I'd So Rather Be Reading: October 2018

BOOKtober: EERIE Non-Fiction that Middle Schoolers will Love!

They Lost Their Heads!: What Happened to Washington's Teeth, Einstein's Brain, and Other Famous Body Parts by Carlyn Beccia

Summary: From the kidnapping of Einstein's brain to the horrifying end of Louis XIV's heart, the mysteries surrounding some of history's most famous body parts range from medical to macabre. Carlyn Beccia explores the misadventures of noteworthy body parts through history and springboards to exploring STEM topics such as forensics, DNA testing, brain science, organ donation, and cloning. The engaging tone, wonderfully creepy subject matter, and delightfully detailed art are sure to capture even the most reluctant readers.

The famous people and their body parts include:
   Galileo Galilei / Fingers
   Louis XIV / Heart
    George Washington / Teeth
    Franz Joseph Hadyn / Head
    Beethoven / Hair
   Abraham Lincoln / Body
   Chang and Eng Bunker / Liver
   Phineas Gage / Skull
John Wilkes Booth / Neck vertebrae
Sarah Bernhardt / Leg
Vincent Van Gogh / Ear
Mata Hari / Head
Albert Einstein / Brain
Elvis Presley / Wart
Thomas Edison / Last Breath

Release Date: April 2018
Age Group: Childrens, Middle Grade, Non-Fiction
Source: Purchased at a Book Fair
Reviewed By: Nat

Review:

Gross.

Fascinating.

Odd.

Unbelievable.

I READ EVERY WORD!

This book causes severe "googling" and really brought out my Southern drawl as I kept saying things like: "Oh no they didn't" or "Bless their hearts".

I have also lengthened my bucket list because you know I want to track down Elvis' mole. 😂😂😂 I couldn't even type that without cracking up! Dang people are so weird!

If anyone wants my body parts and can sell them for millions, they are yours! I just request that you give my kids at least 33% (I don't want them getting too rich off my parts, they need to work!)

Book to Movie Review: The House with the Clock in Its Walls

I am not sure where to begin... I'll start with two names: Jack Black & Eric Kripke. Now sprinkle in Eli Roth's debut into family entertainment and you have the oddest cocktail ever!

When you set out to scare, Eric Kripke is your man! One, glorious title Supernatural. Ahhhh, the Winchesters. Now combine Jack Black AND Kate Blanchet, pure magic!

I wasn't sure how in the world someone from the realm of Supernatural was going to hone it in for a "family" friendly scare but man did he deliver. The House with a Clock in Its Walls was everything!

Louis was weird and it was a celebration to watch. This movie was jam packed with themes: family loss, bullying, the underdog, persistence, believing in yourself and so on.

I left loving the color purple, wanting a ginormous fireplace, feeling the need to burn all dolls and a little afraid of Jack-o-Lanterns. It was G-R-E-A-T.

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Scare factor according to The Mob

✔︎ Pre-teens: loved it.

✔︎ Middle schoolers: loved it.

𐄂 1st grader: had to sit in my seat and remind me he loved me and thought I "just needed a hug" right at that pumpkin filled moment. No crying. If your youngsters can't handle the Goosebumps flicks, you might want to wait until they are a bit older and desensitized.

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THE HOUSE WITH A CLOCK IN ITS WALLS – In Theaters September 21

In the tradition of Amblin classics where fantastical events occur in the most unexpected places, Jack Black and two-time Academy Award® winner Cate Blanchett star in The House with a Clock in Its Walls, from Amblin Entertainment. The magical adventure tells the spine-tingling tale of 10-year-old Lewis (Owen Vaccaro) who goes to live with his uncle in a creaky old house with a mysterious tick-tocking heart. But his new town’s sleepy façade jolts to life with a secret world of warlocks and witches when Lewis accidentally awakens the dead.

Based on the beloved children’s classic written by John Bellairs and illustrated by Edward Gorey, The House with a Clock in Its Walls is directed by master frightener Eli Roth and written by Eric Kripke (creator of TV’s Supernatural). Co-starring Kyle MacLachlan, Colleen Camp, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Vanessa Anne Williams, Lorenza Izzo and Sunny Suljic, it is produced by Mythology Entertainment’s Brad Fischer (Shutter Island) and James Vanderbilt (Zodiac), as well as Kripke.

Executive produced by William Sherak, Tracey Nyberg, Laeta Kalogridis and Mark McNair, The House with a Clock in Its Walls will be released by Universal Pictures. www.housewithaclock.com

Genre: Adventure

Cast: Jack Black, Cate Blanchett, Owen Vaccaro, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Sunny Suljic and Kyle MacLachlan

Directed by: Eli Roth

Writer: Eric Kripke

Based on the Novel by: John Bellairs

Produced by: Brad Fischer, James Vanderbilt, Eric Kripke

Executive Producers: William Sherak, Tracey Nyberg, Laeta Kalogridis, Mark McNair

Book Spotlight: Roald Dahl's Book of Ghost Stories

If you are in need of a quick classic tale, this is the collection for you!

