Screech!

I love a good ghost story, and this book has a lot of them. For not being a huge country, New Foundland, is very haunted. I really liked this book.

First came The Thing at the Foot of the Bed. In 4th grade, I was obsessed with it, took it out of the library so many times, I'm surprised they didn't just let me have it.<

Then came Scary Stories to Tell In The Dark. Back then I used to take care of a couple of cute kids in the summer and we used to read them out loud and they loved them as much as I did.

So, scary stories have long held a place in my heart, so when I saw this on Netgalley, I jumped on it. A collection of eerie tales from Newfoundland, Canada, the 10 or so short stories are guaranteed to get a screech! out of the little ones (and maybe even the older ones!) accompanied by gorgeous illustrations. I'd love one or two of them for my wall! My favorite story was the ghostly ballerinas (so cute!) and the Old Hag (eeek!) and the blueberry picker was both heartbreaking and eerie. It takes me back to the days when I was a kid, huddled around the campfire listening to Gramps tell The Hookman story (and when they got home, they saw, hanging from the door handle, was a HOOK! *scream*)

Screech! concludes with several tips on how to come up with your own scary story, something I might just do to scare the little ones in my family while sitting around the fire this winter. Scary good fun, and it would be a great gift for younger kids, I'd say ages 7 and up, especially for kids who like a little bit of scary and might help them to enjoy reading.

Fun foray in to ghost stories from Newfoundland. I really enjoy an anthology that is focused on one particular area, and this one didn't disappoint. I found the stories creepy and fun to read in the holiday season. Maybe not Halloween, but they worked during cold winter nights.

This is a really cool book. I’ve always been a big fan of ghost stories. This is a great selection, I particularly enjoyed that the author chose to include some phenomena that have been observed globally (A loved one appearing across a far distance at the moment of their death, sleep paralysis) but with the Newfoundland twist. I also appreciated that the author shared more of the history and geography that really set the tone of stories while also teaching readers about Newfoundland. The guide to telling stories at the end of the book is also a great detail that I am sure will help many young readers tell their own frightening tales.

Did you ever, as a child, stay up late staring into the darkness, imagining things that were both frightening and thrilling? Did you ever read scary stories by the light of a flashlight under the covers on cold winter nights, or sit around a campfire listening to tales of ghosts and wandering spirits? Take that feeling, that fleeting nostalgia of thrills and chills, press it into book form, and you will have this book.
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This is a middle grade book, but I enjoyed it immensely as a woman pushing forty. The stories are just spooky enough, sending tiny shivers up your spine as you laugh nervously and check the dark corners around you.

And more than the fright, these are real stories. The author has fictionalized them, changed some names around, but each story is based on a story passed down orally through families in Newfoundland. At the end of each story is a page telling a bit about the actual history of the place and who the story originally came from.

The book itself is beautiful. Each story begins with a pencil illustration, all dark shading and creeping shadows and glowing eyes. At the back of the book are a few pages of "Tips for Spooky Storytelling" and a glossary of terms that modern kids might not know.

I loved this little book. It's a great book for adults and children alike, or, better yet, for sharing together by candlelight while a storm rages outside.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the ghost stories in Screech! They are great to read at night. These chilling ghost stories will creep you out and keep you reading all night.

I loved this spooky collection of ghost stories! This one will keep you up at night, because you're turning pages to read more and you're a little bit scared of those bumps in the night.

I love to read ghost stories and most of these did not disappoint. The author does a good job setting a spooky atmosphere. All the stories are based in Newfoundland. I liked the historical notes at the end of each story. Young readers will enjoy the scares. This book is a perfect read for for Halloween or cold winter nights. Enjoy