Lila and the Jack-o’-Lantern, Halloween Comes to America, illustrated by Anneli Bray, releases Sept. 28 from Albert Whitman & Company. It is the story of Irish immigrants that move to America, bringing along a now-beloved Halloween tradition.
When Lila and her family leave Ireland for the United States, Lila misses many things, but especially Halloween. Each year, she and her siblings look forward to tricking a sly spirit named Jack by carving turnips into jack-o'-lanterns and walking the streets of their small town in ghostly costumes. Now, with no turnips in sight, can she bring the spirit of the holiday to the crowded city streets of her new home?
Thank you, School Library Journal for the starred review for Lila and the Jack-o’-Lantern!
Thank you, School Library Journal for featuring LILA AND THE JACK-O'-LANTERN in your THIS IS HALLOWEEN! round-up and giving my girl a shiny STAR, too! Such a treat! Read it here: https://www.slj.com/story/this-is-halloween-20-board-books-and-picture-books-for-the-spooky-season
Thanks, A Mighty Girl, for making Lila and the Jack-o’-Lantern A Mighty Girl pick of the day!
Among the many wonderful things happening in the fabulous New York City School Libraries is this newsletter with reviews by super librarian Patricia A Sarles MA of LILA AND THE JACK-O'-LANTERN. It's a #Halloween treat for this #Bronx girl to see her Lila making friends in our shared childhood city! Read the newsletter, including the review here: https://mailchi.mp/5621fd98e256/whats-happening-in-nyc-school-libraries
Had the best time at my Lila and the Jack-o’-Lantern event at Interabang Books!
Navi Lee did a great job interpreting my reading. Her teacher Tammy Long was there and was wonderful, too!
"A warm story of heritage, and the anxieties and rewards around change." Thanks, @KirkusReviews ! Excited to share the story of LILA AND THE JACK-O'-LANTERN & the Irish immigrants that gave their beloved Halloween customs an American twist! Read the full review here: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/nancy-churnin/lila-and-the-jack-o-lantern/
Thank you, A Mighty Girl! Proud that you see Lila in Lila and the Jack-O'-Lantern as a Mighty Girl! Excited to share my historical fiction debut about how Irish immigrants like Lila and her family brought their Halloween customs to America.
"Lila and the Jack-O’-Lantern is an excellent choice for a seasonal read-aloud or to feature on bookshelves this time of year, or as part of a Nancy Churnin display." Wow! Thanks, Gary Anderson for your wonderful review of Lila and the Jack-o'-Lantern, Halloween Comes to America on your fabulous What's Not Wrong blog! Read the full review here: https://whatsnotwrong.wordpress.com/2023/10/07/review-lila-and-the-jack-o-lantern-halloween-comes-to-america-by-nancy-churnin-illustrated-by-anneli-bray/
When I donated a school visit to help #BooksForMaui , I didn't realize how much fun I'd have. Thx, Lindsay Bonilla for the winning bid & teacher Julia Allshouse who created projects for so many of my books, including LILA AND THE JACK-O'-LANTERN, HALLOWEEN COMES TO AMERICA
Thanks for shining a light on LILA AND THE JACK-O'-LANTERN, Stephanie Hanna! Read Stephanie’s post here: https://stephaniehanna.com/the-best-halloween-books-for-kids/
Thank you, Maria Marshall, for picking LILA AND THE JACK-O'-LANTERN for Perfect Picture Book Friday! Read Maria’s full review here: https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/lila-and-the-jack-o-lantern-halloween-comes-to-america-perfect-picture-book-friday-ppbf
A Q & A with Deborah Kalb about Lila and the Jack-o’-Lantern and my other 2023 books. Read the interview here: https://deborahkalbbooks.blogspot.com/2023/10/q-with-nancy-churnin.html
When you wake up to your first review for LILA AND THE JACK-O'-LANTERN, HALLOWEEN COMES TO AMERICA and it's a five-star and the reviewer says, "I loved it!" So excited to share my first historical fiction book with kids!
Thank you, Cannonball Read for this lovely review of Lila and the Jack-o’-Lantern! You can read the review online here: https://cannonballread.com/2023/09/kitten-ninja-and-lila-and-the-jack-o-lantern-halloween-comes-to-america-blackraven/
The first review is in! “…the child encounters a new friend at the market, as well as pumpkins, and a gourd proves to be an ideal replacement for the turnips carved back home to scare off spirit Jack on Halloween.”—Publishers Weekly
Talking with Maria Marshall about my long, joyful journey with Lila and the Jack-o’-Lantern. Read the full post here: https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/the-picture-book-buzz-interview-with-nancy-churnin-2023
The sweet spot where history and fiction meet. Find out why I wrote LILA AND THE JACK-O'-LANTERN, HALLOWEEN COMES TO AMERICA in Beth Anderson's Behind the Scenes feature for her wonderful blog. Thanks, Beth, for the opportunity to share my journey! Read the full story here: https://bethandersonwriter.com/2023/09/08/behind-the-scenes-the-sweet-spot-where-history-and-fiction-meet-by-nancy-churnin/
How I used nonfiction techniques to create the historical fiction picture book, Lila and the Jack-O’-Lantern, posted in the February NFFest, hosted by Nonfiction Ninjas Lisa Amstutz, Stephanie Mowry Bearce, Susie Kralovansky, Christine Liu Perkins, Linda Skeers, Peggy Thomas and me! Read the full post here.