I have always loved to read. I don’t give myself so much time for it now – but I used to FLY through books. I was the kid who would sit in class with their school book open and propped up, with whatever ‘pleasure reading’ book I was reading at the time opened up inside. NOW I try to give myself time to read a chapter a night and that doesn’t even always work out! I definitely have my genre faves, and I have to say that the number one choice would probably be horror novels. First it was Goosebumps and Tales From The Crypt comics, then I moved up to Fear Street, and then when the sixth grade came knocking, I started my Stephen King fixation.
But really , before Goosebumps, there was Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark. Do you guys remember these books?

I don’t know what happened to my old copies, the ones I bought from the book fairs in elementary school – and I’m quite sad about it!! I still remember the hauntingly brilliant illustrations by Stephen Gammell. The illustrations were REALLY scary – just as scary as the stories!
Well I don’t know what happened..but it seems the publishers things kids these days are little pansies and can’t handle the Gammell! This happened a bit ago, but I’m just getting around to blogging about it. It really does make me sad that they took his illustrations out and put in some by Brett Helquist. I mean, Helquist is a great illustrator, and has done a lot….but his illustrations are not right for this book, and really no one else’s would fit. Gammell are perfection. See for yourself!!!




I truly am saddened by it, and I guess I will have to try to find used copies for my kiddos if I ever have any. I’ll leave you with this little ‘Scary Stories’ tidbit-
“Did you ever think as a hearse goes by that you may be the next to die? They wrap you up in a big white sheet from you head down to your feet. And the worms crawl in and the worms crawl out, In your stomach and out your snout, And your eyes fall out and your teeth decay- And that is the end of a perfect day.”