Beware the Ninja Weenies

Beware the Ninja Weenies : and other warped and creepy tales by David Lubar

I have been a fan of David Lubar's for years now, our library has the complete collection of his warped and creepy tales, and I think the make the best short story read-alouds. So, I was happy to take this book home and review it. I now have a list of a least 6 more that will make perfect read-alouds for the gang at Lakie.

I'm in touch with this description from the back cover: "These short-story collections really showcase [Lubar's] delightfully twisted imagination. For me, reading Attack of the Vampire Weenies was like watching a bunch of Twilight Zone episodes for kids.... There is no doubt about it - David Lubar is the Rod Serling of middle-grade fiction."

I was a late night watcher of the Twilight Zone and I think Lubar must have been too.

The Chronicles of Harris Burdick

The Chronicles of Harris Burdick : 14 amazing authors tell the tales by Chris Van Allsburg, with an introduction by Lemony Snicket

I've been patiently waiting for this one to arrive, and yippee it's finally here. I know many of you will be familiar with the original book The Mysteries of Harris Burdick, with those wonderful black and white illustrations and just one simple story opener and a couple of dots that invite the reader to continue on ...
Well now we have some of our favourite authors finishing those sentences and creating a full fledged short story around them. It requires a closer look at the illustration and an imagination that is ready and raring to go. Some are scary, some humorous and many will be memorable. This will make a perfect Xmas gift for that favourite LA teacher (hint, hint.)
Here's the list of authors: Serman Alexie, M.T. Anderson, Kate DiCamillo, Cory Doctorow, Jules Feiffer, Stephen King, Tabitha King, Lois Lowry, Gregory Maguire, Walter Dean Myers, Linda Sue Park, Louis Sachar, Jon Scieszka, Chris Van Allsburg.

Curious what kind of stories young aspiring writers create, have a look here and don't be afraid to submit your own.
http://www.hmhbooks.com/features/harrisburdick/readers_stories.html

Check out the

Attack of the Vampire Weenies

Attack of the Vampire Weenies: and other wapred and creepy tales by David Lubar

As many of you know I am a huge fan of the warped and creepy weenie books. They are such fun short stories and so it was without hesitation that I picked up this newest edition for our library. 33 scary (kind of), funny (definately), short (3-5 pages) stories.

A boy steals a ticket to an amusement park and gets the roller-coaster ride of a lifetime -- literally. The first day of middle school turns into a free-for-all when the gym teacher offers the class a get-out-of-gym-free card. Sick of his sister's vampire wannabe friends, a kid decides to teach them a lesson at their next party. But the table are turned when some surprise guests show up. Watch out for the vampire weenies!

Ghost Hunt: Chilling tales of the unknown

Ghost Hunt: Chilling Tales of the Unknown by Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson

If you want to know what goes bump in the night... If you feel a shiver up your spine when you enter a dark room... If you wonder: Is it real? Ghost Hunt has the answers.

An exciting new middle grade collection of spooky paranormal investigations based on REAL ghost hunts from stars of the TV show Ghost Hunters. This volume feature multiple stories dramatized with cliff hangers and red herrings to heighten suspense and character interaction. Throught the investigation readers will learn the ins and outs of ghost hunting, how to spot a hoax, and how to face their fear of the paranormal.

As many of you know I'm a wuss when it comes to scary stuff - so this is one I'll be needing readers and reviewers for. Check out the website for more -- http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/features/ghosthunt/index.html

Read On.

Guys Read: Funny Business

Guys Read: Funny Business edited by Jon Scieszka

Funny Business is based around the theme of - what else?- humor, and if you're familiar with Jon and Guys Read, you already know what your in for: ten hilarious stories from some of the funniest writers around. Before you're through you'll meet a teenage mummy; a kid desperate to take a dip in the world's largest pool of chocolate milk; a homicidal turkey; parents that hand their son's room over to a biker; the only kid in middle school who hasn't turned into a vampire, wizard or superhero; and more. Ten stories guaranteed to delight, amuse and possibly make you spit your milk in your friend's face, from the following esteemd writers: Mac Barnett, Eoin Colfer, Christopher Paul Curtis, Kate DiCamillo, Jon Scieszka, Paul Feig, Jack Gantos, Jeff Kinney, David Lubar, Adam Rex and David Yoo.

This will definately appeal to those fans of David Lubar's short story collections - The Curse of the Campfire Weenies - etc.

I especially liked Eoin Colfer and Jack Gantos's stories. But really they all gave me a bit of a chuckle.

Here's the ten authors telling the intro joke.

David Lubar

New titles from one of my favourite authors David Lubar.
First up: Invasion of the Road Weenies
Welcome to the weird and wacky world of award-winning storyteller and master of the macabre, David Lubar. These thirty-five tales ranging from the silly and offbeat to flat-out horrifying are just right for reading alone or for telling aloud in the dark.

