It is the most wonderful time of the year! Hearing that you are probably picturing stockings hanging on a mantle and couples kissing under a sprig of mistletoe. You would be DEAD wrong , though, because it is the middle of October, the trees have burst into flaming brilliance, and the library is decked out in bats, monsters, and jack-o-lanterns. There is no better time for reading books that will have you diving under the covers.

There are oodles and oodles of fantastic Halloween picture books for little readers. I will save those for another post, though, since let's be honest most of those books are more silly than spooky.  The one picture book that I do want to mention is actually better suited for older kids. The text of the story is actually a poem that was written in 1829 by English poet, Mary Howitt. In 2002 Tony DiTerlizzi (who you may recognize as the author and illustrator of The Spiderwick Chronicles) turned The Spider and the Fly in a stunning picture book that won him a Caldecott Award in 2003. The Spider and the Fly is basicallly an early stranger danger warning. A villainous spider lures a naive fly into his web with flattery and artifice. Seriously, every time I read this book I hear the voice of Vincent Price as the spider. DiTerlizzi's black and white illustrations transform Howitt's poem into a story that is magical, suspenseful, and defnitely creepy.  Readers of all ages will be mesmerized by all of the details such as the ghost bugs attempting to warn the fly, the twenties costumes the insects wear, and the dollhouse that the serves as the spider's home. It is a true feast for the eyes just as a gullible fly is a feast for a spider.

On to some chapter books that will definitely have braver kids wanting to sleep with the lights on. One of the series that I have particularly enjoyed is the Small Spaces Quartet by Katherine Arden.
The final book of the quartet, Empty Smiles, just came out this past August  and it was a wonderfully creepy conclusion to Ollie, Coco, and Brian's misadventures with the diabolical smiling man. Of course, you need to start with the first book, Small Spaces, which is the perfect book to read this time of year. Eleven year old Ollie is still grieving the death of her mother and has completely withdrawn from everything but books. She discovers a mysterious diary and is soon captivated by the story of two brothers and their tragic encounter with a "smiling man".  During a fall field trip to a local farm Ollie and two of her classmates, Coco and Brian, have their own encounter with the smiling man. They manage to defeat the smiling man at least until the next book. All four books are tremendously entertaining with great characters, atmosphere, and are scary without being too scary for younger readers. Each book is set in a different season so start with Small Spaces this fall and Dead Voices during a snow storm, Dark Waters for spring, and finish in the summer with Empty Smiles.

If you want a classic ghost story for younger readers that is truly bloodcurdling look no further than The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier. First off, let me say that I absolutely love all of Auxier's juvenile fiction. He is a spectacular story teller and he doesn't dumb down his writing for kids.  The Night Gardener is the story of Molly and Kip, a sister and brother from Ireland, who are orphaned in England and take a job as servants in a crumbling English manor for a family that is definitely hiding something. Molly must confront her own fears and the evil infecting their new home to protect her brother.  This is like a classic story by Poe but written for a younger audience. I take that back, The Night Gardener is sure to enthrall readers of all ages.

Next I want to discuss a couple of  wonderfully spooky books that will appeal to older kids, teens, and adults.

Let's move on to some terrifying reads for teens.  Bad Witch Burning Burning by Jessica Lewis is a newer young adult novel that does a deftly combines the supernatural with actual serious issues like homelessness, poverty, and abuse. Wow, that makes it soun d like a super downer I know, but I promise that Bad Witch Burning is an amazing book. Katrell has long used her ability to talk to the dead to earn extra money to help pay her unemployed mom's bills. When her powers dramatically expand to the ability to bring the dead actually back to life she is able to earn more money than she has ever had before. Even when she starts to notice problems with the people she has brought back it is is hard to give up being able to afford groceries, utilities, clothes, and other things most teens take for granted.  This is one of those stories where it is very obvious how bad things are going to go, even when the protagonist does not. You still will not be able to put this book down, though. Readers will be on the edge of their seats as Katrell attempts to control the negative effects of her gift while learning to trust people who want to help her.

 

Ok, my next recommendation is an oldie, but a goody that I have reread multiple times over the years.   Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury is a fantastic mix of horror and fantasy that is quite short, so you won't freak out teens by handing them a foot thick book (not that adults won't love this book too). Bradbury's atmospheric coming-of-age story takes place during October in a small mid-western town so it is perfect for reading by a toasty fire on a cold, fall evening. Will Halloway and Jim Nightshade are 13 years old and best friends in sleepy Green Town, Illinois (the same town that Dandelion Wine is based and is inspired by Bradbury's actual hometown). Nothing exciting may ever seem to happen in Green Town, Illinois, that is until a carnival led by the mysterious Mr. Dark arrives.  The two friends soon discover that the carnival can make dreams come true, but at a cost, and they go on an adventure to save the town while resisting the seductive powers of the carnival and Mr. Dark.

In my opinion one of the most beautiful and haunting films ever made is Guillermo del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth. The movie is a dark, fantasy set during the brutal reign of fascism of post WWII Spain. Ofelia is a young girl whose father has passed and her mother has married the sadistic Captain Vidal and takes them to an outpost in the countryside. The film delves into folklore and the super natural when Ophelia meets a faun who tells her that she is the lost princess of the underworld. The movie is strange, evocative, mystical, terrifying, and creature actor Doug Jones is unforgettable as both the faun and the pale man.

You are probably why I just told you all about a movie in a post about books. Well,  in 2019 del Toro collaborated with Cornelia Funke (the author behind the Inkheart series) to publish a novelization of Pan's Labyrinth. Now I am usually the person who is saying do not watch the movie if you love the book. This time I am going to say if you love the movie please read the book. Even if you have not watched the movie (which you should) I encourage you to read the book. The book gives del Toro the space to expand the mythology he gives you glimpses of in the film. The book gives you the stories behind the folklore and also more of the history of the fascist regime in Spain. The writing is fantastic and is accompanied by beautiful illustrations. Read the book, watch the movie, and be prepared to be mesmerized, frightened,
and heartbroken.