It’s no secret that I’ve spent a fair amount of my Saturdays @ the South space discussing children’s books. This is partly because I believe that children’s books can be great literature and also because I think that adults can find great enjoyment in reading a child’s book, whether or not a child is present during that reading. So in the spirit of All Hallows Read, I’d like to talk about spooky books that are good for kids and the kid in all of us.

Goosebumps, by R.L. Stine is probably what most people think of when they think of scary stories for kids. This perennially popular series has maintained its status as a hit for several generations now, with an additional boost from last year’s movie starring Jack Black. I have to be honest, I’ve never read Goosebumps; they were published after my young self had moved on from kids’ chapter books. (Fortunately, my older self has come back around to kids’ books.)  I do, however, have fond memories of reading the Fear Street series by R. L. Stine, a slightly scarier series that was designed for teens rather than emerging chapter-book readers. This series whiled away uncountable hours during my formative reading years and to me, it will always be the series I most associate with Stine. Fortunately, there are still some copies available in the NOBLE system, for those of you who would like to check out some vintage scares.

I did a search for Bunnicula on the Free for All and was completely appalled that we haven’t mentioned this seminal kids’ series here before. Given both my and Arabella’s mutual love for this book and it’s subsequent follow-ups, I’m really not sure how that happened, but I’m going to rectify that glaring, borderline-criminally-negligent, absence today. Bunnicula, by James and Deborah Howe is quite possibly the best spooky series for kids. It is about a rabbit who gets adopted by a family after finding him in a movie theater that was showing Dracula, hence they gave him the name Bunnicula. The pets already in residence at the family’s home, an erudite dog of letters named Harold (he is the one “writing” the story) and a delightfully well-read cat named Chester, have their suspicions about the new family member. After vegetables in the fridge start becoming bleached-white overnight (coincidentally the only time the new rabbit is truly active) Harold and Chester have their suspicions that Bunnicula is, in fact, a vampire. I have it on good authority that Arabella’s favorite in this series is The Celery Stalks at Midnight. My personal favorite is Howliday Inn, but I recommend starting with the first book, simply titled Bunnicula, as it gives Bunnicula’s origin story and was the loving work of both James and his late-wife Deborah Howe, who tragically passed away before the book was published. This series strikes the perfect balance of scary, humor and legend and one that I love returning to this time of year.

While these are some of the best series that can provide exceptional, spooky reading this time of year, there are several stand-alone kids’ books that are worth a look during All Hallows Read:

The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury

I mentioned this book last year during All Hallows Read and I will likely mention it every year subsequently. This book is amazing, spooky and creepy with overarching themes of friendship, eternity and kindness that can easily make it part of the classical canon. The edition at the South Branch is one published just last year with illustrations by Gris Grimly that are tonally an artistically perfect to the text. Like several of Bradbury’s books, this one is easily enjoyed by young and old alike. This is my Halloween equivalent to A Christmas Carol; it deserves to be part of a regular Halloween tradition.

Halloween by Jerry Seinfeld

This picture book is one of the rare ones that I think may be enjoyed even more adults that it will by children. This is partly because it is impossible to read this book without hearing Seinfeld’s trademark stand-up style and observational humor. It’s also because this book is a reminiscence of childhood Halloweens that kids’ today don’t necessarily appreciate. (I particularly identify with the plastic masks and costumes that barely made it through 1 hour of wear.) The illustrations in this book are stunning, with vivid colors that really capture the tone of Seinfield’s text. Be prepared for a sarcastic romp through Halloweens past.

Constable and Toop by Gareth P. Jones

The ghosts of London are disappearing to a disease affecting only those who have died by not crossed over. Haunted houses are being left empty, or worse, trapping ghosts who don’t have the proper clearance to be there.  It’s up to Talker (a person who can see and talk to ghosts) Sam Toop to find out what’s going on and see what he can do to stop it. This book is a delightful story set in Victorian London that looks into both the inner life of ghosts and those who are haunted by them. This puts a friendly spin on hauntings that gets the reader on the ghosts’ side. Its just the right level of spooky to satiate kids with a hunger for the scary but not so creepy that it will keep them up at night. Plus it’s a good balance of Victorian-style fiction for those of us who love a good, classic ghost story.

Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier

This is a graphic novel with stunning art that takes a look into the cultural traditions of both Halloween and La Dia de los Muertos. Cat’s family moves to a Northern California town for the health of her little sister Maya who has cystic fibrosis, only to find that ghosts are a natural part of the town’s culture and traditions. What happens isn’t necessarily spooky, but it does help Maya and Cat grow closer while they examine their roots, traditions and gain a better understanding of the ghosts that inhabit the town. This book doesn’t talk down to kids or sugar-coat a terrible disease, but still manages a sense of whimsy that allows it to be fun and hopeful, making it a completely accessible read for adults as well kids. I highly recommend this book, even if you’re not into graphic novels, as the cinematic qualities of the art will easily engage you to the point where you forget you’re reading in panels instead of lines.

Till next week, dear readers, I hope you’re able to find just the right story that satisfies your hunger for spooky during All Hallows Read. We at the library will be here in the meantime to help you with all your reading and viewing needs, be they spooky or otherwise.