Summer Scares 2024: Middle Grade Horror

Does your middle grader love scary books, but you have no idea what to recommend? Look no further! The Horror Writers’ Association (HWA) (along with NoveList, ECSCO, Booklist, Book Riot and United for Libraries) has created their Summer Scares 2024 list, and it is amazing! Summer Scares is a reading program intended to encourage readers’ as well as librarians to embrace horror and provides an annual list of recommended horror titles! (HWA, 2024).

This year’s titles were selected by author Clay McLeod Chapman and a panel of six library workers who selected three titles for adult, teen and middle grade.

The middle grade picks are:

Ophie’s Ghost by Justina Ireland

During a horrible night in 1922, Ophie’s father was murdered by a lynch mob. It was also the first time she saw a ghost. Trying to start anew, Ophie and her mother move from Georgia to Pittsburg, but the ghosts remain. Ophie befriends a ghost names Clara who cannot remember how she died, and she soon becomes entangled in this mystery trying to help Clara find out what happened to her...

The Nest by Kenneth Oppel

Steve’s baby brother is very sick. He is shuffled back and forth from the hospital regularly, worrying him greatly. One night, Steve dreams of a wasp queen, who offers him a chance to fix all that is wrong with his baby brother. All he has to do is agree. Steve is intrigued and concerned at the same time, and has a huge decision to make as both choices will have a consequence.

My Aunt is a Monster- by Reimena Yee

This title is a graphic novel that depicts the adventures of Safia, who is taken in by her reclusive Aunt Whimsy when her parents die in a fire. Safia is blind...and she can’t see that her aunt is a monster- with blue fur, horns, taloned feet and three yellow eyes. Aunt Whimsy used to be an adventurer, and is called out of retirement when word comes out that her former rival has reappeared and is causing trouble... Safia and her aunt take the trip of a lifetime, across the globe in search of her rival... and to stop her evil plans....

The Hazeldean Branch of the Ottawa Public Library will be holding a Summer Scares book club on July 23 @ 2:30 pm featuring The Nest by Kenneth Oppel. One can register online via our the OPL website for this program.

Check out some more of the previous HWA Middle Grade Summer Scares7/2556296939 picks on our Bibliocommons book list:

https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/list/share/76017677/2556296939

Also, for more information and older Summer Scares selections, check out:

Summer Scares Middle Grade Webinar

Summer Scares 2024 Programming Guide

HWA ANNOUNCES SUMMER SCARES READING PROGRAM 2024 Spokesperson and Timeline

Summer Scares Archive

Ordinary Folks, Extraordinary Lives - Recommendations from the Ottawa Public Library

Ottawa Public Library is back to share some great books with us. This month, Véro Dupuis from the Sunnyside branch has a list of inspiring biographies in picture book format for you.

Freddie the Flyer / by F. Carmichael, D Metcalfe-Chenail and A. Loreen-Wulf

Meet Freddie Carmichael, the first Indigenous commercial pilot in the Arctic! Fascinated by planes from a young age, he spent decades flying all sorts of people through the Mackenzie Delta in the North West Territories: reindeer herders, biologists, geologists, people needing medical help and even trappers and their whole dog teams. As well as founding several airlines over the years, he trained a whole generation of Indigenous pilots and mechanics. The beautiful paintings in this book will make you want to travel to the beautiful North.

Swimming With Sharks / by Heather Lang and Jordi Solano

Eugenie Clark was never afraid of sharks. As a child, she would frequently visit them at the New York Aquarium and tried to learn everything about them, but she had so many questions which were left unanswered. Later as an adult trying to gain an education as an oceanographer in the 1940s, she had to face rejection both for being a woman and for her Japanese heritage. Yet through her tenacity, she achieved her goals, became a world-renowned scientist dubbed ‘The Shark Lady’, and was still going on dives in her nineties.

Mario and the Hole in the Sky / by Elizabeth Rusch and Teresa Martínez

Many of us remember the Ozone Hole Crisis of the early 90s; for the first time, the general public became aware of human’s negative impact on our planet. This book is the story of Mario Molina, the Mexican American chemist who alerted the world’s scientific community of the dangers of CFCs aerosols and saved the world back from the brink of environmental destruction. The back pages of this book reaffirm the hopeful message of Mario’s story – that history proved that it is possible for people to come together and reverse global catastrophes.

