Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Oh the Horror! (or MG Books Not For Halloween Weenies)

Tip of the Day: Anyone have a tip for me? I'm wondering when the SCBWI 2013 NYC Conference details will be posted?

The Children's Librarian at my library is updating her list of Middle-Grade Scary Stories -- since the last version featured "brand new titles in the Goosebumps series!"

Since it is often harder to find newer titles in this genre (creepy but not too scary for littler ones), I thought I'd highlight some of my favories for this Halloween season.
1. THE KNEEBONE BOY and THE HUMMING ROOM by Ellen Potter. The former is a story of three siblings on their own in London, a mysterious aunt, and a monster boy in the woods. The latter is a story heavily based on THE SECRET GARDEN by Frances Hodgson Burnett with great atmosphere.

2. THE AVIARY by Kathleen O'Dell. Clara discovers that the birds in the old mansion she shares with Mrs. Glendoveer may be more than they first appear.

3. BREATHING ROOM by Marsha Hayles. While this is not a typical scary story, it takes place in a 1940s tuberculosis sanatorium where Evvy hopes to overcome a horrific illness that seems to claim the lives of almost every one who comes in contact with it.

4. SUMMER OF THE GYPSY MOTHS by Sara Pennypacker. Despite the sunny setting, there is a dead body that may or may not be buried in a garden.

5. THE TANGLEWOOD TERROR by Kurtis Scaletta. Green glowing mushrooms begin to overtake Eric's town and may spell its ultimate doom unless he can stop them.

What are some of your favorite recent scary MG novels?

Stay tuned next week for som YAs!

Deena, Miss Subbing for Pubbing

2 comments:

Kate Fall said...

My kids loved the Todd Strasser and Bruce Coville scary story collections. Vivian Vande Velde has some good scary stories, too.

Come to SCBWI with me! I know, I wish they'd post a schedule already.

DeenaML said...

Kate, the schedule is posted! So many editors! Hmmmmm...I think I should commit, since, as Tina's last post said, I can write it off...!!!!

I LOVED those Bruce Coville books: The Ghost in the Third Row, The Ghost Wore Grey. I put them on our Halloween display in the Children's Center yesterday!