Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

Last updated

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark cover.jpg
First edition
Author Alvin Schwartz
Illustrator Stephen Gammell
Brett Helquist (2011 edition)
Cover artistStephen Gammell
Brett Helquist (2011 edition)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Genre Horror, children's literature, folklore
Publisher Harper & Row
Publication date
1981–1991

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is a series of three collections of short horror stories for children, written by Alvin Schwartz and originally illustrated by Stephen Gammell. In 2011, HarperCollins published editions featuring new art by Brett Helquist, causing mass controversy among fans of Gammell. [1] [2] Subsequent printings have restored the original Gammell art. [3] The titles of the books are Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (1981), More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (1984), and Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones (1991).

Contents

The three books each feature numerous short stories in the horror genre. Author Schwartz drew heavily from folklore and urban legends as the topic of his stories, researching extensively and spending more than a year on writing each book. [4] [5] Acknowledged influences include William Shakespeare, T. S. Eliot, Mark Twain, Joel Chandler Harris, Bennett Cerf and Jan Harold Brunvand. [6] The first volume was published in 1981, and the books have subsequently been collected in both a box set and a single volume.

There is also an audiobook version of each book, read by George S. Irving. The audiobooks are presented in unabridged format with the exception of a handful of missing stories from the first book.

As of 2017, the books had collectively sold more than seven million copies, [7] and appeared on numerous children's best-seller lists. [6] They have collectively been hailed as a "cultural touchstone for a generation", [7] with the original charcoal and ink artwork by Gammell often singled out for praise. [8]

A film adaptation of the same name was released on August 23, 2019 to generally favorable reviews from critics.

Books

#TitleOriginal published datePagesISBN
1Scary Stories to Tell in the DarkOctober 14, 1981128 978-0-397-31927-5

The first book contains 29 stories that Schwartz collected from folklore books, collections, and archives, as well as from interviews with informants. [9] [10] The stories in this book include:

2More Scary Stories to Tell in the DarkOctober 31, 1984112 978-0-8124-4914-3

The second book contains 28 stories, including: [11]

3Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your BonesSeptember 1, 1991128 978-0-7607-3418-6

The third and final book contains 25 stories, including: [12]

  • a story of a man who tries to escape from Death
  • ghost stories, including a vanishing hitchhiker story, as well as a story of a black dog
  • a retelling of the legend of the death of Oleg the Prophet
  • a story of an adult-sized doll that comes to life. Inspired by the Swiss Alps tale of the Sennentuntschi
  • a story from the Lincolnshire Marsh, which was alleged to be inhabited by evil spirits
  • a witch story
  • a story of a feral child
  • a story of a dream that foretells the future. A retelling of a ghost story from Augustus Hare
  • several urban legends, including the legends of the spider bite, the Mexican pet, and the vanishing hotel room.
  • a story of a poltergeist/psychokinesis
  • a selection of jokes and humorous stories
  • and concludes the series with a variant of the Hearse Song
CompilationThe Scary Stories TreasuryJuly 25, 2004368 978-0-760-76273-8
A compilation of all three books.
CompilationScary Stories: The Complete 3-Book CollectionJuly 25, 2017368 978-0062682895
A box set of all three books with the original illustrations from Stephen Gammell.

Editions

To celebrate the books' 30th anniversary in 2011, HarperCollins re-released the books with new illustrations from Brett Helquist. The new illustrations were generally regarded as kid-friendly and not as disturbing as their previous illustrations, resulting in widespread criticism from fans of the original. [1] [2] [8] In 2017, the books were re-issued with the original artwork. In 2019 to coincide with the release of the movie, the books were re-released with images taken from the film.

Reception

Controversy

This series is listed by the American Library Association as being the most challenged series of books from the 1990s, [13] and seventh most challenged from the 2000s. [14] It again made the list in 2012. [15] Complaints have typically centered on its violence, disturbing subject matter, and potential unsuitability for younger readers, as well as religious concerns. [5] [6] Critics have called the stories, many of which feature macabre topics such as murder, disfigurement and cannibalism, "sick... repulsive", [6] and "really disgusting... not appropriate for children". [16] The nightmarish artwork by Stephen Gammell has also been a subject of criticism. Among the groups who have attempted to have the book removed from school libraries are local parent groups and Concerned Women for America; defenders have included the American Library Association and The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. [6]

Defenders of the books have claimed that they are aimed at "middle-school kids, who are perfectly able to cope with this kind of thing", and that the stories "help children deal with reality by putting faces on what they're afraid of". [6]

Documentary

In 2019, a documentary about the book series titled Scary Stories was released. It explores the process of the books' creation (including the artwork and the folkloric inspiration of the stories), their legacy, and the controversy surrounding attempts to ban them. It featured interviews of family members of the deceased Alvin Schwartz, as well as R. L. Stine and several other authors of 1980s and 1990s children's horror. It debuted at the Panic Fest in Kansas City. [17] [18]

Tribute anthology

The Horror Writers Association compiled a new tribute anthology titled Don't Turn Out the Lights, edited by Jonathan Maberry, and featuring submissions from HWA members. [19] It was released on September 1, 2020.

