![]() Ira Marcks recalls dialing down the horror in one scene of his graphic novel Shark Summer. You don’t really want to terrify kids.”Īrtists strive for the right degree of terror, too. If I think a scene is getting too intense, I throw in something fun. Stine puts a lot of constraints on his middle-grade stories. Read: 16 Spooky Middle Grade Books for Young Horror Fans But you can’t do that with ‘Goosebumps.’ There’s always two or three real shocks and real turns and twists that turn everything around. “You can predict where it’s all going to go. “Most of children’s literature is very linear,” he says. “It can get pretty scary-they can have these crazy adventures-but they know it’s all going to work out at the end, and that’s really important.”įor Stine, surprise is the secret sauce of middle-grade horror. Stine, creator of “Goosebumps” and the graphic novel series “ Just Beyond.” That’s why his books always have a happy ending. “Kids like being scared when they think they are safe at the same time,” says R.L. We can face what bothers or frightens us and make sense of it.” “Whether it is for children or adults, it allows us to process our fears safely. “Horror is an allegorical storytelling device,” says movie producer and graphic novel editor Sandy King, who heads up the horror comics publisher Storm Kids. There’s a lesson lurking beneath the spiderwebs, too. “It doesn’t matter if they are struggling readers or proficient readers, they love the creepy blend of words and images.” While the collection is small, demand is high, particularly for readers in grades 2–5, she adds. “I usually have a never-ending reserve list for our horror graphic novels,” says Julie Shatterly, K–5 school librarian at W.A. Halloween provides an excuse to showcase these titles, but kids love horror year-round. Tie-ins abound, from a Stranger Things spinoff to adaptations of classic horror titles such as Bunnicula and series like “Goosebumps” and “The Bailey School Kids.” One thing they all have in common? The kids lead the action, whether they are fighting monsters or befriending ghouls. Some mix humor with the horror others pack in action and suspense. ![]() Graphic novels deliver on the thrills and chills, and middle grade readers have plenty to choose from. But darn, those werewolves! They can climb into a second-floor window!”Īs an adult, Fearing is still thinking about the best way to survive a monstrous encounter, but from a different perspective: He’s the author of Welcome to Feral, the first in a planned two-volume series set in a haunted town. ![]() If you have a crucifix with Dracula, you’re gonna be okay. Later, he mused about how he would escape from the differentmonsters. As a child, Mark Fearing used to watch old horror movies with his family.
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