Second- Flip
Did you ever wish you could be anybody else but who you are? Twins Ryan and Taylor do all the time. They hate who they are. Now they have their chance. They've discovered mysterious alien disks that allow them to "flip"... to become legendary heroes from the past.
But being a hero may not be as much fan as they think.

This author is one of my favourites cause he can always make me laugh.

This family is driving me crazy

This Family is Driving Me Crazy edited by M. Jerry Weiss and Helen S. Weiss

Ten stories about surviving your family.

Families are something that link us all together, we all have one, whether they're biological, step, foster, far-flung, or even that tight group of friends that seem as close and crazy as family. How we deal with them is something we also have in common. So for me, coming from a family that consists of seven biological siblings, eight step siblings, and a few strays that have been adopted into our family along the way, this was a book that I wanted to read (mostly to see if their families are as wacky and fun and frustrating as mine can be.)

I enjoyed all of the stories, and I loved some of them. The first one that starts off the book Wimp of Sparta by Gordon Korman was hilarious, and I loved the poem by Mel Glen about being the middle kid. In fact now as I page back through - I think I really enjoyed them all, for they were all very, very unique - just like our families.

From the cover:

What if your dad was a preacher at the mall? What if your sister made you dress like Little Lord Fauntleroy for her wedding? What if your grandfather was wanted by the law in three states?

Ten of today's most talented authors have come together to tell these hilarious, poignant stories, showing how our families drive us crazy and how we love them anyway.

If you've ever wanted to trade in your own family for a new one, this thoughtful collection will make you realize that things may not be as bad as they seem. Or at least let you know there are other out there who can sympathize...

Does this book make me look fat?

Does this book make me look fat? stories about loving and loathing your body edited by Marissa Walsh

Anyone who has every asked - how does this make me look? or do these jeans make me look fat? has a place reading this collection of 14 stories and essays.

The stories ranged in variety from too skinny, too fat, too busty, too flat. But the overall message was accepting ones self, inside and out. We live in a society that unfortunately is constantly judging us and how we look, and sometimes we need to encourage that inner voice that is saying "I am beautiful, in every single way" to be heard in a voice louder than a squeak, and books like this remind us to let it be heard.

So for one afternoon, sit back and read some stories that will make you feel okay about your size and shape. And certainly don't worry about the "F" word - fat!

Story collections

Right now in our library there is a large display of Octoberish books. All have the common theme of - the creep factor, whether it be ghosts, goblins, halloween, or paranormal. I have a few new suggestions to be added to the display. Good scary titles to make your spine tingle.

All Hallows' Eve 13 stories by Vivian Vande Velde
As some of you know, I'm a spineless wimp went it comes to horror stories, I made it through the first three stories in this book and I had to quit, it was gonna give me nightmares for sure.

666 The Number of the Beast : Stories of Horror

From the back cover-

Tales of evil. Tales of darkness. Tales of beasts.

There's the ...

Vampire who visits the same girl every night.

Dangerous rumor that turns all too deadly.

Zombie who couldn't look more innocent.

Boarding school plagued by a tortured ghost.

And so much more in this spine-tingling, bone-chilling collection of 18 stories from 18 masters of horror.

So lock the door. Turn on the lights. Don't answer the phone. And open this book ... if you dare...

Oddest of All : Nine odd stories by Bruce Coville

Started this one this morning and loved the weird, odd factor. It reminded me of the Twilight Zone my favourite tv show when I was in senior high. I might save this one for read alouds.

The Dark Side : truly terrifying tales / chosen by Susan Price

From the back cover.

Sure to leave your skin crawling with fear, this chilling collection of horror stories will get your heart racing and goose bumps popping. Twenty-four terrifying tales by such authors as Charles Dickens, Stephen King, and Edgar Allen Poe are sure to haunt even the bravest of readers.

The Curse of the Campfire Weenies and other warped and creepy tales by David Lubar

I love David Lubar, I think he's funny, quick and clever. So it's no wonder I picked up two copies of this one. Delicously silly and at the same time macabre. Can't wait to dive into this one.

Beastly Rhymes to read after dark by Judy Sierra

I'll share one.

Never Bully a Bug

Young William was not nice to bugs,

Or bees, or centipedes, or slugs.

He'd poke, and pull, and squeeze, and tweak

And laugh because they were so weak.

Young William never realized

The tiny mites he victimized

Had cousins that were giant-sized.

One day, while walking down the stair,

Young William met a bumblebear.

The bumblebear packed quite a sting,

But when a beast more frightening -

A stomping-mad rhinocepede-

Came hurtling toward him at top speed,

Young William, feeling far less smug,

Collided with a hipposlug,

And disappeared in one slow g-l-u-g.