Tag Archive for Best scary books for young readers

The Right Book at the Right Time: Halloween Edition

October 8, 2024 / / No comments

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As a parent, I always felt that Halloween was insane. Our kids would go off trick-or-treating, gather up ridiculous amounts of candy, and we’d stress about them actually eating it. In fact, we made up a whole story where they would “trade in” their candy — leaving it out for the Great Pumpkin — and discover a new toy or gift the next morning. The epic wastefulness of it all! What’s better, you might ask? My new “Scary Tales” collection. Three full book-length stories in one (cheap!) paperback compilation. 304 pages for grades 3-6, and no one dies, wonderfully illustrated by the great Iacopo Bruno. Only $8.99 and NO CAVITIES!
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Halloween before my time: The three oldest from my family, Barbara, Neal, and Billy. America in the 1950s.

 

My two youngest, Maggie and Gavin, close to 20 years ago. Let’s go, Mets!

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Whatever really happened to all that candy, I wonder? I do like a frozen mini Milky Way bar. Sue me.
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Category: Family, Scary Tales / Tags: , , , , ,

Scary Tales: Free Book Giveaway!

October 2, 2018 / / No comments

 

 

NOTE: I ran this contest the previous two years, and I’m doing it again. AND ALSO: The odds of winning are not as hard as you might suspect. HINT: Nobody reads blogs anymore!

Welcome, Fearless Readers! Here we are nearing the ghostly season when things go bump, and squish, and hooowl in the night.

I wish to remind educators and young readers that the books in my “Scary Tales” series will make your life better by upwards to 63% or less.

No one gets murdered in these stories, everybody comes out okay, but the suspense might rattle your cage. Reminds me of that great line by Oscar Wilde: “The suspense is terrible. I hope it will last.”

Here’s how you can win a free book.

Yes, free book, mailed to your domicile.

I’ll show six illustrations below by the great Iacopo Bruno, one from each of the “Scary Tales” titles in random order. Beneath that, I’ll list the titles. You or (hopefully) your students or children need to match the illustrations with the correct titles. Then send an email to me at Jamespreller@aol.com under the subject heading SCARY TALES. Entries must be received by October 20th. On that date, I will send a signed book to six randomly-selected fearless readers who respond with their best answers. (Don’t have to be right!)

Please feel free to share this page with friends and foes and fish and fowl alike.

Illustration A:

night_land_interiors_06a

Illustration B:

Illustration C:

Illustration D:

homesweethorror_1use

Illustration E:

swamp-monster_interiors_11

Illustration F:

zombie-3-van-der-klemp

Now match the illustration to one of these six titles:

1. Home Sweet Horror

2. I Scream, You Scream

3. Good Night, Zombie

4. Nightmareland

5. One-Eyed Doll

6. Swamp Monster

THANKS & GOOD LUCK!

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Category: Scary Tales / Tags: , , ,

Play the “Scary Tales” Matching Game and WIN A FREE BOOK!

October 10, 2017 / / No comments

NOTE: I ran this contest last year (2016), and I’m doing it again. AND ALSO: The odds of winning are not as hard as you might suspect. HINT: Nobody reads blogs anymore!

Welcome, Fearless Readers! Here we are nearing the ghostly season when things go bump, and squish, and hooowl in the night.

I wish remind educators and young readers that the books in my “Scary Tales” series will make your life better by upwards to 63% or less.

No one gets murdered in these stories, everybody comes out okay, but the suspense might rattle your cage. Here’s how you can win a free book.

Yes, free book.

I’ll show six illustrations below by the great Iacopo Bruno, one from each of the “Scary Tales” titles in random order. Beneath that, I’ll list the titles. You or (hopefully) your students or children need to match the illustrations with the correct titles. Then send an email to me at Jamespreller@aol.com under the subject heading SCARY TALES. Entries must be received by October 20th. On that date, I will send a signed book to six randomly-selected fearless readers who respond with their best answers. (Don’t have to be right!)

Please feel free to share this page with friends and foes and fish and fowl alike.

Illustration A:

night_land_interiors_06a

Illustration B:

3rd-try-page-9-1-2-mb

Illustration C:

one-eyed-doll_p28use

Illustration D:

homesweethorror_1use

Illustration E:

swamp-monster_interiors_11

Illustration F:

zombie-3-van-der-klemp

Now match the illustration to one of these six titles:

1. Home Sweet Horror

2. I Scream, You Scream

3. Good Night, Zombie

4. Nightmareland

5. One-Eyed Doll

6. Swamp Monster

THANKS & GOOD LUCK!

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Category: Scary Tales / Tags: , , ,

FAN MAIL WEDNESDAY #238: Jasmina Has a Scary Idea

December 30, 2016 / / No comments

postalletter-150x150

 

Here we go . . .

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scan-1-17-28-57

 

I replied:

Dear Jasmina,

It’s a mystery: Your letter is dated 9/30/16 but the envelope is postmarked 28 NOV 2016.

Did it take you that long to find a stamp?

Thanks for your letter. I’m always glad to hear from a “Scary Tales” fan.

YIKES!

YIKES!

I think you are right about clowns. There’s something inherently frightening about clowns. It’s the creepy makeup, right? The big feet? Just the insanity of anyone who’d dress up like that? The famous horror writer, Stephen King, famously conjured a truly scary clown character in his classic book for adults, It. Maybe there’s room for one for somewhat younger readers. I’ll think about it. Thanks for the (free) tip. Btw, if I do write the book, I’m not sharing the money, Jasmina!

To date, I’ve written six books in the “Scary Tales” series. I don’t know if there will be more or not; it’s up to the book-buying public, to be honest with you. I am planning a new thriller/scary story for middle grade readers, where I take the fear to a new level. With “Scary Tales,” I always had to hold back. With this one, I’m hoping to raise it a couple of notches. Tentative title: Blood Mountain.

Can you handle it?

Have a great holiday and a happy new year!

James Preller

 

 

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Category: Fan Mail, Scary Tales / Tags: , , , , ,

Play the “Scary Tales” Matching Game and WIN A FREE BOOK!

September 30, 2016 / / No comments

 

NOTE: Ran this contest last year (2016), doing it again.

Welcome, Fearless Readers! Here we are nearing the ghostly season when things go bump, and squish, and hooowl in the night.

I wish remind educators and young readers that the books in my “Scary Tales” series will make your life better by upwards to 63% or less.

No one gets murdered in these stories, everybody comes out okay, but the suspense might rattle your cage. Here’s how you can win a free book.

Yes, free book.

Could anything be better?

I’ll show six illustrations by the great Iacopo Bruno, one from each of the “Scary Tales” titles in random order. Below that, I’ll list the titles. You or (hopefully) your students or children need to match the illustrations with the correct titles. Then send an email to me at Jamespreller@aol.com under the subject heading SCARY TALES. Entries must be received by October 20th. On that date, I will send a signed book to six randomly-selected fearless readers who respond with the correct answers.

Please feel free to share this page with friends and foes and fish and fowl alike.

Illustration A:

night_land_interiors_06a

Illustration B:

3rd-try-page-9-1-2-mb

Illustration C:

one-eyed-doll_p28use

Illustration D:

homesweethorror_1use

Illustration E:

swamp-monster_interiors_11

Illustration F:

zombie-3-van-der-klemp

Now match the illustration to one of these six titles:

1. Home Sweet Horror

2. I Scream, You Scream

3. Good Night, Zombie

4. Nightmareland

5. One-Eyed Doll

6. Swamp Monster

 

THANKS & GOOD LUCK!

 

 

 

 

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Category: Scary Tales / Tags: , , , ,
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