evacuates and ends up with unexpected company. River Daughtry, the former star of her high school football team, hasn’t been seen since he was admitted to the West Texas juvenile detention center. Once arrogant and flirtatious, River is now quiet and moody. The unlikely pair confront the storm and their pasts while learning what it really means to survive. This dramatic romance will have teens hooked from the start.

For more teen romance novels from Albert Whitman, click here.

Happy Valentine’s Day to readers young and old!

8 Valentine’s Day Books for Kids (and Teens too!)

Beep Beep: Make Way for Big Trucks and Ducks

With sunny skies and warm breezes filling the day, kids, ducks, and dump trucks alike are now out to play. With a “Beep, beep” there and a “crash, crash” there, construction noise fills the air like pollen. Children welcome this noise as if it is an orchestral composition, and adults everywhere are left curious as to what is so special about construction sites.

Adults are still puzzled as to why children find big trucks so fascinating. Perhaps it’s the mess, the noise, or the size, but kids everywhere are drawn to dump trucks. Maybe it is because little hands can only move little handfuls of sand, or dirt. Yet trucks can move loads because trucks are tough. There’s just something about a construction site that pulls at the heartstrings of children. One thing is certain though that this construction magic is captured in the bright book, Dump Truck Duck.

9780807517369_DumpTruckDuckNot only does this adorable book convey the coolness of the construction site, but it also speaks volumes about teamwork. Dump Truck Duck’s use of furry ducklings and construction vehicles as a way to express a tale of consideration and helping others is nothing short of special. This book demonstrates the power of working together to get the task at hand completed, and the book also acknowledges that mistakes happen. It is a gentle reminder for children to act with kindness and showcase a positive attitude.

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Host a quacktastic party!

After a long day of sandbox play, there is nothing quite as special as reading about the strength of a truck. Dump Truck Duck, comparable to Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site, is a heartwarming tale. It is certainly fit as a bedtime story to cap off a day spent playing in the playground, or an at-home remedy when rain clouds move in. Dump Truck Duck is really the perfect companion to any kind of day, filled with any kind of play, and a reminder of how much can be accomplished when everyone works together.

Beep Beep: Make Way for Big Trucks and Ducks

Authors in the Wild

by author Alison Ashley Formento

Writing about nature is fun, especially when it comes to research. Long before sitting at the computer to compile my notes to write, I’ve met dozens of wonderful scientists such as apiarists, biologists, botanists, and geologists, who love nature as much as I do. Thanks to these experts, I’ve climbed many trees, surveyed the seas, and met a million or so buzzing bees, too.

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Alison Formento Star Wars

I’ve found that it’s good to go little wild in the natural world, which helps me write a stronger story from what I’ve learned in my extensive research. Authors research and learn from other authors, too. We compare notes, writing tips, plotting techniques, and even share educator guide advice and bookmark designs, which we hope will help sell our books.

I’ve been fortunate as an author to meet friends who also have books published by Albert Whitman. My publishing mates Nancy Viau and Jacqueline Jules also research the topics they write about and they both share my passion for meeting young readers.

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Nancy Viau reading her book to a student.

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We’ve appeared at educator conferences, book festivals, libraries, bookstores, and shared our unique author journeys at our favorite outings—schools visits. As in any job, sometimes there are down days for authors, such as an educator event with low attendance or the huge outdoor festival that had to be quickly moved indoors because of whipping winds and rain due to an approaching hurricane. These down days are few, and my author friends agree that it only takes one young reader, one smiling face to change a less-than-perfect event into a great author day.

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Alison at a school visit.

In the wild, sometimes authors climb trees and sometimes we meet a storm trooper who is interested in bees. Sometimes we get a group hug. Most authors I know agree—if people are reading our books, we’re smiling.

Who changed your perspective on reading?

