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Halloween “Chapter Books” for Children and Tweens

In setting out to put together some lists of suggested Halloween chapter books, I discovered I’d already done it. These are a few years old, but classics remain classics. Check these out if you’re looking for Halloween reading for your school-aged independent reader. And if you have suggestions for an update, let me know!

“It Happened At Halloween”” is a list of chapter books with pivotal scenes that take place at Halloween. When I wrote it, I recommended these for ages 10-14, but at this point I’ve read The Egypt Game with my daughter, who is 9, and I think the age range for these books is more like ages 9-12. Your mileage may vary.

“Halloween Scares for Beginning Series Readers” lists mildly scary series books written for independent readers in the early grades and individual titles in a children’s book series that take place at Halloween.

“Halloween Book List for Kids”: This list is sort of a mess, because our “kids” section is for ages 0-12, and obviously there is a huge difference between what a baby and a 12 year old want (at least as far as reading material is concerned). There are lots of titles listed, and these include picture books, chapter books, and nonfiction. Some have been reviewed and some haven’t been. There are plenty of Halloween-related titles here, but there are also books that aren’t specifically Halloween themed that might be fun to read at this time of year. This is actually a different list than our “Scary Books for Kids” page, although some titles can be found in both places.

And a little encouragement here to read with your kid (or any kid) this month, from Spook House Dave and Monster Librarian.

Enjoy!

 

 

 

Posted on October 16, 2016 by , Reply

So You Want To Write About Horror Fiction

 

Stephen King

Never read horror fiction? That’s no reason you can’t write about it. Surely you have a fresh new perspective on a genre that 99% of the population has already decided is lowbrow trash read only by maladjusted teenage boys. Except for Stephen King. You probably know perfectly normal individuals who read Stephen King.

Especially if it’s around Halloween, you should have no shortage of opportunities to pitch your idea to someone in the mainstream media who is only familiar with horror from reading articles by experts like you. Although that person has probably read Stephen King, too, and maybe once saw an episode of The Walking Dead with their teenager.

The first thing your article/blog post/whatever needs is a photo that will grab the viewer (not literally, of course) and add some kind of legitimacy to your article. A photo of Stephen King, or of popular titles next to images of their cover art, is probably the ticket. Or, you could use movie or television stills from popular media. The faces of movie stars and monsters will always draw the eye.

Make sure your article title mentions vampires, zombies, and/or the apocalypse. That’s really all there is to the horror genre anyway. Don’t worry about doing actual research– just read a couple of past articles from the mainstream media. You can make up future trends yourself (who will know?) or talk about how literary authors are finally starting to write about the supernatural and make horror a legitimate genre with actual good books. If you want to take a historical angle, make sure to mention Frankenstein and Dracula. If you want to include details like the authors’ names, there’s always Wikipedia, which is a completely accurate and unbiased source of information.

Another great topic to write on is the harmful effects of horror fiction. You don’t actually need to consult studies to do some good old-fashioned fearmongering about how horror fiction is causing the degeneration of society, promoting abusive behaviors towards women and girls, or damaging our fragile youth. You’re writing out of genuine concern for the youth of today; they need to be sheltered from the gratuitous, misogynistic violence of the horror genre, which is much more of a concern than the gratuitous, misogynistic violence found anywhere else throughout popular culture. Certainly, actual readers and writers of horror fiction don’t have anything to say about the problematic nature of their preferred genre, a literary form intended to zero in on the worst fears in a tremendously flawed world.  It’s much easier to ask protective parents and cultural critics like your next door neighbor leading questions to get the quotes you need and generate public outrage.

Once you’re done with your piece, you should immediately post a link to it on Twitter so everyone who follows you can instantly access it and express their appreciation for your fresh take on the state of horror fiction today. Congratulations, you’ve published your piece and made the world a better place with your insightful views on a genre of fiction you’ve never read. Except for that one book by Stephen King.

 

—With thanks for the inspiration to Jessica Tripler at BookRiot

Posted on July 7, 2015 by , 10 comments

Book Review: The Halloween Children by Brian James Freeman and Norman Prentiss

The Halloween children

The Halloween Children  by Brian James Freeman & Norman Prentiss

Earthling Publications, 2014

Available: Limited edition hardcover, lettered traycased hardcover.

          Note: You must order directly from Earthling Publications here.

 

Earthling Publications’ Halloween books are something that no reader of horror fiction, or any genre of fiction, should ever miss, and The Halloween Children is no exception; Freeman and Prentiss  have produced another book that has been knocked out of the park.   This is a disturbing, claustrophobic, enjoyable read that encompasses everything Halloween should be.

This is an everyman’s horror story: the best, most relatable kind, that holds family close to its dark heart. Harris, the handyman for the Stillbrook apartment complex, narrates the events through diary entries.  Harris lives with his wife, Lynn, his son, Matt, and his daughter, Amber.  From the opening diary entries, we learn that Harris’s and Lynn’s marriage is about as frayed as possible, without blood being spilled (for the moment).  Lynn is paranoid about her husband’s work around the complex, assuming the worst. She also believes  something is seriously wrong with their son. Parents can have favorites, and this usually leads to hurt, deceit, and psychological wounds that have far-reaching effects. In this case, mother sides with daughter, and father with son.  Neither parent, however, is aware of what their children are doing, or planning. Then the owner/manager of the complex decides that Halloween should be canceled this year. No party will take place, no decorations will adorn the buildings and grounds. When the children hear about the holiday cancellation,  the slow-motion disintegration of the family, community, and soul is already underway.

Parallels may be drawn to The Shining, but The Halloween Children is utterly original and deserves to be given applause on its own merits. Freeman and Prentiss are talented, far more than has been recognized by the masses.  The storytelling here is near flawless, as is the writing– always a challenge in a collaboration.  If this is what they are capable of as a team, I hope that more writing from both will be on the way soon.  The characters make the story, and it’s actually more frightening than seeing the Torrance family torn apart, because it draws in neighbors, friends, or maybe something much closer.  While The Halloween Children can be read in one sitting, take some time and enjoy it, allowing its effects to take hold.  A perfect tale for any holiday. Well, any holiday that includes a fragmented, fragile family. Highly recommended.
Reviewed by David Simms

Posted on January 25, 2015 by , Reply
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