Spooky Books for the Halloween Season - Ottawa Public Library Recommendations

The Ottawa Public Library is back to share some of their favourite books. This month’s post was submitted by Elizabeth Fosbery Richardson, Children’s Programming and Public Services Assistant at the Ruth E. Dickinson Branch.

Don’t read these titles in the dark!

With spooky season upon us, why not take some time to indulge in some fun and creepy new titles from the Ottawa Public Library?

Monsters in the Fog by Ali Bahrampour

As Hakim the donkey travels up the mountain, he encounters a goat who warns him of monsters on the misty and twisty trail. In this cleverly illustrated picture book, we find that things are not always as they appear. Children and adults alike will have fun trying to guess the shapes.

Creepy Tales! series by Aaron Reynolds

Things always start out great for this school-aged rabbit, but then things always seem to go from bad to worse. Follow Jasper in these fun read-aloud books, as he tries to outsmart some spooky carrots, a persistent pair of underwear and a relentless crayon. Titles are also available in French.

You're Invited to a Creepover series By P.J. Knight

In this new graphic novel series, adapted from the chapter book series of the same name, readers are sure to be spooked! Perfect for fans of the Goosebumps series.

Area 51 Files series by Julie Buxbaum

When Sky is sent to live with her uncle, she never imagined that she’d end up solving mysteries in Area 51! Follow Sky, her pet hedgehog and her new friend Elvis (who also happens to be an alien), as they try to keep themselves and the residents of Area 51 safe, in this funny new illustrated chapter book series.

Shakti by SJ Sindu

Shakti and her best friend Xi have discovered that the three mean girls in school have put a curse on the town. When Shakti tries to draw on her own magical powers, she accidentally summons Kali Ma, who represents destruction. Can she learn to find peace and tame Kali Ma before she destroys the town and everyone in it? This graphic novel is a great choice for those who love mythology and stories about magic.

 The Stars Did Wander Darkling by Colin Meloy

When something mysterious is unearthed by a construction company in a quiet seaside town, and all of the adults begin acting strange, it’s up to the kids to figure out what’s gone wrong before it’s too late. Perfect for fans of Stranger Things or author Neil Gaiman. Grades 4 and up.

Activities for Teens: Escape Room Lockdown Ottawa

Like most high school students, I have a firm separation between fun and tests of intelligence. A math quiz is not exactly my idea of a relaxing Friday evening, and it doesn’t take much thinking to go to the movies. Work and play don’t mix for me… with one exception. I find escape rooms to be a thrilling test of the mind that I can enjoy with friends. That's why I chose Lockdown Ottawa’s Trudeau Towers for my most recent outing.

As soon as we entered the building, we were excited to check out the escape room. My friends and I climbed down the metallic stairs in the windowless structure and checked in. We were then taken to another floor and shown a video about the story behind our escape room. The plot for us was that we were visiting Trudeau Towers, Ottawa’s newest luxury hotel. The guide then showed us into what appeared to be an elevator and closed the door.

Suddenly, the lights went out as we were left confused for around 10 seconds. When they turned on, an announcer over the speakers revealed that our elevator was stuck and we had 45 minutes to diffuse a bomb before it went off. Just like that, our puzzle-solving began.

Obviously, I cannot reveal how to solve the escape room or give too many details. The clues consisted of riddles and various creative contraptions. Each clue lead to the combination key of a lock that would open up another clue. We had to work together as a team to figure out how to solve the escape room.

As the game progressed, we used the walkie-talkie for one of our limited hints and eventually opened a trap door connected to a crawl space. As the clock wound down and the bomb came closer to detonating, we organized ourselves into different roles to solve the clues more efficiently. Just as we were close to solving the second last clue, the door opened and our guide revealed that the bomb had gone off. 

While we weren’t able to escape before the clock ran out, we had a great time solving clues and working together. We were impressed by the creative ways we were supposed to find lock combinations and how engaging the design of our escape room ones. My friends and I will be sure to check out another one of Lockdown Ottawa’s escape rooms sometime in the future. 

Lockdown Ottawa offers 5 different escape rooms, each with different themes. For a Halloween themed escape, check out their CarnEvil room. The other available themes are hockey, time travel and aliens. Unlike many other escape rooms, the cost for these rooms are a flat rate of $109+HST regardless of number of players (which ranges from 2-6.) For more information, click here.

David is a fifteen-year-old aspiring adventure and travel writer living in Ottawa.  Skydiving is on his bucket list. He received a complimentary ticket for this post, but all views are his own.