Authors in the Wild

Memories: Changing of the seasons

by author Felicia Sanzari Chernesky

I write this on the eve of the autumnal equinox. The early morning air wafting through the open windows is softly crisp. The front lawn, an aging green, is littered with large curled sepia sycamore leaves. The house sits blissfully quiet, everyone else having left for school and work, except for “Autumn Music” playing on Pandora.

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Felicia at Burjan’s Maze

For me, the first day of fall heralds the decorating cycle—Halloween, Thanksgiving, Advent, Christmas, Winter (snowmen!), Valentine’s Day, Lent, St. Patrick’s Day (family birthdays/wedding anniversary), and Easter—that will culminate with growing season next spring, when I’ll display my father’s collection of roosters in the bay window as it overlooks a young green yard carpeted with tiny purple violets and welcomes a symphony of birdsong into the house.

As a child, I learned about the changing year—bolstering what I learned in school—through the lens of what was happening in our yard. This became linked with the cultural holidays and religious feasts taking place in each season. For example, I remember crunching through crystalline snow in rubber boots to see if the fragile gold and amethyst crocus were blooming in the icy cold beneath the birdbath near the brook that divided our front lawn. No matter how miraculous this seemed, I learned it was a sign that spring and Easter were coming.

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Felicia at a pumpkin patch

My parents and sisters populate these memories. My dad loved decorating the house for holidays and tended the yard with my grandfathers. In the kitchen, my mom turned garden peppers and eggplant into glorious feasts. Everyone wanted to eat at our house! Though my children find this bizarre, some of my happiest family memories involve raking leaves and shoveling snow together, talking and laughing while washing dinner dishes, and picking and canning endless pounds of plum tomatoes in late summer to jar for gravy (tomato sauce) for Sunday macaroni in the coming months.

In my developing mind, this exciting and inspiring cycle of seasons and holidays and feasts seemed to begin, not on January 1, but with the return to school and apple picking in September. It’s no wonder my first picture books are seasonal!

Today, while decorating the house for holidays, I display a variety of seasonal picture books. The most weathered copies are mine from childhood, some belong to my children, others I’ve collected since commencing my journey as a picture book author. I love them all, but the fall and Halloween picture books are especially dear. A favorite among favorites is Pumpkin Pumpkin, by Jeanne Titherington. The simple text and amazing textured illustrations distill the story of the seasonal year down to six amazing pumpkin seeds. It’s poetry.

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It also represents everything I aspire to in my own writing—capturing the essence of an unfolding story in vivid and efficient text, and delighting in the privilege of watching as illustrators such as Susan Swan and Julia Patton elaborate in color, texture, and image.

What are your favorite seasonal books?

Memories: Changing of the seasons

Mother Goose and Nursery Rhymes

By Nancy I. Sanders

My husband Jeff, a fourth grade teacher, and I love books. When we go on vacation, we enjoy visiting the local library and browsing their used bookstore. We always find a special treat to take home with us. At our thrift stores, we head to the book section to see what choice tidbits are on sale. We hang out at local bookstores. For Christmas and birthdays and “just-because” days, our wishlist often includes books.

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Nancy’s latest children’s book.

Books! Books! Books! Our home overflows with books. Right now, I have 50+ library books spread out in various piles near our different comfy reading spots in different rooms. I used to feel bad about the stacks of books along with the overflowing bookshelves until one day I decided to embrace our passion and designate our home as a “nest of books.”

One of our family’s all-time favorite “eggs” in our nest is our permanent collection of Mother Goose and nursery rhymes as well as “visitors” of treasures that come and go from our local library.

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When our boys were young, Mother Goose: The Original Volland Edition was nearly a daily read. The old-fashioned art and delicate colors set the tone for falling in love with the heritage Mother Goose has to offer our family as we passed down each nursery rhyme to the next generation.

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And Tasha Tudor! Oh, what is any mother’s reading lap without the delightful and rich books of Tasha Tudor! Complete with sweet goslings and adorable kittens, Tasha Tudor’s Mother Goose brings fresh joy with every turn of the page.

