Jessica Haight's Blog, page 146

Will Juniper Berry Go After Her Dreams?

Juniper Berry lives a very lonely life. Her parents are famous actors and keep her secluded from the outside world. Although there are constantly fans at their gate trying to get in, the only people Juniper gets to talk to are her tutors and people who work in her home. Thank goodness she has Kitty, who is actually her dog. Juniper longs to play with other kids, but even more than that she wants to have her parents back. She remembers when her family used to spend time together. They would laugh and cook together, and they had a blast when her parents would act out one of the scripts that she created. Unfortunately, Juniper’s parents never have time for her anymore. They are moody, unhappy, and they are not behaving at all like the parents in her memories. She isn’t sure if it is her imagination or not, but her parents just don’t seem like her parents anymore. When Juniper runs into a neighbor boy named Giles deep in the woods near her house, she hears his tale about his parents who came into the woods and disappeared inside of a tree. Juniper is convinced that her parents have done the same thing. Even though she is nervous, she decides to follow her parents into the woods and when she does she will see terrible images that she will not soon forget. Is there any way for Juniper and Giles to save their parents? Is there anything that is worth giving up so that you can have your dreams fulfilled? What will happen when Juniper and Giles make their own trips through the tree? Read this spooky tale to see how everything turns out!  


If you like a book that is on the scary side, then you will certainly enjoy Juniper Berry by M.P. Kozlowsky. Fans of Coraline will be thrilled to find another book about a world that is off kilter and eerie. I would recommend this book to kids at the end of elementary school through middle school. Some kids might be too terrified by it, but anyone that likes stories that make their knees knock will find it to be a unique read. I thought it was a fast paced book, and I was definitely curious to see how everything would turn out in the end. Juniper is a girl who believes in being kind to others. I also liked that she was brave and clever throughout the book. I must say the cover first drew me to this book, but the interesting storyline kept me reading. October is the perfect month to huddle under your covers with a book that will make your heart race with fright.
Has anyone else read Juniper Berry by M.P. Kozlowsky?  Of have you read another book by this author? We would love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading! You may want to sleep with the light on ; ) ~L FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED

Answer to Monday's Riddle! Real or Unreal?

Fabulous guessing everyone! Excellent job. Yes, all this week we will be slipping into the mysterious realm of dreams. Lizzy's review will send us off into a great story on Wednesday. And, Thursday's  Top of the Heap  is sure to be out of this world, as we attempt to shed some light on the fascinating landscapes we frequent in our heads. Friday, we will be hosting Grace Lin author of the whimsically, magical middle grade book, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. So be sure to check back! Catch up with you in a dream, and see you around the book block ; ) ~ F

It's completely dark, and then suddenly it's not. Awareness arises, and thought stirs the lot. Either coming to scare and give you a fright, or sending you sailing into a smooth, lovely night. This place, they say, could never be real. But, when the images shift your mind will reveal; what it is that's inside? or outside? or nowhere? It's all depends on the scene that you sew there. For, in your depth is where I dwell, bubbling up fully like the chime of a bell. Your eyes will close, and you will slumber. Forever I'm there to take you asunder. These pieces of you are all that I show- but in the wake of your life, I'm just what you know. 

What am I? Answer: Dreams 



FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED

Monday's Riddle! A Place Wherever...

http://www.edwardgoreyhouse.org/Hello, Riddlers! Here's this week's puzzle. Can you guess the theme? It seems like a strange, fading memory ; ) Good luck! ~ F

It's completely dark, and then suddenly it's not. Awareness arises, and thought stirs the lot. Either coming to scare and give you a fright, or sending you sailing into a smooth, lovely night. This place, they say, could never be real. But, when the images shift your mind will reveal; what it is that's inside? or outside? or nowhere? It's all depends on the scene that you sew there. For, in your depth is where I dwell, bubbling up fully like the chime of a bell. Your eyes will close, and you will slumber. Forever I'm there to take you asunder. These pieces of you are all that I show- but in the wake of your life, I'm just what you know. 

What am I? 

I already gave you a clue! FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED

The DMS Wants to Know!

   A chilly wind blew through Fairday’s Blog starting with Monday's Riddle which set the stage for a week full of Halloween frights! We shared a review of our favorite holiday read, Cinderella Skeleton by Rob San Souci , and we had fun telling you about some of our Halloween Chills and Thrills . Friday, turned out to be spooky after learning that we would be interviewing Spider instead of Robert San Souci.  Luckily we were able to stay out of that web. Being a part of the Something Wicked Comes Halloween Blog Tour has been thrilling. You still have a few more hours left to enter for your chance to win a copy of the beautifully written and illustrated Cinderella Skeleton .  All week we have enjoyed brewing up a little more Halloween magic. We can't wait for the rest of the month!  

