REVIEW: Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
Author: Alvin Schwartz
Illustrations: Stephen Gammell

My oldest son had a favorite three book set as a child. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. The tales were spooky and the artwork was amazing. In fact, the bizarre art really made the book. Flash forward a few years and my son was getting ready to join the Navy. I hit that oh-my-god-one-of-my-kids-is-really-leaving mom moment and the oh-my-god-my-son-is-engaged-to-be-married event as well.....ahhhhhhhhhh! But, before he left to start his journey to being a grown man, he brought me a set of three books he found at a bookshop in Greensboro. Scary Stories, More Scary Stories and Scary Stories 3. Through the years of moving and just living life, his copies had been lost or given away.....but he remembered how much he loved the books and brought me copies so I could re-read them. He is now forward deployed in Japan with the US Navy. I haven't seen my son in two years now. I'm going to re-read these books and think about that little boy that has grown into a very awesome man.

Gotta start at the beginning. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. Originally I ordered this book from one of those school book order forms. Every parent with school age children has been given these forms, crinkled from being in a backpack,and filled them out. My kids always waited impatiently for their book haul to arrive. Because this book was about stories that could be told in the dark, I remember that we took turns reading the stories out loud, showing the pictures at appropriate intervals. I think that being able to read aloud is a great introduction to public speaking and even acting, so we read out loud to each other often. This book was fun to read. All these years later I still remember us working on our scary voices. :) We even got his friends in on it. I remember one sleepover where the boys huddled in sleeping bags while we told ghost stories....some from this book. Snacks were eaten, much soda was drank.....and those pre-teen boys slept with the lights on. :)

The 29 stories are varied....jump scares, ghosts, monsters, evil people, and humorous horror. The horror comes in mixed formats as well -- short stories, poetry, a song, and supremely creepy artwork. The stories are taken from folklore, and there is a notes section in the back of the book that talks about their origins and the sources used.

I had so much fun re-reading this book! So much nostalgia for my son and I. I messaged him to let him know I was reading it. :) These book stay on my keeper shelf. I'm whittling down my personal library by reading and donating many of the more than 3000 books I own, but these three books are special. They get to stay. :)

On to More Scary Stories!