This is not a work of Dahl himself but a compilation of some of his favorite ghost stories (and authors). He read close to 800 stories in the late 1950's/early 60's and these are the few that made the cut. Each short story is unique and unexpected. I loved the classic feel of each authors writing-- although I did not love every one I read.

Who better to investigate the literary spirit world than that supreme connoisseur of the unexpected, Roald Dahl? Of the many permutations of the macabre, Dahl was always especially fascinated by the classic ghost story. For this superbly disquieting collection, he selected fourteen of his favorite tales by such authors as E.F. Benson, Rosemary Timperley, and Edith Wharton

Includes:
"W.S." L.P. Hartley
"Harry" Rosemary Timperley
"The Corner Shop" Cynthia Asquith
"In the Tube" E.F. Benson
"Christmas Meeting" Rosemary Timperley
"Elias and the Draug" Jonas Lie
"Playmates" A.M. Burrage
"Ringing the Changes" Robert Aickman
"The Telephone" Mary Treadgold
"The Ghost of a Hand" J. Sheridan Le Fanu
"The Sweeper" A.M. Burrage
"Afterward" Edith Wharton
"On the Brighton Road" Richard Middleton
"The Upper Berth" F. Marion Crawford

Release Date: October 1984

Spoktacular Giveaway!

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Let's be honest, there isn't anything better than a gift card!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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BOOKtober Fest: Kindle Unlimited Spooky Stories for Beginner Readers

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Each book has been Monster tested and APPROVED!

{Click titles for KU link to download}

1. Arthur's Halloween by Marc Brown

2. This Book is Haunted! by Haven Dexter

3. Halloween Hustle by Charlotte Gunnufson

4. Sammy's Spooktacular Halloween by Mike Petrik

5. Go to School Little Monster by Helen Ketteman

> Goodnight, Little Monster is also available o KU

6. There Was an Old Mummy Who Swallowed a Spider by Jennifer Ward

> I ended up purchasing a hard copy of this one because we HAD to add it to our "Somebody Swallowed Something" collection. It was less than 5 bucks and totally worth it!

Easy Character Costume: If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

I'm pretty sure reading If You Give a Mouse a Cookie is a rite of passage in childhood; which makes this an easy sell to tweens/teens when trying to get them to dress up! The best part, it is so cheap and quick to throw together, I only had to buy a few supplies for about 10 bucks and BAM props & costume done.

What you need:

Cardboard box (poster board, old box, whatever you can find that is big enough to make the circle)
Light brown paint & dark brown paint (about 97 cents each)
Sheet black poster board (cut odd shaped "chocolate chips"
Large bowl (to trace perfect circle)
Scissors

Ears

Brown headband (I got a pack of three at Dollar Tree)
Dark brown felt (33 cents a sheet)
Light (or dark) pink felt
Craft glue
Ear template (the one I used is found HERE)

Outfit

Overalls
White tee
A pair of white shoes (Vans, Keds, really any slip-on will work- cheap Wal-Mart pair of Faded Glory will do the trick)

Face Paint

Black eye liner

Happy Tricks & Treats Friends!

BOOKtober Fest: 5 Must-Read YA Thrillers 👀

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Read the Reviews if you must, but a thrill you will find come dusk!

{Click titles for reviews}

1. The Girl in the Wall by Daphne Benedis-Grab

2. Aftermath by Kelley Armstrong

3. Missing by Kelley Armstrong

4. Need by Joelle-Charbonneau

5. The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die by April Henry

I'd sleep with the light on... and watch your back because you know someone is following you... just sayin'

BOOKtober Fest: You've Been BOO'ed! 👻

As my 7 year old said to me today, Happy Halloween First!

{And tomorrow Happy Halloween Second... you get the idea here- we are pretty excited.}

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A fun Halloween family tradition that I have shared before is Boo'ing and today you have officially been "BOO'ed" 👻.

You are IT and you must join in the fun! People are counting on you.

🚨 AND DON'T GET CAUGHT! 🚨

To get a better idea of what Boo'ing entails visit last years post HERE. Honestly, my digital images last year were pretty lame. You can do a quick search on Pinterest and get a lot of fancy (better) printable options. In my defense-- last year we Boo'ed about 30 people and the monsters even had the unique (and unforgettable) experience of having a gun pulled on them (only once-- good times).

To get the printout for the ghost you have been Boo'ed with click HERE. Caravan Shoppe is one of my absolute favorite digital sites. There are several freebies and this kit is one so hurry over and download all the goodies.