All through October, we’ll be sharing spooky reading recommendations from authors and staff. Whether it’s a horrifying contemporary work or a tell-tale classic, these selections are sure to haunt you for years to come. We spoke with Courtney Burtraw, Children & Teens bookseller at kidsandprose, about her favorite HallowReads.
For the younger set—Doll Bones by Holly Black is a newer one—spooky and perfect for 9-11 year-olds. Anything by Mary Downing Hahn (Stepping on the Cracks in particular) terrified me as a child. Also The House with a Clock in its Walls. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Schwartz is a classic as well.
As for me generally, I have always loved the classic gothic stuff. The Island of Doctor Moreau in particular is one that stayed with me. Emily Carroll’s new graphic novel, Through the Woods, is a wonderfully artistic collection of spooky tales.
—Courtney Burtraw