A collection of macabre stories for the child in all of us.
Beware, brave readers! A deliciously dark new collection of spooky short stories is creeping onto bookshelves! Acclaimed gothic storyteller Simon Skullwright presents a thrillingly twisted book for young lovers of the eerie and unusual.
Each story is accompanied by Skullwright’s signature gothic illustrations, bringing these chilling tales to life in shadowy detail. Perfect for young readers who enjoy a good shiver (but not too many nightmares), this collection is equal parts spooky, mischievous, and unforgettable.
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What people are saying:
“immersive, with great atmospheric tension”
“wonderfully imaginative and engaging”
“charming and well-written…a whimsical tone”
The modern world is bland, commodified and simplistic – but not this book.
It’s hard to find books for kids which don’t just recreate the beige world they already live in.
‘Spooky’ kid’s books turn out to be just the same as any other kid’s books. Full of cutesy mary sue characters but who happen to be wearing wearing black, and monsters who are just like ordinary people but with funny hair. It’s just the same boring middle grade pabulum but with ‘monster’ characters. Where’s the grandeur? Where’s the gothic? If the most interesting or creepy thing that happens is some kid wins a baking competition or frets about a text message, it really isn’t gothic is it?
But the grand tradition of gothic children’s literature isn’t dead.
Here is a world out of time: of dark mysterious libraries, quirky thoughtful kids, and unexplainable events with terrible consequences.
The World
Echoing mansions, hidden libraries full of secret lore, sombre trips into the afterlife
The Darkness
Grief, loss, personal responsibility, injustice and emotional suffering. It’s all here
The Characters
Smart likeable kids find the strength to overcome challenges and cope with consequences
The Boy Who Fed his Parents to a Monster is very different.
- Parents die
- A monster eats people
- Body parts enlarge in dismaying ways
- Ghostly animals torment the living
- Kids tamper with magic and experience dire consequences
- A whole town dies in a terrrible storm
- Smart, bookish kids think deeply about their terrible fates
A collection of gothic tales for children 10 and up.
Features
- Collection of short stories for ages 10 and up
- Pen and ink illustrations
- 120 page print edition (ebook editions may vary)
- Content warnings: death of parents, death of a child, drowning, mild body horror, being eaten by a monster
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The Boy Who Fed His Parents to a Monster and Other Stories