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In our home, however, Mother Goose wasn’t just confined to pages within a book. We still have the vinyl record, Walt Disney Presents Mother Goose Rhymes and Their Stories. We marched around in our own rhythm band clanging pots and pans with wooden spoons while singing along with the record. We sang the songs in the car together and while swinging on the swings. (Swinging simply MUST be accompanied by singing! It’s a tradition from my childhood days that we passed along to our sons and now to our grandson.)

Our collection of Mother Goose “eggs” in our nest still continues to grow as we add new favorites today. It’s little wonder then, that over the years I’ve dreamed of writing my own Mother Goose rhymes to add to the rich traction of childhood pleasures and treasures.

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Raising two boys, pirates were a perennial favorite, so it was only natural for me to combine the rollicking good fun of piratey adventures with the beloved rhymes our family has always enjoyed. My hope is that this new generation of mommies, daddies, and little ones will learn to love Mother Goose and nursery rhymes in a fresh new way!

What are your family’s most cherished books?

Mother Goose and Nursery Rhymes

How can good people do cruel things?

Dear readers,

My new middle grade novel Night on Fire grew out of a question that baffled me when I was young: How can good people do cruel things?

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My family was from the South—grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins. I loved them dearly, and some of them were racists. For the life of me, I couldn’t reconcile those two facts.

Over the years, the question continued to haunt me. As I pondered it, a character emerged: thirteen-year-old Billie Sims. She lived in Anniston, Alabama, a pleasant town filled with good people. In 1961 the Freedom Riders came through town, a group of black and white college students challenging the practice of segregation on buses. Some people in town stopped the Greyhound bus they rode, set it on fire, and beat the students as they spilled out. All the while, good people watched and did nothing. Billie’s father was one of them. So was Billie.

With Billie, I stalked the streets of Anniston, an African American friend at my side, seeking answers and hungry for justice. We found our way to a church rally in Montgomery, where the night split open and we rang a bell—for those who had suffered, for those who stood by, for those who were sorry and wanted to do better.

Ask yourself the question. Then travel with me to Anniston.

Ronald Kidd

Sidenote: Here is the Trailer for “Freedom Riders,” the Stanley Nelson documentary that inspired me to write the book

How can good people do cruel things?

5 ways to celebrate Halloween

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Indiana Jones and Mutt, pre-perspiration

I grew up in Maine, where trick-or-treating was often a frosty affair. My mom would insist that snow boots looked perfectly fine with Cinderella’s ballgown, and that Frankenstein was still totally scary beneath a puffy down coat. My kids are growing up in South Florida, where I wage the opposite battle. Every October, I pitch costume ideas that involve shorts. “How about a boxer? I can give you a fake black eye! Or a lifeguard. You can wear a whistle!” This never works. Our first year here, my boys dressed as Power Rangers, in full-length polyester suits. They got so hot on the walk home that they stripped down to their underwear. Another year, they were Indiana Jones (cargo pants, long-sleeved shirt) and his greaser son, Mutt (jeans, “leather” jacket). That was an especially sweaty Halloween. (Faux leather does not breathe. AT ALL). This year, the boys plan to be Batman and Robin. Come on….wouldn’t some nice cotton shorts look perfectly fine on the Dynamic Duo?

Lori Haskins Houran, author of How to Spy on A Shark and Next to You (publishing March 2016)


Ian and Sarah Hoffman
Sarah and Ian Hoffman

When Sam was three, “fairy” was the Halloween costume of choice. Many trick-or-treaters mistook Sam for royalty. “What a pretty princess!” they exclaimed. “I’m not a princess,” Sam snarled back. “I’m a fairy!”

The funny thing was, no one considered he might be a boy.

At six, Sam startled us by wanting to be Luke Skywalker. Given that we’d never seen him express interest in a masculine costume, we didn’t know what to think, except that Halloween is a time for experimenting, trying on new identities, or being things we are not.