Breaking the Ice / by Angie Bullaro ad C. F. Payne

Being a woman in hockey is tough. Being a woman in hockey who plays with men is tougher. Being a woman playing in the National Hockey League is not tough – it is simply not possible. Except for that one time, back in 1992, when Canadian goaler Manon Rhéaume, 21 years old, was invited to play with the Tampa Bay Lightning… An inspiring story of courage and dedication to read to your young hockey players at home. (Également disponible en français sous le titre ‘Briser la glace’).

A Voice Named Aretha / by K. Russell-Brown and L. Freeman

R.E.S.P.E.C.T. ! No doubt, you’ve heard (and sung!) Aretha Franklin’s song before. Did you know she was the very first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame? Get to know the story of the shy girl from Detroit who became The Queen of Soul – a hard worker who navigated the pitfalls of show business, a philanthropist who never stopped showing up for her hometown of Detroit, and a stirring performer who brought President Obama to tears!

Good Morning, Sunshine / by L. Schultz Nicholson and A. Carter

Joey Moss might be a local hero in his hometown of Edmonton, but his story deserves to be told across Canada and beyond. Born with Down Syndrome in a family of thirteen, Joey worked for the Edmonton Oilers for 35 years (!), working hard in the equipment room, lifting players’ spirits up in the dressing room with his cheerful personality, and drumming up excitement during games with his enthusiastic rendition of ‘O Canada’ on the jumbotron. He used his fame to help fundraise money for people with disabilities. His sister Pattie summed his life best : “Joey was given love and he gave love back.”

Make the most of your library card and enjoy all these great books at home with your children! If you don’t have a card yet, you can sign up for one here.

River of Crows and Mirror of Wolves - local Ottawa author

We are big fans of reading here at Kids in the Capital, so when NP Thompson, local Ottawa author of River of Crows and Mirror of Wolves, reached out to us, we knew we wanted to have one of our young readers review these books!

Annabelle is a local 12-year old who took the time to read both these novels and share her thoughts with us about them.

River of Crows

This book follows the adventures of Ty Baxter, a 12-year boy who lives in Newhaven. He used to have a pretty normal life, but after teaming up with the new girl in school to help an injured bird, he finds himself in a whole other world full of magic called Arcania. With his newfound friend, he sets off on a daring adventure to rescue her brother from the black guard, an organization controlled by an evil sorcerer who captures children and turns them into crows.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this book, but as a fan of Percy Jackson, I found that it had a similar idea to the series. It was fun to be able to learn about the magic of this new place along with Ty. The author brought this whole book to life with all the characters and adventures that happen throughout the book, like meeting a hob (Arcanian creature similar to a dwarf), rafting across a river and facing incredible dangers, such as a battle against a magical being (I’ll leave it at that, I don’t want to give any spoilers!) With all the challenges presented to the intriguing characters, I am excited to read what happens in the next book.

Mirror of wolves

During the events of this book, Ty has started his training with the renown Quinn Tambrun, a skilled healer and sorcerer, also known as Ty’s grandfather. Although it was going well at first, his studies were discovered to become more difficult as time passed, and he started to have nightmares of his encounter with the evil Emperor Blackthorn. As his nightmares continued to plague him, he tried to focus on his learning but when he learns of a mystical artifact which can show him his destiny, he sets out on an adventure to search for it. 

The continuation of the stories of the arcanium was a very interesting read. During the beginning, I got a bit confused with the switching point of views, but as I continued, I started to understand. There were many plot twists included in the story, which made it exciting to read and fun to see everyone’s reactions. In this book, a few new characters are introduced and each one has a very distinct personality, and I can easily tell them apart. One character in particular was very interesting to read about, which was Paul Baxter. He was introduced in the first book, but in the sequel, we get to explore his character and personality. I personally loved the book, and can’t wait to read the next one. I would definitely recommend this book to other readers my age. (10-12)

Where can you get the book:

You can get the book in print or ebook at the following retailers (and the ebook version is currently on sale at a huge discount, and will remain so until December 15th!)

