paranormal – Mom Read It

Fantasy, Fiction, Middle Grade, Tween Reads

Middle Grade Moms are Fantastic!

Posted on May 10, 2025May 10, 2025 by Rosemary Kiladitis

It’s Mother’s Day tomorrow, so let’s shine the spotlight on some of our middle grade moms. These books are all for the middle graders, but the moms featured are pretty amazing.

Darkness and Demon Song, by M.R. Fournet, (June 2025, Square Fish), $9.99, ISBN: 9781250876065

Ages 9-12

Marius Grey is a tween monster hunter: think of him as one of Supernatural’s Winchester boys with a book rather than enchanted weapons. He’s fought a rougarou and he’s brought his mother back from actual Hell, but she didn’t come back entirely right. This second book in the Marius Grey series picks up from where Brick Dust and Bones (2023) left off, but the fun was only beginning. Set in New Orleans, Marius and his best friend, the flesh-eating mermaid, join forces with his magical community and a new friend who’s got some powers of her own to figure out what came back with his mother and how to get rid of it. If you haven’t read the first book in the series, don’t worry – Fournet takes care of a lot of the exposition within the narrative, but you’ll want to read it for sure when you’re done. The story is powered by Marius’s love for his mother and his desire to save her yet again. Additional characters have textured backstories and make this an all-around good read for middle graders who enjoy the spookier side of life. Darkness and Demon Song was originally published in hardcover in 2024; the trade paperback is publishing in June.

Vanya and the Wild Hunt, by Sangu Mandanna, (March 2025, Roaring Brook Press), $17.99, ISBN: 9781250899835

Ages 8-12

Vanya is a British-Indian eleven-year old who doesn’t feel like she fits in. The English town where she lives in mostly white, and her ADHD keeps her distracted. And apparently, the books are talking to her – but she keeps that quiet from her parents; she doesn’t want them to have any more reason to worry about her. Except for the day when an honest-to-goodness bogeyman attacks her family, and she discovers that her parents have a LOT of secrets, starting with her mother, who brandishes a flaming dagger out of a table lamp at the bogeyman. Her mother is an archwitch: a protector of “fantastical creatures of mythical beasts”. Her father – who heard the books all along! – is an archivist who met her mother when they were children at Auramere, a magical library and school. Now that Vanya has the truth, she’s invited to go to Auramere, too; she’ll learn that all the mythical, magical monsters and creatures are real. Unicorns? They’re actually chubby Shetland pony-type horses, but they do have magical horns. That cute little mongoose that winks at her? That’s Victory, her mother’s famillilar. Magic is real, and now it’s Vanya’s turn to learn about it before The Wild Hunt – an enigmatic, powerful group – destroys her home, her family, and her life. The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches author Mandanna brings her love of fantasy to middle graders with a story that fantasy fans will love. Black and white illustrations throughout keep things interesting. Readers who love fantasy like the Kiranmala series by Sayantani Dasgupta, Roshani Chokshi’s Pandava series (better known as the Aru Shah series), Dhionielle Clayton’s Conjureverse series (aka The Marvellers), and the series under the Rick Riordan presents umbrella, will enjoy a new adventure rooted in myth and legend.

Middle Grade, Non-fiction

Is it Real? Loch Ness Monster – Candace Fleming explores cryptids

Posted on January 13, 2025December 12, 2024 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Is it Real? Loch Ness Monster, by Candace Fleming, (March 2025, Scholastic Focus), $8.99, ISBN: 9781339037936

Ages 8-12

I loved books like these when I was a kid. Candace Fleming, award-winning kidlit author, has a new book coming out in March. The first in a new series, Is it Real? Loch Ness Monster is perfect for paranormal and science fiction fans. Fleming combines storytelling with nonfiction and puts the reader behind the investigator’s desk, inviting them sharpen research skills. Using case studies, photos, and analysis and research, Fleming leads readers through the process of evaluation and critical thinking to decide for themselves whether or not the Loch Ness Monster could be considered fact, fiction, or maybe something in between. Using a fictitious database in the story as an example, Fleming instructs readers on how to use search terms to retrieve best results, and shows readers how photos can be emphasized to tell a different story. Back matter includes additional resources. Is it Real? makes research and deduction fun and should make a good purchase for collections where creature books do well.

