![]() ![]() For instance, some of the stories like “The Babysitter,” “The Hook,” and “High Beams” deal with real life terrors, forcing the reader to consider how they might respond if placed in a situation where someone else might harm you. Looking back, Halloween and its associations with horror are often the first opportunities kids have to engage realities like death and the unknown. Even as a kid some of the Schwartz’s stories didn’t scare me, but I enjoyed reading them in the same way I enjoyed Halloween in a way I couldn’t describe it back then. However, the tales about real life horrors about a strangers sneaking into the back of your car or into the attic of your house made a lasting impression on me because they were grounded in reality.Īlthough some people read horror for the scare factor, I’m drawn to the genre for the dark content. Schwartz includes a variety of stories encompassing jump scares, hauntings, witches, and ghouls - and even some funny ones. I love a good ghost story and tend to prefer my horror on the psychological side. The Mix of Supernatural and Realistic Horror “I think it can be reinforcing for kids who are having problems - problems with self-confidence - to understand that folklore is something that unknown ordinary people have created as expressions of some of their innermost feelings.” - Alvin Schwartz They provide situations in which they have to see themselves in the character’s position, reflect on it, and see how they might be able to generalize those lessons into their own lives. ![]() For kids, books - particularly horror ones - present a space to develop empathy. It’s part of why they’ve been passed down through history and cultures. Folklore has a purpose to convey information and present everyday lessons. In a way, these stories are constantly evolving, yet timeless.Īlthough fiction can teach us important lessons, folklore is more direct. Like memories, they change when recalled again, and vary based on the context and the storyteller. Schwartz also reminds us in his bare bones retellings that storytellers - whether in written or oral form - embellish their tales. I was curious to see how much his versions varied from the original stories he gathered from various cultures and time periods. The bibliography and notes in the back of the book always fascinated me as much as the stories. As a journalist rather than a fiction writer, Schwartz spent years researching and collecting folklore and urban legends, before crafting his retellings. Whether you read them alone or in the company of others, here’s why this popular and controversial book series remains a must-read for Halloween decades later.Īlthough I enjoy fiction, Schwartz’s books lingered me in a different way than a series like Goosebumps ever did. The stories are pretty simple, designed to be ones you read aloud to frighten your friends at night. The series is comprised of three books: Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (1981), More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (1984) and Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones (1991). And when Fall Harvest Festivals eventually replaced Halloween celebrations in school, you could still dig out your copy of the books to get you in the mood for spooky season. ![]() I remember classmates bringing out their copies of the books around October, talking about the tales and gawking over the creepy illustrations. It was also one of my first introductions to the horror genre. It brings back memories of the Scholastic book catalogs and elementary school Halloween parties. As a 90s kid, Alvin Schwartz’s Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark series is a nostalgic piece of my childhood.
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