Oh Susannah: Things That go Bump: The day Susannah has been dreading has arrived. It’s time for her best friend, Lola’s, sleepover. Susannah would give anything not to go. She’s afraid of all the noises that Lola’s house makes. And throw in Lola’s brother, Kai, who loves to scare her, well she just as soon stay home. But she doesn’t want to hurt Lola’s feelings, so as she is getting ready for school, Mom packs her overnight bag. The word “Afraid” keeps popping up in Susannah’s day: Her teacher is “afraid” she is getting a cold and her sight-impaired friend, Macy, is “afraid” of unicorns. At Lola’s, she learns that houses make noise and that isn’t ghosts. Susannah learns that everyone is afraid of something, and that it’s okay to be afraid. She learns how to confront her fears and keep her imagination in check.

A perfect story for kids who are having fear issues. ( )

The next book in the series picks up right where Susannah left off in the previous story. Susannah has learned how to handle things that overwhelm her, but she still hasn't told her parents about being afraid of the sleepover at Lola's house. Lola lives in a big, older home that makes weird noises and has dark rooms. Lola's brother also told Susannah that a ghost lives there and walks around carrying heavy chains. So, Susannah is afraid to go to Lola's and stay overnight. Rather than talking about her fears, she lets them run wild in her mind. Finally, the day of the sleepover has arrived and she doesn't want to let her friend down, but she is too scared to go.

Again, Susannah has to learn to talk about her fears with her parents and see that what she thinks is scary really is just her mind playing tricks on her. When she finally goes to the sleepover, she gets the biggest surprise of all.

This series by Roman includes short chapters that can be read by parents to young-elementary-aged children or alone by upper-elementary-aged children. I think the fears and anxieties that Susannah is feeling are realistic for children today. Parents and children often have extremely busy lives and once a couple assignments build up, kids can be afraid to let parents know they are feeling overwhelmed. Kids see how busy their parents are and don't want to bother them. Roman has created a series that is relatable to children with fun stories that offer lessons on how to handle concerns many kids face. ( )

Susannah Logan has been invited over to her best friend's house for a slumber party. What girl wouldn't be excited over that? Susannah wants desperately to go, but there's a problem. She's afraid of her best friend's house. It's old and creepy. Not to mention her bff's brother tells Susannah that the place is haunted. As the sleepover draws near, Susannah realizes she's not the only one scared of something. In fact, she's surrounded by people that have a fear of one thing or another. Seeing that she's not alone helps Susannah face her fears.

In this wonderful new book by Carole P. Roman, children will learn everyone is afraid of something. For me it's clowns and spiders. Susannah will help kids learn to face and overcome their fears. Though this book is a great read anytime, it's perfect for Halloween--when things go bump in the night.
Read more at http://www.toreadornottoread.net/2017/09/review-oh-susannah-things-that-go-bump.... ( )

I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Susannah has been invited by her best friend to attend a slumber party at her friend's house. As much as Susannah would normally love to spend time with Lola, a large part of her doesn't want to spend the night. Lola lives in a very old house that makes all kinds of strange noises. Lola's brother Kai loves to tease Susannah. He tells her the house is haunted. This story reminded me of ghost stories I would tell my sisters and cousins scaring everyone including myself. We lived in a 100-year-old house. Susannah learned that children often fear the unknown when there truly is nothing to fear. ( )

Oh Susannah: Things That Go Bump: An Oh Susannah Story by Carole P. Roman is another awesome book that kids can relate to. What kids aren't afraid of the dark? This is a great story with realistic characters, settings, and situations. It has emotions, humor, and a big, spooky house! It is a fun story showing that everyone has fears. This book was a gift and the review is voluntary. I love all the books from this author, who couldn't? ( )