The DMS wants to know: What is your favorite part about Halloween?

We told you ours. Now, let's hear yours!

FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED

Caught In A Sticky Web!

Today, we had planned on welcoming Robert San Souci , author of the delightfully twisted tale, Cinderella Skeleton to our corner of the book block. You can imagine our surprise when we received this note...




Here is what Spider had to say:

What are some of your favorite books from childhood? Were there any specific authors who inspired you?

I always enjoy something clever, as you can see from my latest endeavor- I would welcome you kindly and show you my book, if only you choose to take a look!

Where do you like to write? Do you listen to music while you are writing? 

I enjoy a good tune, especially under a full moon-  and, as for when I write, let's just say, I am most likely out of sight! 

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? Why?  

Wherever matters not, as long as it's a dark, soggy spot. Forever spinning my twisted webs, I'm always lurking above your heads! 

Well, thank you very much Spider, but we are very worried about Robert, and truly hope that you let him go soon! We wish him the best of luck with his lovely and spooky story!

Enter the rafflecopter form below for your chance to win a copy of Cinderella Skeleton- Book giveaway runs through Sunday, October 7th! Open to US and International! 



The Spider and the Fly 
Poem by Mary Howitt
Illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi

Read the Reviews!
Preview the book!



 
Don't forget to check out the Something Wicked Comes Halloween Blog Tour , and enter for your chance to win a copy of the beautifully written and illustrated Cinderella Skeleton . It's an eclectic treasure to share with your loved ones on a chilly October night. Thanks so much to the lovely Heidi from Rainy Day Ramblings and Babbling About Books for hosting this frighteningly fun event : )


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Top of the Heap!

Monday's Riddle shocked us into a spooktacular week! We put on our witches hats and filled the cauldron with candy to tell you about the frightfully delightful Cinderella Skeleton by Robert San Souci and illustrated by David Catrow. It's been a thrill to be a part of the Something Wicked Comes Halloween Blog Tour , which will be running for the entire chilling month of October thanks to the lovely Heidi from Rainy Day Ramblings and Babbling About Books . Friday is sure to be a scream with our special guest , and we can't wait to share our halloween thoughts with you. So, be sure to creep in and haunt us all season long!

This week's top of the heap: Halloween Thrills & Chills ♨

Fairday: Last year, Halloween was canceled in my town. Seriously. Canceled. Talk about utter devastation! We were out of power for six days; Halloween included! Now that it's here again, I'm going to enjoy every last minute of this fabulous season. The holiday has such ancient and interesting past, and everyone can relate to the amazing creativity that bubbles up this time of year. Even last Halloween, though there was no trick or treating and all the parties were canceled, I had a blast with my family! We lit a bunch of candles and swapped scary stories, huddling up to keep warm. It was great just being together, and we ended up having a pretty magical night even without the power on- spookier than ever, actually. One tradition that always gets me excited is carving my Jack O' Lantern. I absolutely love this activity. It's so much fun to give the pumpkin a personality and bring it to life. I light it up every night and make sure that it's positioned properly for maximum scare factor. I have a special carving knife that I like to use, and I stick with it every year- no matter how many fancy tools my dad tries to convince me will cut better. It's like my thing with pencils- they have to be regular #2- anything more "exclusive" and I can't make them work right : ) Anyway, here's to a frightfully wicked Halloween season, and a few good, healthy scares! ~ F


Lizzy: I love candy, and I don't get as much of it as I want. My mom worries about cavities and other things, but still- I love it! Halloween is the time I get to go wild with one of my favorite treats in the world. I take my pillowcase around with me from door to door and kind people, even the ghosts and ghouls, do their part to ensure that my candy satisfaction is met. It's so much fun to sort through all the goodies and see what delicious delicacies await me. I also like to trade with friends or my brother- even though he always tries to be sneaky and finagle some kind of advantage in the candy trade. I am a huge fan of chocolate and Mike and Ikes. For me, the best part of Halloween is the bag full of candy- my heart always bleeds for Charlie Brown when I watch It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, because he winds up with only rocks in his bag! ~ L




Wishing all of you a harrowing Halloween season that brings lots of sweet treats and not too many tricks ; ) ~ L & F  






FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED

A Skeleton at the Ball?