Film adaptation

In 2013, CBS Films acquired the rights to the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark books from 1212 Entertainment who initially optioned the material. [20] [21] [22] [23] The script (initially written by John August) was ultimately credited to Dan and Kevin Hageman, with Guillermo del Toro, Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton receiving a "story by" credit. [24]

Del Toro produced the film along with Sean Daniel, Jason Brown, and Elizabeth Grave, with Roberto Grande and Joshua Long executive producing. [20] Michael Garza, Austin Abrams, Gabriel Rush, Austin Zajur and Natalie Ganzhorn were cast, with André Øvredal directing. [25]

The film was released on August 23, 2019, by Lionsgate and CBS Films. [26]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Goosebumps</i> Series of childrens novels by R. L. Stine

Goosebumps is a series of horror novels written by American author R. L. Stine. The protagonists in these stories are teens or pre-teens who find themselves in frightening circumstances, often involving the supernatural, the paranormal, or the occult. Between 1992 and 1997, 62 books were published under the Goosebumps umbrella title. R. L. Stine also wrote various spin-off series, including, Goosebumps Series 2000, Give Yourself Goosebumps, Tales to Give You Goosebumps, Goosebumps Triple Header, Goosebumps HorrorLand, Goosebumps Most Wanted and Goosebumps SlappyWorld. Additionally there was a series called Goosebumps Gold that was never released.

<i>Mimic</i> (film) 1997 science fiction horror film directed by Guillermo del Toro

Mimic is a 1997 American science fiction horror film directed by Guillermo del Toro, written by del Toro and Matthew Robbins based on Donald A. Wollheim's short story of the same name, and starring Mira Sorvino, Jeremy Northam, Josh Brolin, Charles S. Dutton, Giancarlo Giannini and F. Murray Abraham.

Brett L. Helquist is an American illustrator best known for his work in the children's book series A Series of Unfortunate Events. As such, his illustrations for that series have appeared in multiple media, including the books, the audio book covers, and the calendars. Helquist graduated from Brigham Young University (BYU) with a BFA in illustration in 1993. After graduation, he moved to New York City where he worked full-time as a graphic designer, occasionally drawing for newspapers and magazines. Helquist's work has been featured in children's magazines, along with The New York Times. He has illustrated almost 50 books.

Stephen Gammell is an American illustrator of children's books. He won the 1989 Caldecott Medal for U.S. picture book illustration, recognizing Song and Dance Man by Karen Ackerman. His illustrations in Where the Buffaloes Begin by Olaf Baker (1982) and The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant (1986) earned those titles the designation of Caldecott Honor books. Although he is most widely known for his evocative, nightmarish illustrations for Alvin Schwartz's Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark trilogy, he has illustrated nearly seventy books between 1973 and 2013, including nine which he authored himself.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guillermo del Toro</span> Mexican filmmaker and author (born 1964)

Guillermo del Toro Gómez is a Mexican filmmaker, author, and makeup artist. A recipient of three Academy Awards and three BAFTA Awards, his work has been characterized by a strong connection to fairy tales and horror, with an effort to infuse visual or poetic beauty in the grotesque. He has had a lifelong fascination with monsters, which he considers symbols of great power. He is also known for his use of insectile and religious imagery, his themes of Catholicism, anti-fascism, and celebrating imperfection, underworld motifs, practical special effects, and dominant amber lighting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alvin Schwartz (children's author)</span> American author (1927–1992)

Alvin Schwartz was an American author and journalist who wrote more than fifty books dedicated to and dealing with topics such as folklore and word play, many of which were intended for young readers.

<i>Cronos</i> (film) 1992 film by Guillermo del Toro

Cronos is a 1992 Mexican independent horror drama film written and directed by Guillermo del Toro and starring Federico Luppi and Ron Perlman. Cronos is del Toro's first feature film, and the first of several films on which he worked with Luppi and Perlman. The film was selected as the Mexican entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 66th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee. A stand-alone sequel, We Are What We Are, was released in 2010, with the only connection being Daniel Giménez Cacho reprising his role as Tito the Coroner.

<i>Pans Labyrinth</i> 2006 film by Guillermo del Toro

Pan's Labyrinth is a 2006 dark fantasy film written, directed and co-produced by Guillermo del Toro. The film stars Ivana Baquero, Sergi López, Maribel Verdú, Doug Jones, and Ariadna Gil.

