A Children's Book for Introverts

Is it Okay for Children to Prefer Spending Time Alone?

This was a question I asked myself the other day while browsing the new children's books at the library. I came across a book titled "Only: the Bird Who Liked Being Alone," by Airlie Andersen. This book answered my question perfectly.

It is about a bird named Only, who is very quiet and doesn't like to be around other birds very much, especially when it's noisy outside. The other birds assume he wants to be alone and lonely, but this isn't the case. 

I relate to Only in that I don't like crowded or noisy places. I need to decompress after going out and socializing (this is also a symptom of my Sensory Processing Disorder). We also love to read and create art in a quiet environment (Only ends up revealing a special talent he has at the end!), sometimes by ourselves. But that doesn't mean we want to be isolated or antisocial. We still enjoy good company in a quiet and comfortable setting, whether it be indoors or outdoors.

Only realizes after another bird befriends him in his home that he can enjoy both quiet time and socializing with others. I learned this myself as I grew older, that you don't have to be social all the time or enjoy going to parties or large gatherings. Your true friends will love you just the way you are. It's all about finding your own balance, which is different for everyone. Not everyone is outgoing, which is perfectly okay. We're not all meant to be the same.

This is a great story that teaches children in a way that they can understand and relate to that it's okay to spend some time playing alone in a quiet setting. You don't have to enjoy being with a big group of people or in a noisy environment. As long as you're not isolating yourself and you have good friends to spend time with and support you, that's all that matters.

What do you all think? Let me know your thoughts on this in the comments below!

Happy reading!~

October, Cats, & Halloween

My Top Five Favorite Halloween Books About Cats!

It's officially Halloween season!

This may be a myth, but I just can't resist seeing an adorable black (or any color!) cat all excited for Halloween. Especially all dressed up in a children's book! (In the past I tried to dress up my cat, Casper, but unfortunately he wouldn't let me. Maybe a collar for a couple of minutes, but that's it!)

In this blog post I'm going to be discussing my current top 5 favorite children's Halloween books about our cute, furry, and mischievous friends.

1) "Five Black Cats," by Patricia Hegarty

This is an adorable little Halloween adventure for babies and toddlers. Follow along the five black cats journey on the prowl at night through the spooky neighborhood and haunted house. It's too cute to be scary, though, so it's perfect for young readers. It will keep them engaged throughout the short and sweet story, and they will love the bright and friendly illustrations. There's a special ghostly surprise at the end!

2) "Meowl-o-Ween," by Diane Muldrow

This is one of the best Halloween picture books I've read in a while. Children will love looking at the bright and colorful illustrations which will grab their attention throughout the whole story. The cats are absolutely adorable. The story is about a young kitten who is lost on Halloween night, looking for her mother. The kitten ends up finding her in the end; along with her voice! This is a special Halloween treat for cat-lovers.

3) "Bad Kitty: Scaredy-Cat," by Nick Bruel

I just love Bad Kitty books, don't you? This Halloween book is another hilarious tale in the series. Bad Kitty is visited by a big group of scary monsters, all listed A-Z in the whole alphabet. The illustrations are frightengly good! She is terrified at first, but later learns to be brave and battle them all. She discovers her courage, strength, and perseverance. I would recommend this to older elementary aged children due to the more advanced vocabulary. A frightfully funny tale for Halloween!

4) "Scaredy-Cat, Splat!" by Rob Scotton

Another great and funny cat book series! Everyone's favorite cat, Splat, is getting ready for his school's scariest Halloween costume contest. Yet things keep going wrong, and he keeps getting spooked along the way! Will he ever be able to win the contest? He's in for a big surprise! I love the detailed illustrations as well. Highly recommended. 

5) "I am a Witch's Cat," by Harriet Muncaster

This is the perfect whimsical tale (or tail!) about a young child pretending to be a black cat for Halloween, and that her mom is a (good) witch. They story is very unique and clever with great mixed-media illustrations that young children will enjoy. I love how the story relies on a child's big imagination and makes it into something entertaining and magical. I highly recommend this book to all young readers (and their parents or guardians as well!) for a fun Halloween treat.

On a Final Note About Cats and Halloween...

I have to mention my own children's Halloween book, "Cats on Halloween Night" 😸 

I had a lot of fun writing this story (and the illustrator did a phenominal job!). As I've said before, holiday books are one of my favorite topics to read and write about. It brings me back to that time when I was really excited about the holidays, and loved reading bedtime stories about it. I hope I can give a young reader that same wonderful feeling I had. My favorite holiday was always Christmas (what kid doesn't love Christmas?), but now I enjoy Halloween (and the fall) just a little bit more. I like how it's just as much fun for adults as it is for kids. And so many people love cats; how can you resist your two favorite things in one book?!

Be sure to check out all of these fun and mischevious Halloween books for cat-lover's. What are your favorite types of Halloween books for children? Spooky, sweet, or perhaps a little bit of both? Are you a cat-lover as well? Let me know in the comments below!

Happy Halloween reading! 🐈‍⬛🎃🍂🍁