Visit Candace Fleming’s author website for free activities and teaching guides.

Candace Fleming is the versatile and acclaimed author of more than twenty books for children and young adults, including Crash from Outer Space: Unraveling the Mystery of Flying Saucers, Alien Beings, and Roswell; The Curse of the Mummy: Uncovering Tutankhamun’s Tomb; The Enigma Girls: How Ten Teenagers Broke Ciphers, Kept Secrets, and Helped Win World War II; The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh, winner of the YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award; the Sibert Award winner Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera; the Los Angeles Times Book Prize winner and Sibert Honor Book The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of the Russian Empire; and the critically acclaimed Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart. Visit Candace Fleming online at candacefleming.com.

Fiction, Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Tween Reads

Happy Book Birthday to VP Anderson & Tatiana Hill’s Blood City Rollers!

Posted on April 9, 2024April 8, 2024 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Blood City Rollers, by V.P. Anderson/Illustrated by Tatiana Hill, (Apr. 2024, Labyrinth Road/Random House Graphic), $13.99, ISBN: 9780593485712

Ages 8-12

What do you get when you a human ice skater joins a vampire roller derby team? A fun story about found family and discovering not only who we are, but what we really want from life. Mina Murray is a 13-year-old figure skater whose mom has big plans for her: the Olympics, the breakfast cereal boxes, all of it. Mina’s not so sure about her place in this world, so when two vampires “kinda sorta” kidnap her to be part of their Paranormal Roller Derby team, the Blood City Rollers, Mina is surprisingly quick to go with the new flow. The vamps need a human jammer for their team, and they need to win the Derby so they can maintain their status and keep their home. As Mina practices and becomes a part of the team, she feels like she’s finally found somewhere she belongs. A queer-friendly mashup of paranormal/horror and comedy, Blood City Rollers is for everyone who loved Roller Girl, with just a bit more spooky added in. Mina explores a crush on Val, the team captain, and skaters’ pronouns are included on the rosters; the skaters are a diverse group in terms of gender identity, race, and ethnicity. This is the first in a new graphic novel series and looks like it will be a popular one.

Blood City Rollers has a starred review from Publishers Weekly.

Teen, Young Adult/New Adult

New YA Paranormal Adventure: The Last Huntress

Posted on December 10, 2022 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Last Huntress (Mirror Realm Series 1), by Lenore Borja, (Nov. 2022, SparkPress), $17.95, ISBN: 9781684631735

Ages 14+

Alice Daniels is a high school senior who’s just moved to Phoenix from Colorado, meets the local dudebro, and falls in with a pack of demon hunting teens from school. On her 18th birthday, Alice discovers that she is a huntress with the ability to enter the mirror realm: a magical world accessible through mirrors. A YA paranormal adventure and romance, The Last Huntress is the first in a new YA series and includes nods to mythology across different cultures – primarly Greek – and fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, currently experiencing a renaissance of sorts in middle grade and YA fiction. There are plot twists aplenty and fast-paced, witty dialogue that keep pages turning. The ending leaves readers waiting for a sequel. A good purchase where fantasy is popular.

Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Teen, Tween Reads

Breaking the cycles: Artie and the Wolf Moon

Posted on July 28, 2021July 26, 2021 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Artie and the Wolf Moon, by Olivia Stephens, (Sept. 2021, Graphic Universe), $16.99, ISBN: 9781728420202

Ages 12-15

Artie and the Wolf Moon is, on the surface, a YA graphic novel about werewolves and vampires, but there’s so much more waiting for you here. Artie Irvin lives with her mom, a park ranger. She’s a burgeoning photographer who sneaks out one night, against her mother’s wishes, to take some photographs and discovers a huge wolf that somehow morphs into her mother! Confronting her mother, Artie learns that she comes from a long line of werewolves, but may be a “late bloomer” because she hasn’t shifted yet. Artie’s mom agrees to tell her about everything, including her late father, but when racist bullies at school lead to Artie shifting, her mom realizes it’s time to introduce her daughter to her family – and learn about what it means to be shifter.

