Monthly Archives: November 2023

Elem./MG – Exit 13: The Whispering Pines

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Preller, James. Exit 13: The Whispering Pines. Scholastic, 2023. 978-1-338-81044-8. 187 p. $7.99. Grades 3-6.

Lost in the gloom, the McGinn family reluctantly checks into the Exit 13 Motel for the night. Somehow, the young man at the desk, Kristoff, seems to be expecting them… and their rooms are already prepared. Intending only to stay for one night, the family’s stay is extended after Mr. McGinn injures himself and is unable to drive. Since their arrival, the youngest McGinn, Ash, has felt there was something wrong with the motel and is drawn to the woods behind the motel and the wolf-like creature that seems to live in them. As the story develops, the McGinn family seems unable to find a means to leave the hotel area. To escape, Ash and his sister, Willow, along with their newfound friend, Justice, must solve its mystery and that of the woods beyond. Ending on a cliffhanger, this book is part of a series designed to encourage further reading.

THOUGHTS: Lately, my younger students have been requesting “scary books,” and I’ve had a limited selection to offer them. The Whispering Pines presents a balanced scare factor that will appeal to the younger set (without terrifying them) and entice my older readers looking for a quick read. The chapters are short and several graphic novel sequences move the story along, presenting a format that is appealing to fans of graphics but also supporting reluctant readers. Recommended for those seeking to add to their “scary” collections for younger readers or those looking for books with built-in supports for striving readers.

Mystery

Elem. -A Super Scary Narwhalloween

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Clanton, Ben. A Super Scary Narwhalloween. Tundra, 2023. 978-0-735-26674-2. unpaged. $12.99. Grades K-3.

Narwhal and Jelly are off on a new adventure–this time for Halloween! Narwhal is excited for Halloween, but Jelly isn’t so sure. He likes dressing up and the treats… but isn’t excited about the scary stuff. When Narwhal dashes off to create his costume, Jelly is left alone and uncertain without his best buddy around.  His uncertainty turns to fear as sea animals dash by telling of a huge, spiked, fanged, HUNGRY sea monster. Challenging Narwhal, Jelly Superifies his pod of friends, who follow his lead in the inevitable a monster encounter. Not surprisingly, the monster is no monster at all–just Narwhal caught in his costumes!

THOUGHTS: Narwhal, plus Halloween. This book is destined to fly off the shelves, just as the other Narwhal and Jelly adventures tend to do, even when Halloween isn’t around the corner. As with the other Narwhal stories, in addition to this one, the book includes fun facts about bats and scary ocean creatures as well as a bonus waffle comic. Ben Clanton continues to offer growing readers a lot in his Narwhal series.

Graphic Novel 

Elem. – Rain

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Rylant, Cynthia. Rain. Illustrated by Lisa Congdon. Beach Lane Books, 2023. 978-1-442-46509-1. Unpaged. Grades PreK-1. $18.99.

Rylant extols the beauty and benefits of rain in this colorful picture book. Instead of looking at rain as a dreary unexciting weather event, the author describes how rain is perceived by a variety of characters, who eagerly anticipate the rainfall. The cats love rain, but only from inside, while one dog loves the feel of raindrops on his nose. Mother Duck and her ducklings are in their element during the shower, while children play outside wearing their raincoats and multi-colored boots. After the precipitation stops, the animals and children go back outside to a world that is now sunny and refreshed. The rain has filled up the creeks, birdbaths, and even the dogs’ water bowls and now the flowers and garden vegetables will continue to grow “all because of rain.” The digital full bleed drawings by Congdon are vibrant and striking. The illustrator toys with perspective, since the children are pictured only from the knees down, which allows the reader to focus on the puddles. Instead of wishing for the rain to go away, children will learn to welcome a rainy day and see it in a different light.

THOUGHTS: Rylant’s latest work in simple text puts a positive spin on rainy weather and its benefits. This picture book is a good choice for rainy day storytimes for preschoolers and primary students. 

Picture Book

Elem. – The Skull

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Klassen, Jon. The Skull. Candlewick Press, 2023. 978-1-536-22336-1. 105 p. $15.36  Grades 1-4.

Otilla runs away from home. The reason is never explained to the reader–she just runs through the forest and into a clearing where she finds a house… that she discovers is inhabited by a skull. A skull who has been alone for many, many years. The skull invites Otilla into his home, and they explore the house together, discovering a fireplace room, garden room, dungeon, ball room, and tower. Along the way, Otilla helps the skull by carrying him through the house, picking him a pear, brewing tea, and lighting a fire. As night falls, the skull confesses that he is chased nightly by a headless skeleton. Otilla, undeterred, stays the night, and using her wits and her newfound knowledge of the house, defeats the skeleton and cements her unlikely friendship with the skull as well as their future together.  

THOUGHTS: Otilla is a plucky heroine with broad appeal, and her story is great for young readers seeking fun with a bit of a thrill or simply interested in a good folktale. The illustrations, in black and gray with warm lighting in shades of orange, add intrigue to the words on the page. Libraries with early elementary students looking for spooky stories will find a home for this book on their shelves… if it stays there!

Picture Book