Kat McGee and the Halloween Costume Caper

As I'm drafting this post, I am waiting for my husband to jump out of a plane.  Our friend turned 30 in May, and has decided to experience something new EVERY day of his 30th year.  Follow his adventures at:  Never365.  He's done some amazing things in just a couple of months.  Annnd here's hoping everything turns out okay, because our one-year anniversary is in a couple of weeks...

So! Kat McGee and the Halloween Costume Caper is the second in the Kat McGee series, and is written by Kristin Riddick.  I haven't read the first yet...it's called Mrs. Claus and the School of Christmas Spirit, and is by Rebecca Munsterer.

Kat McGee is a spunky girl.  She isn't the smartest or most athletic, but she is the BEST at Halloween!  She looks forward to it all year; but this year, Mr. S is threatening to take the day away.  Kat is magically transported to Treatsville, where Halloween costumes live for the rest of the year.  But someone has been kidnapping the costumes there.  With the help of the sweet witch Dolce, her cat deLeche (yep, they went there) and her costume pals, Kat faces a series of tests to prepare her to take on the evil Snaggletooth.  As she is tested, she learns to face fears, and that she's a winner- not just on Halloween.

I love that this book encourages young girls to be inquisitive and to work together.  It teaches girls to take their fears head on, and that it's okay to make mistakes.  

Kat's quest reminded me a bit of Sarah's quest in The Labyrinth- I kept expecting Hoggle to pop out of the Haunted Forest somewhere.  I could definitely see this being made into a Nick or Disney made-for-TV movie (like the Halloweentown series!)  There's also a hint of the Bailey School Kids series- if anyone remembers those...

I was a bit put off by Snaggletooth's accent- it was just inconsistent.  Sometimes Boris-y, sometimes Pepe Le Pew-y, sometimes...I don't know.  But! If that kind of thing doesn't bother you- and for the ages this was written for, I'm sure it won't be an issue- it was a really cute story.  Kat is a great character for young girls to look to; she faces problems like bullying and feeling insignificant, but she's strong, courageous, and a leader. 

Note: My husband is safe and sound, and has a certificate to prove it!






Kat McGee and the Halloween Costume Caper is published by In This Together Media.  Digital ARC provided by the publisher.
Released: 09.01.2013

Scaredy Squirrel Prepares For Halloween: A Safety Guide for Scaredies

Oh, I love Scaredy Squirrel :-D  Not as much as my co-worker, but I have been known to sit my husband down for an evening of cautionary squirrel tales.  We've had those storytimes with Walter The Farting Dog, too.  Guess which one he liked more. 

Anyway, the Scaredy Squirrel series by Mélanie Watt is great.  So far in this series, Scaredy Squirrel has overcome leaving his home, going to the beach, having a birthday party, and making new friends.  Now, it looks like it's time for some October 31st celebrations!

Scaredy Squirrel Prepares for Halloween: A Safety Guide for Scaredies is an 8-chapter guide on, well, preparing for Halloween.  It's less of a story and more of a how-to, but is still hilarious.  Kind of a kids' version of Amy Sedaris' I Like You: Hospitality Under The Influence.

It starts with a warning to avoid reading the guide during the full moon, and includes a quiz on how "scaredy" you are of Halloween.  There's a Jack-o-Lantern guide (only friendly!), and a black & orange decoration guide (black forest cakes, and orange flotation vests for example).  There's also a costume guide with  a Scare-o-meter, for your convenience.  Scaredy has a handy approach to candy inspection, and lets you know why the apple is a particularly scary fruit.

Honestly, I think this would be great for an actual kids' party, on top of being just a fun read.

If you haven't read this series, probably best not to start with this one; but don't let that deter you from reading it.  And remember, if all else fails...play dead!

Scaredy Squirrel is published by Kids Can Press.  Digital ARC provided by NetGalley.

Release Date: 08.01.2013