October always brings with it a chill in the air, and there is anticipation about what could be lurking around every corner. Well today, you can breathe easy, because we are part of the Something Wicked Comes Halloween Blog Tour, sponsored by the lovely Heidi from Rainy Day Ramblings and the terrific Babbling About Books . This is a fantastic event where creepy and spooky are brought into the light in a month long celebration of fright! Be wary, but remember... fear not the unexpected! Each day brings with it books and giveaways, so make sure to visit everyone on the list . You never know what could be brewing on each blog. So, get ready for a harrowing, bumpy ride this whole month! 

Something Wicked Comes to Fairday's Blog! on Friday, October 5th as well, where we will be hosting an interview with the talented Robert San Souci. It's sure to be a scream!
This whole month is a special time at the Morrow family household, and now that we're living in the spooky old Begonia House, it's turned into quite a monstrous event! Therefore, I am extremely excited to bring our ridiculousness to all of you. 
Every Halloween it's tradition for Lizzy and her mom to pop over, and we all gather together over a cauldron of candy corn and swap our favorite Halloween stories. One book that we always like to pick up and share with each other is Cinderella Skeleton by Robert San Souci and illustrated by David Catrow. Make no bones about it, this tricky twist on the classic fairy tale Cinderella is wonderfully illustrated and beautifully written. Margo absolutely loves this story, and is usually the first person to pull it off the shelf. Lizzy and I quickly break out the witches hats, then pull the candy in closer, as one of us reads out loud. A magically spooktacular time is had by one and all! ~ F
Our reviews of Cinderella Skeleton : )
"Outrageously frightful! A splendidly wicked tale!" ~ Fairday Morrow
"Bone-chilling! A twisted look at the classic Cinderella!" ~ Lizzy Mackerville
"That's not a shoe, that's a foot!" ~ Margo Morrow
*Enter the rafflecopter form below for your chance to win a copy of this eclectic story! It's a treasure, really : )
Cinderella Skeleton, ignoring the thump of her footless stump, reached her coach and cried, "Away!" I must be home by the break of day!" 
They raced pell-mell past the palace gate; the prince kept pleading, "Lady, wait!" 
In his hand, a foot- in his throat, a lump. 
(Excerpt from Cinderella Skeleton)
Has anyone else read Cinderella Skeleton, or anything else by Robert San Souci?
Scary Reading ; ) ~ F, L, & M! 







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FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED

Answer to Monday's Riddle: A Howling Good Time...

 Spooktakular guessing everyone! Yes! It is October and we are getting into this frightfully fun season.   Over the next few days we are going to spice things up.  Lizzy's Review  of Cinderella Skeleton will set the scene on Wednesday,when we will be participating in Something Wicked Comes, sponsored by the lovely Heidi from Rainy Day Ramblings and Babbling About Books . This is good news for you- because it means one lucky reader will win a copy of Cinderella Skeleton!  Thursday, it's sure to be a ghoulish time on Top of the Heap . Friday, we've brewed up something special, so be sure to check back! See you all around the book block.   ; )  ~ F

When the last harvest moon has passed, the time draws near to choose your masks. The day will come when the wind howls cold, and you put on all those traditions of old. Mischief and mayhem will forever ring true, and the devil in you knows just what to do! This night calls you out and makes you play tricks, but it sweetens your dreams with a few sticky licks. Oh, fall into a scare on this nightmarish day! But remember... beware, should the ghouls come to play!

When is this? Answer: Halloween!FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED

Monday's Riddle! A Frightful Night!

Welcome to October, Riddlers! This is one of our favorite seasons here on Fairday's Blog! and we have a fabulousy spooky month planned ahead. There will be lots of creepy, new things to check out and some scary stories to share. It's sure to be a frightfully fun time!

Kicking off this chilling month, here's this weeks puzzle. Can you guess the theme? See you all around the book block : ) ~ F


When the last harvest moon has passed, the time draws near to choose your masks. The day will come when the wind howls cold, and you put on all those traditions of old. Mischief and mayhem will forever ring true, and the devil in you knows just what to do! This night calls you out and makes you play tricks, but it sweetens your dreams with a few sticky licks. Oh, fall into a scare on this nightmarish day! But remember... beware, should the ghouls come to play! 

When is this? 

Hint: The latest possible Harvest Moon is October 11th FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED

The DMS Wants to Know!

Monday's Riddle swooped down from out of nowhere, sparking a comic book frenzy this week! Lizzy set the scene of the crime with her review of Poweless by Matthew Cody , and we had fun telling you about some super heros that we love to watch save the day on Top of the Heap. Friday, it was exciting to learn a little more about V.L. Burgess , author of the swashbuckling, new middle grade novel, The Mapmaker's Sons . Today, we want to hear from you!

The DMS wants to know: If you could turn into a superhero for a day, who would you choose? 

We told you ours. Now, let's hear yours! FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED