Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

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, stirring some controversy among fans.[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).

This article is about the book series. For the film adaptation, see Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (film).
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
First edition
AuthorAlvin Schwartz
IllustratorStephen Gammell
Brett Helquist (2011 edition)
Cover artistStephen Gammell
Brett Helquist (2011 edition)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
GenreHorror, Children's literature, Folklore
PublisherHarper & Row
Publication date
1981–1991

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 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] They have also frequently been the subject of criticism from parents and social groups who consider them inappropriate for children.[6]

A film adaptation of the same name was released on August 9, 2019 to generally favorable reviews from critics.

Books
#TitleOriginal published datePagesISBN
1Scary Stories to Tell in the DarkOctober 14, 1981128ISBN 978-0-397-31927-5
The first book contains 29 stories, including "The Big Toe", "The Walk", "What Do You Come For?", "Me Tie Dough-ty Walker!", "A Man Who Lived in Leeds", "Old Woman All Skin and Bone", "The Thing", "Cold as Clay", "The White Wolf", "The Haunted House", "The Guests", "The Hearse Song", "The Girl Who Stood on a Grave", "A New Horse", "Alligators", "Room for One More", "The Wendigo", "The Dead Man's Brains", "May I Carry Your Basket?", "The Hook", "The White Satin Evening Gown", "High Beams", "The Babysitter", "The Viper", "The Attic", "The Slithery-Dee", "Aaron Kelly's Bones", "Wait till Martin Comes", and "The Ghost with the Bloody Fingers".
2More Scary Stories to Tell in the DarkOctober 31, 1984112ISBN 978-0-8124-4914-3
The second book contains 28 stories, including "Something was Wrong", "The Wreck", "One Sunday Morning", "Sounds", "A Weird Blue Light", "Somebody Fell from Aloft", "The Little Black Dog", "Clinkity-Clink", "The Bride", "Rings on Her Fingers", "The Drum", "The Window", "Wonderful Sausage", "The Cat's Paw", "The Voice", "Oh, Susannah!", "The Man in the Middle", "The Cat in a Shopping Bag", "The Bed by the Window", "The Dead Man's Hand", "A Ghost in the Mirror", "The Curse", "The Church", "The Bad News", "Cemetery Soup", "The Brown Suit", "BA-ROOOM!", and "Thumpity-Thump".
3Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your BonesSeptember 1, 1991128ISBN 978-0-7607-3418-6
The third and final book contains 25 stories, including "The Appointment", "The Bus Stop", "Faster and Faster", "Just Delicious", "Hello, Kate!", "The Black Dog", "Footsteps", "Like Cat's Eyes", "Bess", "Harold", "The Dead Hand", "Such Things Happen", "The Wolf Girl", "The Dream", "Sam's New Pet", "Maybe You Will Remember", "The Red Spot", "No, Thanks", "The Trouble", "Strangers", "The Hog", "Is Something Wrong?", "It's Him!", "T-H-U-P-P-P-P-P-P-P!", and "You May Be the Next...".
CompilationThe Scary Stories TreasuryJuly 25, 2004368ISBN 978-0-760-76273-8
A compilation of all three books.
CompilationScary Stories: The Complete 3-Book CollectionJuly 25, 2017368ISBN 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.

Reception

Controversy

This series is listed by the American Library Association as being the most challenged series of books from the 1990s,[9] and seventh most challenged from the 2000s.[10] It again made the list in 2012.[11] 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."[12] 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. Featured interviews include 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 Panic Fest in Kansas City.[13][14]

Tribute anthology

The Horror Writers Association announced on February 9, 2018, that they would be compiling a new tribute anthology entitled Don't Turn Out The Lights, to be edited by Jonathan Maberry, and featuring submissions from HWA members.[15] It was released on September 1, 2020.

Film adaptation
Main article: Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (film)

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,[16] with the intent of producing the material as a potential feature film.[17] It was announced in 2014 that writer John August was set to pen the film.[18]

On January 14, 2016, it was reported that Guillermo del Toro would develop the project for CBS Films, and would also potentially direct.[19] On February 24, 2016, CBS Films hired screenwriting brothers duo Dan and Kevin Hageman to polish the draft written by August, and the script was ultimately credited to the Hagemans, with Del Toro, Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton receiving a "story by" credit.[20]

Del Toro produced the film along with Sean Daniel, Jason Brown, and Elizabeth Grave, with Roberto Grande and Joshua Long executive producing.[16] In August 2018, Michael Garza, Austin Abrams, Gabriel Rush, Austin Zajur and Natalie Ganzhorn were cast, with André Øvredal directing.[21]

The film was released on August 9, 2019, by Lionsgate and CBS Films.[22]

See also

References
  1. "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark: Gammell vs. Helquist". Adventuresinpoortaste.com. 2011-12-18. Retrieved 2013-09-23.
  2. Woerner, Meredith (1 February 2012). "Publishers destroy Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark's amazing artwork". gizmodo.com/. Gawker Media. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  3. Squires, John (28 July 2017). "Original "Scary Stories" Books Were Just Re-Released With Original Drawings Restored". bloody-disgusting.com. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
  4. Schwartz, Alvin; Vardell, Sylvia (1987). "Profile: Alvin Schwartz". Language Arts. 64 (4): 426–432.
  5. Monahan, Maureen (22 October 2015). "14 Terrifying Facts About 'Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark'". Mental Floss. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  6. Blades, John (September 20, 1993). "WHO IS ALVIN SCHWARTZ AND WHY DO PARENTS WANT TO BAND [sic] HIS BOOKS". Chicago Tribune. Chicago.
  7. Scheck, Frank. "'Scary Stories': Film Review". Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  8. Sheffield, Ryan (9 November 2013). "Scary Stories to Tell in the Past". huffingtonpost.com. Janet Balis. Retrieved 4 November 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. "100 most frequently challenged books: 1990–1999 | ala.org/bbooks". Ala.org. Retrieved 2013-09-23.
  10. "Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009 | ala.org/bbooks". Ala.org. Retrieved 2013-09-23.
  11. "Top Ten Most Challenged Books Lists". Ala.org. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  12. "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.
  13. "PANIC FEST: 'Scary Stories' (Documentary)". Downright Creepy. 2018-01-29. Retrieved 2018-02-20.
  14. Olcese, Abby (2018-01-28). "Panic Fest Review: SCARY STORIES Is A Spooky Trip Down Memory Lane". Birth.Movies.Death. Retrieved 2018-02-20.
  15. Morton, Lisa (February 9, 2018). "HWA announces its next members-only anthology". Horror Writers Association. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  16. https://deadline.com/2013/12/cbs-films-scary-stories-to-tell-in-the-dark-movie-saw-patrick-melton-marcus-dunstan-646713/
  17. "CBS Films Nabs 'Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark' Pitch From 'Saw' Scribes". Deadline.com. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
  18. "'Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark' Will Get Rewritten by 'Frankenweenie' Writer John August". DTheMovieNetwork.com. Retrieved 2014-11-18.
  19. Fleming Jr, Mike (January 14, 2016). "Guillermo Del Toro Warms To 'Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark'". Deadline. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  20. Kroll, Justin (February 24, 2016). "Guillermo del Toro's 'Scary Stories' Lands 'Lego Movie' Writers". Variety. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  21. McNary, Dave (August 27, 2018). "Guillermo del Toro's Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark Movie Sets Cast". Variety. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  22. 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.
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