Steven Soenksen, better known under his pen name Gris Grimly, is an American illustrator and author who mostly writes darkly whimsical children's books. Originally from Nebraska, he spent many years living and working in the Los Angeles area.

<i>In a Dark, Dark Room and Other Scary Stories</i> 1984 collection of horror stories by Alvin Schwartz

In a Dark, Dark Room and Other Scary Stories is a collection of horror stories, poems and urban legends retold for children by Alvin Schwartz and illustrator Dirk Zimmer. It was published as part of the I Can Read! series in 1984. In 2017 the book was re-released with illustrations by Spanish freelance illustrator Victor Rivas. The book contains seven works: "The Teeth", "In the Graveyard", "The Green Ribbon", "In a Dark, Dark Room", "The Night It Rained", "The Pirate", and "The Ghost of John".

<i>Dont Be Afraid of the Dark</i> (2010 film) Supernatural horror film by Troy Nixey

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark is a 2010 dark fantasy horror film written by Guillermo del Toro and Matthew Robbins, and directed by Troy Nixey in his feature directorial debut. It is a remake of the 1973 ABC made-for-television film of the same name. The film stars Katie Holmes, Guy Pearce, and Bailee Madison, as a family moving into a 19th-century Rhode Island mansion, where the withdrawn daughter begins to witness malevolent creatures that emerge from a sealed ash pit in the basement of the house. Jack Thompson also stars in a supporting role. An international co-production between the United States, Australia, and Mexico, it was filmed at the Drusilla Mansion in Mount Macedon and Melbourne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justice League Dark</span> Fictional Superhero team appearing in DC Comics

Justice League Dark, or JLD, is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team would make their debut appearance in Justice League Dark #1. The Justice League Dark team features some of the more supernatural characters in the DC Universe, handling mystical threats and situations deemed outside the scope of the traditional Justice League. Similarly to the Justice League title, the team features well-known characters such as John Constantine, Zatanna, Doctor Fate, and Wonder Woman while also bringing exposure to lesser-known supernatural characters.

<i>Tales for the Midnight Hour</i>

Tales for the Midnight Hour is a series of scary children's books written by Judith Bauer Stamper. This anthology horror series served as the precursor to various other similar works, including Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and Scary Stories for Sleep-overs. Published by Scholastic's Point Horror banner, this popular series spawned 3 sequels and lasted from 1977-1991.

<i>Crimson Peak</i> 2015 film by Guillermo del Toro

Crimson Peak is a 2015 gothic romance film directed by Guillermo del Toro and written by del Toro and Matthew Robbins. The film stars Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston, Jessica Chastain, Charlie Hunnam, and Jim Beaver. The story, set in Edwardian-era England, follows an aspiring author who travels to a remote Gothic mansion in Cumberland, England with her new husband and his sister. There, she must decipher the mystery behind the ghostly visions that haunt her new home.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guillermo del Toro's unrealized projects</span>

The following is a list of unproduced Guillermo del Toro projects in roughly chronological order. During his decades-long career, Mexican filmmaker and author Guillermo del Toro has worked on a number of projects that never progressed beyond the pre-production stage. Some of these projects fell into development hell and are presumably canceled, while some were taken over and completed by other filmmakers.

<i>Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark</i> (film) 2019 film and book by André Øvredal

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is a 2019 supernatural horror film directed by André Øvredal, based on the book series of the same name by Alvin Schwartz. The screenplay was adapted by the Hageman Brothers, from a screen story by Guillermo del Toro, as well as Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan. The film, an international co-production of the United States and Canada, stars Zoe Colletti, Michael Garza, Gabriel Rush, Austin Zajur, Natalie Ganzhorn, Austin Abrams, Dean Norris, Gil Bellows, and Lorraine Toussaint.

Michael Garza is an American actor. His most notable roles are starring in the film Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019) as Ramón Morales and also appearing in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014) as Eddy.

<i>Guillermo del Toros Pinocchio</i> 2022 film by Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio is a 2022 stop-motion animated musical dark fantasy film directed by Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson, with a screenplay by del Toro and Patrick McHale. Matthew Robbins and del Toro's modified Pinocchio story, drawing from the 1883 Italian novel The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi, was strongly influenced by Gris Grimly's illustrations for a 2002 edition of the book. The film reimagines the adventures of Pinocchio, a wooden puppet who comes to life as the son of his carver Geppetto. Set in Fascist Italy during the interwar period, the film stars the voice of Gregory Mann as Pinocchio and David Bradley as Geppetto, alongside Ewan McGregor, Burn Gorman, Ron Perlman, John Turturro, Finn Wolfhard, Cate Blanchett, Tim Blake Nelson, Christoph Waltz, and Tilda Swinton. Pinocchio was the final film credited to Gustafson before his death in 2024.