Ottawa area activities for teens: Cannamore Orchard’s Acres of Terror

Being chased in a dark forest. Zombies.

You may think I am describing a horror anthology, but these are actually all the things that make Cannamore Orchard’s Acres of Terror one of the scariest rural experiences in the Ottawa area.

We arrived at Cannamore Orchard at around 8 pm on a Saturday night. We got our tickets, and, after a brief wait, a guide took us and our group to the haunted wagon ride, the first activity of our spooky night. We sat down, and the tractor began taking us through a dark and mysterious forest on a bumpy ride. Shortly after the tour started, we passed by an unsettling portrayal of a witch ritual. I don’t want to give away the scare, but throughout the journey in the forest, there were some disturbingly elaborate displays with great actors, just the right amount of jumpscares and something chasing the wagon that you might not expect. To understand what I’m talking about, you must experience it yourself.

After some thrilling jumpscares and a ride that kept us literally on the edge of our seats, we realized our night of horror had only just begun. After exiting the wagon, we were directed to a haunted house. While waiting in a short line, the trend of people leaving the house screaming and shaking was a good (or rather bad) sign of what lay ahead. We entered the haunted house and found a tight corridor with many twists and turns. Again, I cannot spoil the scare, but let's just say I am still scared of turning around a corner. Jumpscares, confusion and people in scary masks following you made this a perfect haunted house.

We then went to the next section of the Acres of Terror- the Spooky Village. An innovative new creation, Cannamore Orchards’ Spooky Village is a small collection of buildings with many Halloween related uses. You can visit the butchershop, or the local jail, with creepy twists and great actors. We spent a good 20 minutes popping in and out of buildings, more scared than when we entered. 

Finally, as the last part of our tour, we entered an indoor fog maze. Like the haunted house, we walked through a tight corridor that turned every few meters, but this time, it was empty and full of mist. We walked for a little while, expecting this to be the whole tour, when suddenly a small person with a mask jumped out from behind us! Caught off guard, we began running as he ominously followed us. More of them appeared, as we tried to escape. Finally, we made it to the exit and concluded our visit.

I would definitely recommend this experience for older children in your household. The evening experience is not intended for younger children.  

If you want a thrilling evening and get into the Halloween Spirit, visit Cannamore Orchards’ Acres of Terror. Register as soon as you can, since spots fill up quickly. Current available times are on weekends from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm. Groups leave every 15 minutes. For more information, click here.

Where is it and how much does it cost

Cannamore Orchards is located at 1480 County Road 32, Crysler, ON, K0A 1R0

Acres of Terror includes 4 main attractions: The Spooky Wagon Ride, House of Terror, Fog Maze & Spooky Village.  Tickets include a visit to all attractions.  Tickets must be booked for a specific date and time slot to ensure a safe & enjoyable experience for all.  Regular Night Admission is $34.00 per person.

Day sessions are geared towards younger kids and those easily scared and the price tag is a little lower at $25 per person or $75 for a family of four.

David is a fifteen-year-old aspiring adventure and travel writer living in Ottawa.  Skydiving is on his bucket list. He received a complimentary ticket for this post, but all views are his own.

Pumpkins after Dark: A Halloween option without the scare

As a teen, I have realized that the Halloween season offers three options for activities in my demographic: horror movies, haunted mansions and extremely late stage trick or treating. While I love a good scare, it can get repetitive as October drags on. This weekend, I tried something different, with the Pumpkins after Dark Display. 

We arrived at Wesley Clover Parks out in Kanata shortly after sunset, where we showed our tickets at the booth and entered the place. Inside, there were stands for a variety of food and drink with a long orange-encrusted pathway ahead of us. On both sides of the path, there were a plethora of professionally carved pumpkins that depicted a variety of popular culture characters. Obviously, iconic horror movie villains were engraved in the illuminated pumpkins. There were also designs for characters across various franchises and genres, with a Jurassic Park section and even some Mexican Day of the Dead carvings. We walked through the display for several minutes, admiring the craftsmanship and effort put into it. After completing our tour of the pumpkins, we decided to grab some hot chocolate and donuts. This was an incredible way to get into the halloween spirit, even without the traditional scares.

What's good for teens

Pumpkins after Dark is an excellent Halloween activity for teens in Ottawa. It is a great evening activity to spend with friends, with many displays to look at. You can grab some hot chocolate or treats, or take a look at engravings of your favourite horror movie characters. It is also a great opportunity for employment, with many workers at the exhibit getting their first job as a helper there. Overall, this is a great place to visit (or work) this Halloween season for teens, families and people who are sick of haunted houses. 

