The Day Death Died/ The Last Day of October

Barrington Stoke are renowned for publishing highly engaging, accessible reads and these two are no exception! Hallowe’en might have been and gone this year, but these are scary stories to be enjoyed all year round.

Tanya Landman’s books are always enjoyable and in ‘The Day Death Died’, she has written an extremely engaging quick read which offers plenty to think about. When his mother becomes ill, Jack is devastated when Death comes to take her away and decides to fight back. Jack manages to get rid of Death, but then is horrified by the consequences.

In such a short book, Tanya Landman manages to create a very atmospheric and compelling story through really carefully chosen language and short, powerful sentences. Highly illustrated, it is a a story sure to provoke both thought and discussion, capture the interest of even the most reluctant reader and hopefully, lead them to other books!

‘The Last Day of October’ is a real spine-tingler of a tale! One Hallowe’en, three friends, Cody, Sean and Duri, decide to locate the ruins of the haunted McBride House, the scene of a tragic accident, deep in the woods. Finding the house turns out to be more terrifying than they could ever have imagined…

Brilliantly constructed, ‘The Last Day of October’ is a completely captivating, riveting read with a suitable haunting ending that will leave readers gasping! Although a relatively short story, each of the friends has a distinct personality. Cody is behind the plan to visit the McBride House, determined to lead his friends on this adventure; Sean is far more cautious, but unwilling to let the others down; Duri is tempted by the idea of sharing their findings with others. Their excitement about their spooky adventure is contagious and the atmospheric writing builds tension as they head off into the woods on their quest and the story reaches its chilling conclusion.

The perfect spooky story!

The Day Death Died

Tanya Landman, illustrated by Cinthya Alvarez

Barrington Stoke ISBN: 978-0008764890

The Last Day of October

Phil Hickes, illustrated by Oriol Vidal

Barrington Stoke ISBN: 978-0008748517

Ghosts in the Walls

‘Ghosts in the Walls’ is a collection of eleven scary stories, each written by a different author and each inspired by a Royal Palace. Greatly enhanced by Pam Smy’s atmospheric illustrations, it offers gripping tales with the added benefit of piquing interest in some of the country’s most iconic buildings.

A note from each author can be found at the end of the book, allowing readers to share their inspiration and the development of their ideas. There are many ghosts stories associated with the palaces and although this is a collection of new tales, they are inspired by real people, places and/ or events and are often rich in historical detail.

One of my favourites is ‘Children of the Maze’ by Sam Sedgman. Deliciously sinister, it uses the famous maze at Hampton Court Palace (one of my favourite places!) as the setting for a story which is the stuff of nightmares. Another equally enjoyable story based at Hampton Court is ‘The Prince in the Painting’ by E L Norry- readers will never look at portraits the same way again, but are also sure to be inspired to seek out the painting which features in the story, just to check..!

The setting for Sophie Kirtley’s contribution, ‘In this Still Place’ has made me really want to go and visit Hillsborough Castle and Gardens and explore the Walled Garden… and these stories are sure to have the same effect on other readers, leading them to explore some of these fabulous locations and, no doubt, finding their own imaginations igniting with possibilities for storytelling!

Definitely spooky and not for the faint hearted, this is a collection for the brave and curious!

Historic Royal Palaces: Ghosts in the Walls

Spooky Stories inspired by Real History

Various authors, illustrated by Pam Smy

Bloomsbury ISBN: 978-1526671196

Whispering Hollow

Pippa Newton loves nature and loves the time she spends with her grandfather at his cottage in the woods. Her brother, Jed, used to enjoy these trips as well, but now lacks enthusiasm. However, they arrive to find their grandfather reluctant to let them stay and Pippa soon realises that something malevolent is lurking, causing Grandpa to be fearful and act strangely. When Pippa disobeys her grandfather and creeps out into the woods at night to use her night vision binoculars, things quickly spiral out of control.

In ‘Whispering Hollow’, Rachel Burge has created a spooky tale, full of suspense and menace, perfect for the darkening evenings- if you are someone who likes a good scare! The strange behaviour of her grandfather, his unkempt appearance, the sinister twig men hanging around the house create a tense atmosphere from the outset, leaving the reader wondering what might happen next.

Set in Cornwall, the story draws on the rich folklore and traditional tales of that area with hidden folk, spriggan and changelings and the narrative moves between the two worlds. But the story is also about siblings and the deep bonds they can share, of loss and change and family and the wonders of the natural world, making it a satisfying read as well as a dark and creepy one.

Whispering Hollow

Rachel Burge

Welbeck ISBN: 978-1804536179

Spooky Poems Aloud

One grain of gritty midnight,

One iota of dust.

The figure spoke inside my head,

‘It’s time to join us.’

Just in time for the spooky season comes this suitably scary collection of poems from Joseph Coelho. ‘Spooky Poems Aloud’ is the fourth book in the ‘Poetry to Perform’ series and offers a perfectly pitched selection of poems to add some shivers to Hallowe’en!

Each of these twenty-five poems just cries out to be performed, encouraging children to explore the use of dynamics, tone and gesture to support their presentation, having great fun in the process. ‘On a Cold Whispering Night’ (which the quote above comes from) is perfect for whispering in spooky tones whilst the onomatopoeic refrain of ‘The Skeleton in the Basement’ might need a louder, sharper voice!

An introduction is added for each poem, giving suggestions not only for performance, but also tips for creating poems along the lines of those given. ‘It Woke Me From a Dream’ uses a repeating line to create a creepy atmosphere and the note suggest creating a poem in the same style. ‘The Grey Lady’ is a poem which uses the senses to describe something scary- another fun thing to try!

The book introduces children to a wonderful range of poetic styles and techniques- pantoum, villanelle, regna, tanka- enriching the reader’s experience and understanding of the wonders of poetry, making this an invaluable resource for teachers and interested adults as well as children. Full of appealing illustrations, ‘Spooky Poems Aloud’ is sure to encourage a love of poetry in everyone!

Spooky Poems Aloud

Joseph Coelho, illustrated by Daniel Gray-Barnett

Wide Eyed ISBN: 978-0711287396

You can read my review of ‘Courage Out Loud’ here.

Tales for the Brave: Heroes and Heroines, Gods and Ghosts

‘Tales from the Brave’ is a wonderful collection of myths from Ireland, Cornwall, Scotland, Wales, Brittany and the Isle of Man. On the eve of Samhain, a druidess and a file (a poet) come together to light a bonfire on a hillside. Settled by the fire, they feel the presence of the other-worldly spirits who come to share their stories. As each figure emerges from the darkness into the firelight, they tell their tale. As the last of the visitors leaves, the druidess and the file leave the hill, taking the ancient stories with them as gifts to any who will listen - and take heed to the wisdom they offer.

Each story is vividly illustrated by three Irish artists whose talents create the perfect atmosphere for each tale. The front endpapers show the druidess and her companion arriving on the hill, with the sunset full of magical creatures whilst the closing papers show them leaving with figures from the tales looking down from the skies. The pages and their numbers are edged with patterns which remind the reader of their connection with the natural world and the stories Celtic origins.

The author’s note speaks of a love of stories and storytelling which connects us to our ancestors and this collection is sure to pass that love on to those who read the tales contained here. Full of magic and mystery, wisdom and wonder, they are perfect for sharing and retelling for generations into the future just as they have come to us from the past.

Tales of the Brave: Heroes and Heroines, Gods and Ghosts

Rachel Pierce, illustrated by Béibhínn McCarthy, Lauren O’Neill and Louise Dukes

Scholastic ISBN: 978-0702325557