Each year, pink boys wonder: If I wear the costume I want to, will the kids at school make fun of me? The parents of pink boys wonder: Is this safe? Can—should—we trick-or-treat somewhere where nobody knows us? Of course there’s no “right” answer; each family has to work out on their own what works for their child. If this is your family’s struggle, we recommend a video from The Onion, America’s favorite satirical news outlet: “How To Find A Masculine Halloween Costume For Your Effeminate Son.” It won’t answer your questions, but it will help you laugh about them.

Sarah and Ian Hoffman, authors of Jacob’s New Dress


 

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Nancy dressed up as a pirate.

Dressing up like pirates was always a fun costume choice when our two boys were small. From store-bought accessories to homemade ones, there were so many options. Eye patches, hats, bandanas and more! School parades and trick-or-treating were lots of fun…but the fun didn’t end on the last day of October for us.

Costumes and accessories were added to a laundry basket designated as “dress-up clothes.” Kept right next to all the gadgets and gizmos of childhood, the items in this basket were played with almost more than any other toy we owned. I loved the imaginative play it encouraged. Our kids loved it for all the exciting moments they had.

They’d play “dress-up” and re-enact favorite stories we’d read. They’d pretend to be a pirate or a dinosaur or an astronaut (Yes, we had a dinosaur and astronaut costume, too!) or “fly” around the house wearing a cape made from a large scrap of fabric. Many family memories were made—all from playing “dress-up” the whole year round.

Nancy I. Sanders, author of A Pirate’s Mother Goose


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Laura with her brother John dressed up to go trick-or-treating.

When I think of Halloween, I think of my right ankle. I broke it three times: in first, fourth, and sixth grades, each time right before Halloween, a holiday where ankles really come in handy for trick-or-treating.

The first time my brother John told the neighbors about my injury and they compassionately dispensed sympathy treats. The second time John was with his fifth-grade cronies and didn’t want to seem uncool, soliciting candy for his clumsy kid sister, though some of the neighbors kicked in an extra candy bar. But the third time we had just moved to a new neighborhood where no one knew us and John volunteered nothing, so no one knew of my candy-less plight.

That night John came home to me lying miserably on the sofa and the guilt kicked in. He gave me the candy he didn’t like, basically anything with peanuts. This brings me to my second, happier Halloween memory: Snickers. Years later, when I took my own kids trick-or-treating, I would relive my youth by coaxing them into sharing their Snickers bars, insisting I deserved something for walking with them for hours. I’m happy to report guilt worked, just like it did on John.

Laura Hurwitz, author of Disappear Home


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Linda & Lori, Linda’s best friend, dressed up to go trick-or-treating.

I turned 15 years old on Oct. 19th. This was the first year I started to feel a little old for Halloween — a favorite holiday for my best friend Lori and I since we shared October birthdays, too. I wrote in my diary at the time that John, a boy I crushed on, went trick-or-treating with us that year. Lori and I always had so much fun making costumes and walking out in our friendly neighborhood to collect candy. Afterwards, to avoid eating TOO much candy at once, we made a game of hiding our wrapped candy in our bedrooms. We’d usually forget where we hid it, making Halloween last a long time.

Linda Joy Singleton, author of The Curious Cat Spy Club series

5 ways to celebrate Halloween

5 adorable Halloween memories

Ron and Yvonne

You can keep your costumes, your wax teeth, your funny nose and fake puke. You can keep the Mars Bars, Kandy Korn, popcorn balls, and healthful homemade treats that look great but taste like sludge.

You can keep all of it, because one Halloween I got the best treat ever. Her name was Yvonne.

I sat in my apartment that night watching TV, wondering if I would ever meet the woman of my dreams. It occurred to me that if it was going to happen, it probably wouldn’t be in my apartment or on TV.

I’d heard about a Halloween party at a local club—not my kind of place, and besides, I didn’t have a costume. But I wanted to meet someone, so I went.

