Reading scary stories is essential to my Halloween happiness, but this isn't a time to risk reading a book that just doesn't measure up. So during the 13 Days of Halloween, I find myself going back to stories that I know I love. My memory is so poor, that I can reread them once a year and be spooked and excited all over again!
The short stories that I prefer stay away from violence and torture. There is enough of that in the world and I don't think that it truly invokes the spirit of Halloween. For me, Halloween represents the thinning of the wall between this world and the afterlife so I like ghost stories and stories with an element of psychological horror; humorous stories also grab my attention. I also have a fondness for beautifully illustrated books. Here are my re-reads every year:
"The Homecoming" by Ray Bradbury is my absolute favorite Halloween story. It was originally published in Mademoiselle magazine in 1946. Many would choose Bradbury's "The Halloween Tree", but for me this story of a young boy who is different from the rest of his family just tugs at my heart. The excitement Bradbury builds in his description of the family arriving for a Halloween party makes my heart race too.
Oscar Wilde's short story "The Canterville Ghost" always makes me laugh. It's a story about an English ghost having to deal with the straightforwardness of an American family that comes to live in his house. Wilde is definitely poking fun of Americans abroad and I have to say we probably deserve it. You'll feel so sorry for this poor, tired ghost.
Roald Dahl has many short stories that send a chill up my back, but two that I especially love can be found in The Roald Dahl Omnibus: Perfect Bedtime Stories for Sleepless Nights. I don't think these stories will help you get to sleep. "Lamb to the Slaughter" is a favorite not because it has ghosts, but because the murder that takes place is so ingenious and evil. "The Wish" is only a few pages long, and turns a childhood game we've all played at one time or another into pure horror. I think about it every time I see a parquet floor.
Since I've mentioned Roald Dahl, I also like his collection of ghost stories by other authors, Roald Dahl's Book of Ghost Stories. Many of the stories in this collection are good, but for some reason "W.S." by L.P. Hartley sticks in my mind. The story preys on the fear of knowing something bad is coming, but you're not sure what or exactly when. "The Sweeper" by A. M. Burrage is like that too. Every time I see someone raking leaves I think of this story.
Howard Odentz is an author you may not have heard about and Little Killers A to Z contains short stories all featuring children doing bad things in Western Massachusetts. There are 26 stories of evil, revenge, murder, and the supernatural packed into this little volume. Even if you're not familiar with the settings in the stories, you'll still appreciate the spine-chilling stories. This is a relatively new addition to my annual Halloween reads.
H.P. Lovecraft's story, "The Cats of Ulthar," about cats taking care of evil in a small village is beautifully illustrated by Abigail Larson. Since we have five cats that live with us, I like to read this story to them.
Of course, I'll read a few Edgar Allan Poe stories during the next 13 days. I like this volume "Edgar Allan Poe's Tales of Death and Dementia" that is illustrated by Gris Grimly. There are just four stories in the collection and I'll read them with a glass of wine by candlelight.
I've had this children's book "The Widow's Broom" by Chris Van Allsburg in my collection for many, many years. This story has gorgeous illustrations and is a tale about how a witch outwits the townspeople who want to take away her beloved broom. It's a sweet story to read with a child.
I have a few new books on order that are arriving soon. I make it a point to read new haunting tales every October and support newer authors. I'm looking forward to reading "Twelve Nights at Rotter House" by J.W. Ocker and "The Envious Siblings: and Other Morbid Nursery Rhymes" by Landis Blair.
Happy reading!
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