If you want an engaging, jump scare-free Halloween experience, check out Pumpkins After Dark. They will be open until October 31st in Wesley Clover Parks from 6:30 to 9:30 pm. Dress warmly, as this is an outdoor event. It is wheelchair accessible, but a relatively long walk.

Ticket prices are as follows:

Adult (17+) starting at $18.95
Youth (4-16) starting at $15.95
Children 3 and under are free, no ticket required
Family packages (2 adult, 2 youth) starting at $64.80

Pumpkins after Dark is officially partnering with the Ottawa Senators Community Foundation. For more information, click here.

David is a fifteen-year-old aspiring adventure and travel writer living in Ottawa.  Skydiving is on his bucket list. He received a complimentary ticket for this post, but all views are his own.

Great Graphic Novels - Recommendations from the Ottawa Public Library

Ottawa Public Library is back to share some great graphic novels books with us. This month’s post is by Lise Dumas, Supervising Librarian, Children's and Teen Services at the Greely, Metcalfe, Osgoode and Vernon Branches of Ottawa Public Library.

The graphic novels for kids I have read have been surprising, informative, entertaining, and beautiful. Many have been based on the author’s own experiences, which open a window into other kids’ lives. This may also allow a child to recognize similar experiences they have encountered in their own life. Other favourites have been pure fantasy, which is a wonderful way to escape into another world altogether.  

For those of you who love graphic novels, Ottawa Public Library has a wonderful collection for all ages.  Here are some of my favourite children’s selections this year:  

Parachute Kids by Betty C. Tang

Ages 9—12

Ten-year-old Taiwanese Feng-Li, with her two older siblings, is left by their parents in America when their visas expire. The children are undocumented and must live without drawing undo attention to themselves, all while trying to learn a new language and culture. They must deal with frightening obstacles, racist bullying, finding one’s own identity and making friends. The author uses beautiful vibrant colours for the images. The texts are either in white balloons when they are speaking English or Yellow balloons when speaking in Chinese.

Squished by Megan Wagner Lloyd and Michelle Mee Nutter

Ages 8-12

Avery, an eleven-year-old who is feeling sleep deprived and squished in a house with six other siblings. She is vying for her own room and concocts a scheme to make money to convert the basement into another bedroom. It is a heartwarming tale about the importance and the love of family. The images on the page are large, easy to follow and beautiful.

Picture Day by Sarah Sax

Ages 8-12

Seventh-grader, Viv is tired of the same look and routine. On picture day, she cuts her own hair and becomes a school style influencer. In doing so, however, she starts to lose sight of the most important people in her life: her mom and her best friends. The drawings are simple, fun and expressive.

Four Eyes by Rex Ogle and Dave Valeza

Ages 8-12

Sixth-grader Rex must not only contend with being one of the only boys at school who has not undergone a growth spurt, but also weak eyes that require dreaded glasses and a best friend who decides to hang out with the class bully. Rex must find a new way to fit in at school and learn to ask and accept help. Fans of Jerry Craft and Raina Telgemeier will appreciate this book.

Pearl of the Sea by Anthony Silverston, Raffaella Delle Donne and Willem Samuel

Ages 10-13

This beautifully rendered graphic novel is about making unlikely friends, such as sea monsters, and recovery after experiencing loss and grief. This story is about how teenage diver Pearl and sea creature Otto heal each other, while battling outside forces. This graphic novel is located in our teen collection.

Clementine Fox and the Great Island Adventure by Leigh Luna

Ages 9-15

Fantasy graphic novel for young readers, Clementine Fox has some exciting adventures with her friends and family. Vivid colours and fun extras at the end of the book will delight younger readers.

Cat’s Cradle: The Mole King’s Lair by Jo Rioux

Ages 8-12

This sequel to Cat's Cradle: The Golden Twine (2022) is full of action and adventure as Suri, imp Caglio and monstrously large dog Byron, continue their quest to locate Monster’s Cradle. The trio end up in a cave with a troll king, and with the assistance of a thief named Kolya, will attempt a daring escape with a treasure of gold.

Scurry by Mac Smith

10+

Stunning webcomic that is now in print, animal lovers will be mesmerized by the movie-like images. In this story, humans have disappeared from the earth, leaving the animals that depended on them to fend for themselves. House mice Wix and friends are desperately looking for food and ways to survive, while being hunted by feral cats and other predators. They are helped in their struggles by animals of all kinds. Fans of the Redwall books by Brian Jacques will love this tale.