There were clowns, witches, cartoon characters, and a nun with a handlebar mustache. Across the room, I saw someone wearing jeans and a sweater, and she saw me. I walked up to her.

“I like your costume,” I said. “You’re dressed as a normal person.”

She grinned. She joked. We danced. We talked and talked and talked. Years later, we’re still talking. In our house. With our daughter.

And every Halloween, we celebrate.

Ronald Kidd, author of Night on Fire and Dreambender (publishing March 2016)

Leslie’s daughter, Natalie, dressed as a bunny.

 

My most vivid Halloween memories are about making—never buying—my costume each year. My three sisters and I would compete to see who came up with the most creative idea. My mom was very talented at crafts and sewing, and she supervised in the early years. I remember one truly fantastic papier maché mouse head my mother made for my youngest sister.

As an adult, I continued the homemade costume tradition. Here’s a photo of my first attempt, definitely not up to my mom’s high standards. My then two-year-old daughter was supposed to be a bunny rabbit. Clearly an alien species of rabbit; I had some trouble with the head and ears. (I did get better as the years went by!) Welcoming neighborhood trick-or-treaters is still one of the high points of my year, and I keep an extra candy bar for anyone with a homemade costume.

Leslie Kimmelman, author of Trick Arrr Treat


 

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Dana dressed up as a young football player one Halloween.

Dressing up for Halloween was, and still is, my favorite part of the holiday. One year in particular I was so excited to get one of those prepackaged Barbie costumes (nothing like today’s costumes, mind you.) This beauty consisted of a terribly scratchy mask and a preprinted sheathlike plastic ball gown that made me feel—and smell—like a crayon. Needless to say my dream costume quickly became my most loathed costume. But that has never stopped me from dressing up. Instead, I became more creative and designed most of the costumes for my children and myself. Over the years the costumes have consisted of a Football Powder Puff, Shark Boy and Lava Girl, Thomas the Train, Batman’s Poison Ivy and my most recent and favorite, I dressed up as VMA’s Miley Cyrus. The more bizarre the costume, the better, I say. –Dana Elmendorf, author of South of Sunshine (publishing April 2016)


 

Sam and Josh Granberry, Photo taken Oct. 31, 1997 for inside story for Healthy Living. 10282008xGUIDEDAILY
Sam and Josh Granberry, Photo taken Oct. 31, 1997

Sam and David wanted to be vampires. Thank goodness for Halloween, I thought as we drove from California to our new home in Texas with Sam, 6, David, 4 and Josh, 1 in the back seats. To distract the boys from everything we were leaving behind, we talked about how quickly we could make the look happen when we arrived the morning of Oct. 31. (Josh’s main contribution was to spit up, which meant he was going to inherit the old pumpkin sleeper that had been worn by his brothers.) We dropped off our things at our new apartment and hit the ground running, seeking capes, white make-up and plastic pumpkins for candy. Over dinner, I read their new favorite book, Matt Novak’s Pete and Ghost, about a boy who finds a friendly ghost in his new house. And then, trick or treat! They ran from decorated house to house, gathering treats and, even better, smiles from the new kids that would become their best friends.

Nancy Churnin, author of The William Hoy Story (publishing March 2016)

Cheryl and son Will
Cheryl with son Will

Is my son a zombie? It is possible. Here are the top five reasons why I think he might be: 5) He answers questions with a blank stare;  4) He’s good with directions. Have you noticed zombies always know which way to go? 3) My son played baseball as a kid and now works for a baseball team. Zombies never give up either;  2) He has lots of friends – zombies hate to be alone; and number 1) My son likes ripped shirts and old pants. If that doesn’t scream zombie – what does? So as another Halloween approaches, I’ll be thinking of my wonderful zombie and all the fun we used to have. 

Cheryl Lawton Malone, author of Dario and the Whale (publishing March 2016)

 

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