Children's Literature @ NYPL

Booktalking "Miss Smith and the Haunted Library" by Michael Garland

Miss Smith and the Haunted Library by Michael Garland, 2009

How is this for a Halloween treat? Miss Smith takes her class to a dark mansion that is now a library. Librarian Virginia Creeper, complete with blue hair, reads to the class about scary creatures such as the Headless Horseman, Frankenstein, Count Drakula, etc.! Right while she's doing story time, ghosts fly down from the books, and the Wicked Witch of the West and the Big Bad Wolf show up to join the fun!

Finally, the spine-tingling tales conclude, and the kids get cookies and apple cider from the librarian. A Halloween party ensues! While the kids are fraternizing with the creatures, the Senior book club arrives for a vist. There are frantic attempts to quickly restore order to the children's room and the library. Finally, some grumpy seniors enter the library, but the kids are getting ready to check out books before they return to their school.

Librarian Virginia Creeper even included a helpful booklist for the kids entitled, "Where to Find Scary Creatures."

Miss Smith and the Haunted Library

I love the bright orange colors and monsters on the cover, and the fall foliage in the book is so beautiful.

For more, see the following lists:

Books on Halloween

Books on Libraries

Books by Michael Garland