Reading by Candlelight

Mr. Blend reads to preschool and kindergarten classes—by way of The Pumpkinlight Playhouse Inc.™—in order to bring the excitement of spooky storytelling to life.

. . .

The experience includes a Little Free Library® as a fun way to build suspense for each story. In addition, a member of the audience (for each story) is selected to be “The Lantern Keeper”: a responsibility that entails the Keeper walking to the library with the lit lantern (battery-powered, of course) and using it as a source of light to see inside the library and retrieve the book to be read.

Select Books Read to Date:

• The Spider & the Fly (written by Mary Howitt, illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi)

• 10 Spooky Pumpkins (written and illustrated by Gris Grimly)

• Old MacDonald Had a Farm (written and illustrated by Gris Grimly)

• Room on the Broom (written by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler)

• A Dark, Dark Tale (written & illustrated by Ruth Brown)

• The Dark (written by Lemony Snicket, illustrated by Jon Klassen)

• We’re Off to Find the Witch’s House (written by Richard Krieb, Illustrated by R.W. Alley)

• How to Make Friends With a Ghost (written and illustrated by Rebecca Green)

• Pirate Stew (written by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Chris Riddell)

• Only a Witch Can Fly (written by Alison McGhee, illustrated by Taeeun Yoo)

• Nibbles the Book Monster (written and illustrated by Emma Yarlett)

• Three Little Ghosties (written by Pippa Goodhart, illustrated by AnnaLaura Cantone)

• The Nightmare Before Christmas (written and illustrated by Tim Burton)

• Moldilocks & the Three Scares: A Zombie Tale (written by Lynne Marie, illustrated by David Rodriguez Lorenzo)

• The Very Worst Monster (written and illustrated by Pat Hutchins)

• The Ghost-Eye Tree (written by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault, illustrated by Ted Rand)

. . .

“I AM WRITING to express my heartfelt thanks to Mr. Blend for the incredible support he has provided to our classroom. He generously dedicated his time each Monday to come and read two books to our students. The children have truly loved these moments and look forward to them every week. In addition, his effort in bringing in a small library and creating a cozy reading space has made a meaningful impact on our learning environment.

“Thank you for becoming such a valued part of our community. Your presence, kindness, and dedication have made a lasting impression on our students, and we are deeply grateful.”

Carla Dominguez, lead guide, children’s house, PMI MACTE certified, Guidepost Montessori