<i>Scary Stories for Young Foxes</i> 2019 childrens novel

Scary Stories for Young Foxes is a 2019 children's book written by Christian McKay Heidicker, with illustrations by Junyi Wu. The book, published by Henry Holt and Company, was first envisioned to be similar to some of the Berenstain Bears' scary stories, but was rewritten into a collection of tales based on classic horror stories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Hageman Brothers</span> American screenwriters and television producers

Kevin Hageman and Dan Hageman, professionally known as The Hageman Brothers, are American screenwriters and television producers. They are best known for their work on the television series Ninjago (2011–2019), Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia (2016–2018), and Star Trek: Prodigy (2021–present), as well as the feature films Hotel Transylvania (2012), The Lego Movie (2014), The Lego Ninjago Movie (2017), Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019), and The Croods: A New Age (2020).

References

  1. 1 2 "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark: Gammell vs. Helquist". Adventuresinpoortaste.com. December 18, 2011. Retrieved September 23, 2013.
  2. 1 2 Woerner, Meredith (February 1, 2012). "Publishers destroy Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark's amazing artwork". Gizmodo. Gawker Media. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
  3. Squires, John (July 28, 2017). "Original "Scary Stories" Books Were Just Re-Released With Original Drawings Restored". bloody-disgusting.com. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
  4. Schwartz, Alvin; Vardell, Sylvia (1987). "Profile: Alvin Schwartz". Language Arts. 64 (4): 426–432.
  5. 1 2 Monahan, Maureen (October 22, 2015). "14 Terrifying Facts About 'Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark'". Mental Floss. Retrieved October 21, 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Blades, John (September 20, 1993). "WHO IS ALVIN SCHWARTZ AND WHY DO PARENTS WANT TO BAND [sic] HIS BOOKS". Chicago Tribune .
  7. 1 2 Scheck, Frank (April 25, 2019). "'Scary Stories': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved July 10, 2019.
  8. 1 2 Sheffield, Ryan (November 9, 2013). "Scary Stories to Tell in the Past". The Huffington Post. Retrieved November 4, 2019. Gammell's illustrations have since been replaced in subsequent printings by far more tame drawings by artist Brett Helquist. Though the new artwork is well-done and striking in its own right, it doesn't come even remotely close to possessing the power and terror of the originals.
  9. Schwartz, Alvin (1981). Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. Scholastic Inc. ISBN   978-0-590-43197-2.
  10. Cody Meirick (director) (2018). Scary Stories (documentary). Giant Thumb Studios.
  11. Schwartz, Alvin (1984). More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. Scholastic Inc. ISBN   0-590-13586-4.
  12. Schwartz, Alvin (1991). Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones. Scholastic Inc. ISBN   0-590-13589-9.
  13. "100 most frequently challenged books: 1990–1999 | ala.org/bbooks". Ala.org. Retrieved September 23, 2013.
  14. "Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009 | ala.org/bbooks". Ala.org. March 26, 2013. Retrieved September 23, 2013.
  15. "Top Ten Most Challenged Books Lists". Ala.org. March 26, 2013. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
  16. "Parents Upset Over Books They Say Are Inappropriate". The Argus-Press. Owosso, Michigan. April 7, 1995. p. 1. This was way past being scary. There were two stories in there that were really objectionable...It's just not appropriate for children.
  17. "PANIC FEST: 'Scary Stories' (Documentary)". Downright Creepy. January 29, 2018. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  18. Olcese, Abby (January 28, 2018). "Panic Fest Review: SCARY STORIES Is A Spooky Trip Down Memory Lane". Birth.Movies.Death. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  19. Morton, Lisa (February 9, 2018). "HWA announces its next members-only anthology". Horror Writers Association. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  20. 1 2 "CBS Films Nabs 'Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark' Pitch from 'Saw' Scribes". December 4, 2013.
  21. "CBS Films Nabs 'Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark' Pitch From 'Saw' Scribes". Deadline.com. December 4, 2013. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
  22. "'Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark' Will Get Rewritten by 'Frankenweenie' Writer John August". DTheMovieNetwork.com. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
  23. Fleming, Mike Jr. (January 14, 2016). "Guillermo Del Toro Warms To 'Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark'". Deadline. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  24. Kroll, Justin (February 24, 2016). "Guillermo del Toro's 'Scary Stories' Lands 'Lego Movie' Writers". Variety. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  25. McNary, Dave (August 27, 2018). "Guillermo del Toro's Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark Movie Sets Cast". Variety. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  26. McNary, Dave (December 14, 2018). "Guillermo del Toro's 'Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark' Set for August Release". Variety. Retrieved December 14, 2018.