While some of us indulge in the otherworldly appeal of witchy books all year long (guilty!), we know there’s just something about October that puts a little magic and mischief in the air. Whether it’s the ghoulish décor or the crisp autumnal air, it’s called spooky season for a reason, and we’re ready to conjure up a little hocus-pocus with these 13 enchanted reads.

While some of us indulge in the otherworldly appeal of witchy books all year long (guilty!), we know there’s just something about this time of year that puts a little magic and mischief in the air. Whether it’s the ghoulish décor or the crisp autumn air, it’s called spooky season for a reason, and we’re ready to conjure up a little hocus pocus with these enchanted reads.

When it comes to novels written for kids featuring characters who are kids, Roald Dahl ranks among the best of the best, sharing the status of all-time great with the likes of Beverly Clearly, Judy Blume, and J.K. Rowling. The British author (1916–1990) wrote enough classics to keep a fifth grader busy for months, specializing […]

Roald Dahl knew how to capture the imaginations of children, and he always respected them as readers. His books often take extreme plot twists, conveying how dramatic ordinary events can appear to a kid, and how capricious, mysterious, and unfair adults can seem. In painting with broad strokes, Dahl makes life feel true to kids, who […]

This month, a very big kidlit-to-film adaptation came galloping into theaters: Steven Spielberg’s long-awaited take on Roald Dahl’s classic, The BFG. And thanks to a loyal script and Spielberg’s willingness to leave the signature darkness of Dahl’s stories pretty much intact, the big-screen version of The BFG is, by all accounts, a whizz-popping good time. […]