Olivia Stephens has created a truly original werewolf story with origins in Black history, infused with the power of the wolf to guard and survive. I could read stories about every character in Artie’s family and still want to read more; I love Olivia Stephens’s storytelling and artwork so much. She creates realistic characters and her origin story reminds me of indigenous artwork with earth tones and primitive figures. She creates harrowing moments in the struggle between wolf and vampire and gives readers an incredible story of Black culture, community, family, and history. Fantastic storytelling and I want more.

Fantasy, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Middle School, Tween Reads, Uncategorized

The Unlikeliest Friends: The Ghoul Next Door

Posted on July 26, 2021July 25, 2021 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Ghoul Next Door, by Cullen Bunn/Illustrated by Cat Farris, (July 2021, Harper Alley), $12.99, ISBN: 9780062896094

Ages 8 to 12

An 11-year-old boy named Grey takes a shortcut through a cemetery on his way to school, drops his school project down an empty grave, and discovers the unlikeliest new friend: a young ghoul named Lavinia. Lavinia leaves little gifts for Grey that are a little unsettling to the living – finger bones, teeth necklaces, that sort of thing – and Grey seeks Lavinia out, leading to the two forging a friendship that’s as sweet as it is dangerous. Ghouls are forbidden from associating with the living, and Grey’s friend, Marshall, is determined to tell all because he just knows Grey’s making a bad decision. Eventually, Grey is caught up in a struggle between ghouls and ghosts, with his friend Marshall’s – and Grey’s own – life in the balance!

A funny, creepy story for readers who love all things Neil Gaiman, Doug TenNapel’s Ghostopolis, and – naturally! – Goosebumps. It’s a story of friendship with a touch of intrigue and just enough creepiness to make paranormal fans shudder with glee. Cullen Bunn writes a lot of big-people comics that I love (including Harrow County, which makes a fun little cameo in The Ghoul Next Door), and Cat Farris’s artwork is spooktastic, with color, great shadow work, and a ghoul that is as heartwarming as she is startling.

Fantasy, Teen, Young Adult/New Adult

Chronic illness, support groups, and… werewolves? Lycanthrophy and Other Chronic Illnesses

Posted on March 10, 2021March 9, 2021 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Lycanthrophy and Other Chronic Illnesses, by Kristen O’Neal, (Apr. 2021, Quirk Books), $18.99, ISBN: 9781683692348

Ages 14+

Priya is a 19-year-old who had her dreams laid out for her – studying at Stanford and a career in medicine – until chronic Lyme disease hit during her sophomore year of college. Now, back home and coming to terms with Lyme flareups and the possibility of her dream career falling away from her, she turns to Tumblr, where she finds friends in the chronic illness support group, “oof ouch my bones”, where the group bonds over their illnesses and shared humor. In particular, she connects with Brigid, whose snark and sarcasm, along with a penchant for morbidly interesting factoids, is just what Priya needs. But Brigid disappears for a few days, and Priya decides to drive to Brigid’s home in neighboring Pennsylvania and check on her: and discovers what may be a werewolf, and that the werewolf is most likely Brigid. Now, Priya has to figure out how best to support Brigid, whose desire to change her diagnosis and lead a “normal” life, is pushing her to desperate measures.

With plenty of dark humor and a cast of characters you’ll grow to love, this is not “Fault in Our Stars” with some hair on it. The discussions of chronic illness are real and raw, but there’s plenty of dark humor and a dive into the paranormal that will satisfy anyone who’s over “sick lit”. Priya is Southeast Asian, while the author is white; I think she was quite respectful to Priya and her family. Brigid and white, and Spencer, the comic relief from animal control who ends up being a supporting character, is Asian. Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses is entertaining YA with a fun plot. My teens will enjoy it.

Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses has been selected for the Spring 2021 Kids Indie Next List.

Intermediate, Middle Grade, Non-Fiction, Non-fiction, Non-Fiction, Tween Reads

Out-There Nonfiction

Posted on December 5, 2017 by Rosemary Kiladitis

There is such great nonfiction being published these days. Nonfiction used to conjure pictures of boring textbooks with walls of words, with a handful of old black and white photos. Today? Nonfiction includes video game guides, crazy stories about our bodies, animals, planets, and the freaky ways famous people died. And that’s just scratching the surface. Kids’ nonfiction sports full-color illustration or photographs, text that understands how kids read and learn, and takes all interests into consideration. Series nonfiction, like the Who Was/What Was series from Penguin makes history compulsive readable, and No Starch Press has full-color STEM and tech books that teach kids everything from coding in Scratch to explaining the sciences using manga comics. I love building a good nonfiction section; these are a few of the books on my current shopping list.

