A Newbery Award winner by Christopher Paul Curtis, the story is told by Kenny Watson, a preteen black youth living in Flint, Michigan.  Kenny lives with his parents, Daniel and Wilona, big brother, Byron and little sister, Joetta.  They live a nice life; mom stays at home, dad works at the auto plant and the three children go to school.  Mom is from Birmingham, where the winters are not so brutal as Flint.

When Byron is deemed uncontrolable and a trouble maker, his parents decide to send him south to spend the summer, hoping Grandma can straighten him out.  After careful planning by mom, the family loads into the "Brown Bomber", dad's big car and start the trip south, deciding not to take the 3 day trip but to drive straight through.  On the trip, the parents give the children a warning that they are going is nothing like where they are from.  "Separate but equal" still exists in the south.  The black population must keep in their places.  Civil rights is a very hot topic.

When the family arrives, the children find that the warnings their parents have given are true.  Kenny sees a big differece in what is acceptable here as apposed to Michigan.  It is also so hot that the children can't sleep.  They have a few adventures.   One scary adventure Kenny has is a battle with the "Wool Pooh",at Collier's pond, where he almost drowns until Byron saves him.  The next day is Sunday and Joetta goes to Sunday School. Kenny stays home, worn out from his near drowning that neither his brother nor he told their parents about.  Kenny goes outside to rest under the large magnolia tree, but before he rests much he is shaken awake by a loud noise and then frantic cries and running toward the church.  Kenny is fearful and heads toward the church himself, worried about little sister Joetta.  He sees bodies pulled from the bombed church and thinks one may be Joetta.

Fortunately, Joetta is safe and she tells Kenny that she thought she saw him motioning for her to come back home so she didn't go to church at all.  Kenny is puzzled but so shocked about 2 terrible events in several days that he withdraws from life.  Mom and Dad now decide that Byron can't stay so they load up the car and drive back home.

Kenny is still withdrawn.  He does not talk to anyone, quits spending time with his friends and retreats behind the sofa in the living room.  His only hope, he feels, is the healing power of "The Watson World Famous Animal Hospital" where the family's pets go when they are sick or injured.  He remains there hoping to feel better.  It takes some consideration from his parents and his brother to lure him out, and finally Byron is able to get him back to his regular life. 

The book is about social change and how you deal with it, as seen through a small boy's eyes.

Here's another list to give you chills in October: Great Ghost Books!

If you're looking for something about local ghosts, take a look at David Dominé's Ghosts of Old Louisville and Phantoms of Old Louisville. Both will tell you things you never knew about Louisville.

One of my favorites (and the 2009 Newbery Award winner) is Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book. It's the story of a child raised by ghosts in a graveyard after his family is killed. Gaiman is a great writer (you may remember his book Coraline and the movie made from it), who can hold your interest all the way through. While this was written for children and young adults, I think all ages would enjoy it.

Definitely for older readers, Joe Hill's Heart-Shaped Box is guaranteed to keep you up at night. It's the story of a man who buys a suit online, attracted by the promise that the previous owner's ghost will be included. He figures it's a joke. Needless to say, he's wrong.

Ghost Story, by Peter Straub, is an older book that gets overlooked a lot these days. It was also made into its own fairly creepy movie in 1981, starring Fred Astaire and Melvyn Douglas. Compared to today's books, it may seem a little tame, but it's a story you won't forget.

So, five ghost stories. That should keep you busy for a while.

Well, it's that time of year again. Witches, ghosts, and other beasties. I'll be making a few lists for October. Here's my list of some favorite books about witches.

• White Witch, Black Curse by Kim Harrison. Set in Cincinnati, this book is part of one of my favorite "witchy" series. Witches, vampires, pixies, banshees and many more. Harrison writes well and her characters are always believable. Well, as believable as supernatural creates can be, anyway.
• Death of a Witch by M.C. Beaton. This is part of Beaton's Hamish Macbeth series, which I much prefer over the Agatha Raisin series. Set in a small town in the Scottish Highlands, this is a pleasure to read.
• The Wizard of Oz. Not a book (although it's based on one), this is a classic I like to watch every year around this time. Over 70 years after its release, it's still magic. Who knows, you may get inspired to read the Oz series by Frank Baum. Even though they're considered children's books, I've never met an adult who didn't enjoy them.
• The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. Another classic, this time by one of the writers I enjoy a lot. Everyone knows the story, and you can always watch the movie, but sometimes it's good to sit up with some spiced cider on a chilly night and just read.
• The Trouble With Magic by Madelyn Alt. This is the book we'll be talking about October 13 at our mystery discussion. It's the first in a series of cozy mysteries set in Indiana by Hoosier author Alt. If you're looking for an Indiana author or setting, this would be a good choice.

Five of my favorite witchy books (well, four and a movie). I'll be back later with more for October. Enjoy the cooler weather, and keep reading!