Getting in the Spirit: Workman Halloween Blog Tour + Giveaway!

Blog Tour organized by Workman Publishing

#WorkmanHalloween 

Halloween is coming this month, which makes it a perfect time to add some creepy and -inspired books to your collection. Of course, who really needs a reason for more books?! 

Today, I'm excited to be part of the Getting In the Spirit Halloween Tour with Workman Publishing and sharing some great books for kids (or even adults!) to love this season. 

In addition to talking about these awesome books, I'm getting in the Halloween spirit with my picture filters*. It's the perfect way to make the most benign of photo, a bit more festive.

Most book packages are for me, so my kids were excited to receive one with several books they could enjoy. 

Eek Halloween 

by Sandra Boynton

Published August 23, 2016 by Workman

Book Description: Boynton celebrates Halloween!

A new addition to the Boynton on Board series, with over 21 million copies sold, Eek! Halloween! is all treat and no tricks, a journey with Boynton and her nutty characters through the tradition of Halloween.

It starts with an uh-oh—the chickens are nervous! Strange things are happening. One chicken saw a pumpkin with flickering eyes, another spied a mouse of enormous size. They all saw a wizard and a witch, and a spooky robot. “WHAT’S GOING ON HERE? WHAT DOES IT MEAN? / Relax, silly chickens! It’s HALLOWEEN!”

What we thought: Combining Sandra Boynton's signature rhymes with her illustrations of animals, Eeek! Halloween! is the perfect first Halloween board book for any child. But it's not just for toddlers. Right away, this was my 7 year old's favorite title in this collection and she's read it over and over again. My 5 year old has also had a great time looking through this book. They love identifying the animals in costumes, and the musical cadence of Boynton's rhymes make it extremely readable and fun. We definitely recommend this one! 

Find: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Indiebound

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Papertoy Glowbots: 46 Glowing Robots You Can Make Yourself
by Brian Castleforte
Published August 23, 2016 by Workman

Book Description: Origami meets amazing creatures in a book of paper craft fun!

Papertoy Glowbots introduces 46 robots that have the added cool factor of lighting up, whether using glow-in-the-dark stickers that come with the book or light sources like flashlights, Christmas tree lights, and electric tea lights.

The 46 die-cut paper robots are created by Brian Castleforte, author of Papertoy Monsters, along with the hottest papertoy designers from around the world. Meet the robots and read about their entertaining backstories in the front, then turn to the card stock section in the back to build them. The templates are die-cut and ready to pop out, fold, and glue. Bold, colorful graphics ensure the robots look as amazing in the daytime as they do with the lights off.

What We Thought: My five year old was entranced with this book right away and wanted to start making the hardest robots immediately. Instead, we began with the easier ones (this book includes Easy - Intermediate - and Hard designs) and worked our way up from there. The paper folding and robot making was a little challenging for my 5 and 7 year olds to do independently. My husband and I helped out a lot. But that made this a fantastic family activity. Glue - and an attention to detail - is the only additional material needed. We have not tried making the robots glow yet. But they are all adorable as they are. 

Find: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Indiebound 

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Frightlopedia: An Encyclopedia of Everything Scary, Creepy, and Spinechilling, from Arachnids to Zombies 
by Julie Winterbottom, Illustrated by Stefano Tambellini
Published August 23, 2016 by Workman

Book Description: Here’s the book for kids who love scary stuff, whether it’s telling ghost stories around a campfire, discovering the origins of various vampires, monsters, and witches, or reading creepy tales under the covers with a flashlight.

Combining fact, fiction, and hands-on activities, Frightlopedia is an illustrated A-Z collection of some of the world’s most frightening places, scariest stories, and gruesomest creatures, both real and imagined.

What We Thought: This one is much more what I thought, because I didn't let my kids look at this book for too long (they get scared easily). However, this Frightlopedia would have been a huge hit with me in upper elementary and middle school (even now!), and I plan to save it for when my kids get a little bit older. What I love about this book is that it features true facts and creepy tales from around the world - islands filled with dolls and snakes, huge rats and famous mummies. All sorts of fascinating material, sure to creep out the reader. Each chapter helpfully includes a Fright Meter too. I'm pretty much a wimp when it comes to scary stuff, so this is one for me to read in the daytime. 

Find: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Indiebound 

Section on rats. You can see the Fright Meter right underneath the chapter title.

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Fearsome Creatures of the Lumberwoods: Twenty Chilling Tales from the Wilderness

by Hal Johnson, Illustrated by Tom Mead

Published September 8, 2015 by Workman 

Book Description: Just for kids, twenty bone-chilling tales about the most dangerous fantastical beasts in American folklore. Meet the Snoligoster, who feeds on the shadows of its victims. The Hodag, like a spiny-backed bull-horned rhinoceros. The Hoop Snake, which can chase prey at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour and then, with one sting of its tail, cause it to turn purple, swell up, and die.

Illustrated throughout, including eight drawings printed with glow-in-the-dark ink, Fearsome Creatures of the Lumberwoods is for every young reader who loves a good scare. The book was originally published in 1910 by William Thomas Cox and is now inspiringly retold by Hal Johnson, author of Immortal Lycanthropes.

What We Thought: Two of the coolest things about this book is that it is retold from an original 1910 publishing (that makes it seem even more shivery to me for some reason) and it features glow in the dark illustrations. This is another one that my 5 and 7 year old didn't get much past the pictures. They loved the glow in the dark images, and talking about how they imagined the different creatures. This is a gorgeous hardback - I love it's long thin shape. I'll definitely be saving it until they can read the stories themselves.  

This awesome illustration of an Acropelter was on the outside of the book package we received. I wouldn't want to meet him in a dark forest!->

Find: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Indiebound 

*All photos taken with my iPhone 6 and edited with Snapseed. 

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Follow the Tour

October 10: Lisa/A Rup Life

October 11: Jessika/Kidliterati

October 12: Jennifer/Reviews Coming at YA

October 13: Laura/Literacious

October 14: Sandie/Teen Lit Rocks

October 17: Christina/Confessions of a Book Addict

October 18: Kate/Ex Libris

October 19: Lori/Pure Imagination

        Lauren/Love is a not a Triangle

October 20: Andrea/The Overstuffed Bookshelf

October 21: Katie/Mundie Kids

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GIVEAWAY! 

Win all 5 books featured on the tour (the four discussed above + Oh Ick: 114 Science Experiments Guaranteed to Gross You Out) + a Workman Publishing tote + some extra surprises!

Giveaway is International!

 a Rafflecopter giveaway