Behind the Legend series, by Erin Peabody/Illustrated by Victor Rivas and Jomike Tejido, little bee books
Good for readers 9-12

This series is so good. I’ve read Werewolves and Zombies, and love the way Erin Peabody weaves history with pop culture to present a paranormal guide that kids will love reading and learn from. There are black and white illustrations throughout; cartoony, bordering on downright freaky. Zombies delves deeply into the history of slavery and its ties to the rise of the zombie legend and the practice of voudou; Peabody also talks about the walking dead being very old news; they were showing up in Mesopotamia long before Robert Kirkman ever thought up Rick Grimes and his band of survivors. Werewolves talks about the history of animal lore and famous “were-beasts” in history, like the Gandillon siblings – a French brother and sister who were convinced they were wolves and acted accordingly. Harry Potter, Scooby-Doo, and Twilight all get a shout-out in this fun look at werewolves. There are further sources for kids who want to read further. Other Behind the Legend books include Dragons, the Loch Ness Monster, and Bigfoot. This is an absolute must-add set for kids who love themselves some pop culture paranormal reading (and half the price of most series nonfiction, library-bound books).

Don’t Read This Book Before Bed, by Anna Claybourne, (Aug. 2017, National Geographic Kids),
$14.99, ISBN: 978-1-4263-2841-1
Good for readers 9-12

The kids in my library love creepy. Most kids do, right? It’s that safe scare, the adrenaline rush, the squeal of the “eeeeeewwwwwww!” that you can make while safely in your seat, surrounded by family, friends, or your stuffed animals or action figures. It’s being able to turn to your friend and say, “Look at this!” and watching your friend freak out, too. NatGeo knows this, and Don’t Read This Book Before Bed (which is exactly what kids will do) is chock full of freaky stories that will keep them reading and saying, “NO WAY!” Think of it as the Lore podcast, for kids. Haunted castles? Check. Freaky dolls? (Robert the Doll, profiled in here, actually has both a podcast and episode of Lore dedicated to him.) Check. Aliens and fish people? Right this way. Each story has a “fright-o-meter” to let readers know how scary this is going to get, and quizzes help readers figure out their phobias (I love a good flow chart), test whether or he or should would be a good ghostbuster, or take apart the mysteries of science. My library’s copy is rarely on the shelf.

50 Wacky Things Humans Do: Weird & Amazing Facts About the Human Body, by the Walter Foster Jr. Creative Team/Illustrated by Lisa Perrett,
(Dec. 2017, Walter Foster Jr.), $14.95, ISBN: 9781633223967
Good for readers 7-10

Our bodies do some wild stuff. A sneeze moves at about 100 miles per hour. (Think about that, next time someone doesn’t cover their nose and mouth when they sneeze near you.) If someone tickles you and you put your hand on theirs, it’ll send a message to the brain that stops the tickling sensation. Wrinkly bathtub fingers help us grip things better. Readers will learn all of this and more in 50 Wacky Things Humans Do, written in a similar vein to the chunky, digest-sized NatGeo Kids fun fact books. Wacky Things features one fact per spread and one colorful, fun illustrations; good for intermediate-level readers.

Evolution: How Life Adapts to a Changing Environment, by Carla Mooney/Illustrated by Alexis Cornell,
(Nov. 2017, Nomad Press), $17.95, ISBN: 978-1-61930-601-1
Good for readers 9-12

Nomad Press has enjoyed shelf space in my library for a while. They have great science project books and consistently win awards because they blend hands-on projects with text readability. Evolution is a great update to Nomad’s collection and my science projects shelf. First of all, the book is in color; my Nomad books have normally been black and white, and this is as eye-catching on the inside as it is on the cover. The book progresses from a basic overview of evolution and how it works, through natural selection, species and speciation, through to classification and human evolution. Twenty-five projects allow kids to map early human migration; find sidewalk fossils (awesome for my urban library kiddos), and research an endangered species and create a plan to save it. There’s a glossary, lists of resources, and an index. I love this new direction Nomad seems to be taking and want to see more! Great for library shelves.