Books for Readers 8-12

Ghost stories from Staten Island have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery! 

Welcome to spooky Staten Island, New York!

 

Stay alert! Ghosts lurk around every corner. Even the most unexpected places might be haunted by wandering phantoms.

Did you know that the Moravian Cemetery in New Dorp is haunted? Or that at the Old Bermuda Inn, the spirit of Martha Mersereau waits at the window each evening for her long-dead husband? Can you believe a spectral hitchhiker stalks some of the island's most desolate roads?

Pulled right from history, these ghostly tales will change the way you see Staten Island forever, and have you sleeping with the lights on!

In this middle-grade adaptation of Shark Attacks of New York, author Patricia Heyer dives into the history and lore of shark attacks along New York's coast. Every summer, thousands of people flock to Coney Island, the Rockaway, and all along Long Island's southern coast for some of the most beautiful beaches on the east coast. But some come face to face with much more.

Ghost stories from Central New York have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery! 

Welcome to the spooky streets of Central New York!

 

Stay alert! Ghosts lurk around every corner. Even the most unexpected places might be haunted by wandering phantoms.

Did you know that Liberty Hall in Westernville is famously haunted? Or that a ghost doctor still walks the halls of the charming Oneida Lake House, once a local asylum? Can you believe the spirited performers at the Stanley Theater in Utica might actually be ghosts?

Pulled right from history, these ghostly tales will change the way you see Central New York forever, and have you sleeping with the lights on!

Ghost stories from New York's upstate towns have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery!

Welcome to the spooky Catskills!

 

Stay alert! Ghosts lurk around every corner. Even the most unexpected places might be haunted by wandering phantoms. 

Did you know the ghost of a colonial solider still haunts a home in Kinderhook? Or that the place where Washington Irving wrote “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” is just as spooky as that famous story? Can you believe New York’s Catskill Mountains are home to a shape-shifting witch? 

Pulled right from history, these ghostly tales will change the way you see the Catskills and have you sleeping with the light on! 

A fact-filled, alphabetical journey through the five boroughs of the city. A pigeon serves as a tour guide of sorts, appearing on every page in either the small inset illustration or in one of the smaller spot-art drawings located along the bottom of the pages. The format works well to introduce famous landmarks and neighborhoods with descriptive alliterative sentences, such as Dragons dance by dim sum diners as an introduction to Chinatown and Gorgeous gardens grace glass-houses for commentary on the New York Botanical Garden. Succinct paragraphs of historical information are located under each full-page, highly detailed colored-pencil-and-watercolor illustration. In a much smaller type size, a one-sentence, sometimes quirky, bit of information is imparted as well, as in Many skyscrapers don't have a 13th floor. No one wants to be on an unlucky floor! This up-to-date book includes a reference to and inset illustration of the former Twin Towers under the letter T: Tough times take teamwork. The book begins with a map and a listing of the 26 landmarks showcased. The endpapers offer a different sort of New York alphabet to readers, featuring small illustrations of interesting trademark items, such as a Nathan's hot dog, a blue box from Tiffany's, and a yellow cab. A wonderful testament to a diverse city and its equally diverse residents. -School Library Journal

Bursting with laugh-out-loud jokes and fun facts, LOL Jokes: New York City combines the best of humor and history for young readers!

Inspired by all the wonderful sights, sounds, and . . . smells of the Big Apple, this local joke book delivers kid-friendly punchlines that will have readers laughing ’til they cry! Alongside hilarious jokes and puns are fascinating facts, goofy tidbits of local history, and engaging graphics that will keep readers chuckling and sharing with friends. LOL Jokes: New York City is sure to deliver hours of knee-slapping entertainment.

  

What’s the best borough to go to the bathroom?

Flushing!

Fun Factoid: TP or not TP?! Toilet paper was invented by Joseph Gayetty in New York City!

Cecilia is Catholic. Rose is Jewish. Their worlds seem so different as they struggle to find hope in New York City's crowded tenements in 1911. Fate and circumstance bring the unlikely pair together, but they must keep their friendship secret until they are forced to work in a garment factory to support their families. When fire erupts at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, the friends bravely face the tragedy together, forever altering both of their futures. This story of friendship, heartache and spirit blends fact with fiction for an unforgettable glimpse into this harrowing episode in American history.

Welcome to the spooky towns of the Finger Lakes region!

Stay alert! Ghosts lurk around every corner. Even the most unexpected places might be haunted by wandering phantoms. Did you know that the depths of Seneca Lake may harbor an ancient lake monster? Or that buildings along the Erie Canal are haunted by ghosts from that bygone era? Can you believe that even the plywood used to build a famous old theater in Ithaca may be haunted?
Pulled right from history, these ghostly tales will change the way you see the Finger Lakes, and have you sleeping with the light on!

Welcome to the spooky streets of Sleepy Hollow!

Stay alert! Ghosts lurk around every corner. Even the most unexpected places might be haunted by wandering phantoms. Did you know that Washington Irving based parts of his famous tale on real people and events? Or that some ghosts that haunt this idyllic hamlet date back to the American Revolution? Can you believe that not just Sleepy Hollow is known for its hauntings, but communities all along the Hudson River?
Pulled right from history, these ghostly tales will change the way you see Sleepy Hollow and the Hudson Valley, and have you sleeping with the light on!

Ghost stories from the Adirondacks have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery!

The haunted history of The Mountains comes to life—even when the main players are dead. Visit the Sagamore Resort to catch a glimpse of the spirits who checked in but never checked out. Or look for ghosts amongst the stacks at the Woodgate Free Library. Dive into this spooky chapter book for suspenseful tales of bumps in the night, paranormal investigations, and the unexplained; just be sure to keep the light on.

Ghost stories from Saratoga have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery!

The haunted history of Spa City comes to life—even when the main players are dead. Visit the Lincoln Baths and take a dip alongside the spirits who linger there. Or catch a glimpse of Sacandaga Reservoir’s infamous witch lights. Dive into this spooky chapter book for suspenseful tales of bumps in the night, paranormal investigations, and the unexplained; just be sure to keep the light on.

Ghost stories from New York State’s famous island have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery!

Long Island’s haunted history and local legends come to life—even when the main players are dead. Do ghosts lurk in the famed OHEKA Castle? Do the spies of the American Revolution’s Culper Ring still haunt Setauket? Are the colonists at the Old Bethpage Village Restoration historians—or ghosts? Dive into this spooky chapter book for suspenseful tales of bumps in the night, paranormal investigations, and the unexplained; just be sure to keep the light on.