Amazon: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09TX6YDPD
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/river-of-crows-1
Apple: https://books.apple.com/ca/book/river-of-crows/id1612955802

Silly and Strange Books You Need To Read

Ottawa Public Library (OPL) is back to share some silly and strange picture books. This month’s post is by Luna Vo, Children’s Programming and Public Services Assistant at the Sunnyside Branch of OPL. “There are so many books to read and so little time. Here is a list of some silly and strange picture books that I thought would bring about some smiles and chuckles.” says Luna. “I hope you and your child will enjoy them like I did!”

Who wet my Pants? By Bob Shea

Help solve this mystery...or was it just an accident? Reuben tries to discover what happened to his pants and if his friends were responsible. They try to assure him that it was probably an accident, but he thinks his friends are covering up what really happened.  This fun book explores a wealth of emotions such as: embarrassment, empathy, anger and forgiveness. A child going through the potty-training process might relate to this book and learn that it’s okay to have accidents.

Rhyming dust bunnies by Jan Thomas

If you’ve been to story time at a library, you have probably heard a Jan Tomas story. This hilarious book is a fun way for children to learn about phonetic awareness through rhyming words. There are three dust bunnies, Ed, Ned, and Ted who love to speak in rhyme. Unfortunately, Bob, the fourth dust bunny does not follow this pattern. Maybe he’s got something different to say? This book has very simple depictions but the bold colours, large speech bubbles, and fun fonts are very eye-catching and add to the silliness.

Still Stuck by Shinsuke Yoshitake

This fun book was recommended by my colleague, and I think everyone has been in this situation - at least once - and can relate. This book follows a young boy who is exploring his autonomy. When it’s time for a bath, he is convinced that he can get undressed on his own but...he gets stuck. What happens if he’s stuck forever? How will he live his life? Both parents and children will have a chuckle when they read this book!

I Can Only Draw Worms by Will Mabbitt

The title of this book is spot on.  It is definitely a book with only worms in it. This might sound boring, but it was a super silly and fun read. The simplicity of the illustrations adds to the humour in this book and the bright neon colours were certainly eye catching. It is also a fun way to incorporate numeracy while reading to children.

Fluffy McWhiskers Cuteness Explosion by Stephan W. Matin

This book is so cute that it causes spontaneous combustion! Whoever sees Fluffy McWhiskers is so overwhelmed, they explode. Naturally, Fluffy doesn’t want that to happen so she tries to downplay her cuteness, but nothing works. Eventually Fluffy decides she is too dangerous to be around. Is she doomed to be alone forever? Or will she be able to find a friend who can accept her as she is?

Underwear! By Jenn Harney

I adored this hilarious book about a father bear trying to get his cub dressed and ready for bed after his bath. Unfortunately, little bear has his own plans after bath time.  The illustrations perfectly encompass the frantic and fun energy of trying to get a little one ready for bedtime.  This is a great book to read to children because it contains word play, homophones, and rhymes that are important to early literacy.

Animals brag about their Bottoms by Maki Saito

Well, I didn’t think that anyone could write a book about bottoms, but here we are! Not only are the illustrations beautiful, but the message about positive body image and self-esteem is fantastic. This book displays all different types of bottoms and encourages readers to see the benefits of being different. No matter the size, shape, texture, or colour, all bottoms are beautiful!

King Baby by Kate Beaton

This book is about King Baby and his loyal subjects. Unfortunately, sometimes his subjects don’t understand his needs, so he has to get things done himself! Follow along as King Baby begins to grow and change. The illustrations are bold and playful – they certainly bring a smile to my face. I’m not going to lie - I think this is definitely more entertaining for adults than for children. The hilarious writing pokes fun of the way parents cater to their baby’s needs.

Penguin problems by Jory John and Lane Smith

This book is about a grumpy penguin who complains about everything! He doesn’t like the weather, the ocean, the way he looks, or the way he waddles. Hopefully, some words of wisdom from a friendly walrus will help change the penguin’s outlook on life. This book is a great reminder to children to be grateful for what they have and to appreciate life.

Bad Dog by Mike Boldt

It’s a typical case of mistaken identity. A little girl receives a new pet for her birthday and is convinced that it is a dog. However, Rocky is not a very good dog, and she doesn’t do the things a typical dog does. She doesn’t like walks, performing tricks or playing with other dogs. Why is this dog so strange? I love the expressive faces depicted in this book and think that parents and children will find this silly book hilarious.

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.