The Tailypo by Joanna Galdone has been one of my favorite stories to read at story times for older children. A strange "varmint" creeps into an old man's cabin. The man cuts off it's "..BIG, LONG, FURRY TAIL" and eats it. That night he is awoken by sratching and a voice moaning "Tailypo, tailypo, all I want is my tailypo." Each night the creature gets closer and closer...This is a wonderfully spooky folktale with wonderfully evoctive language. It is a perfect tale for the season. Read it with the lights on!
The Diviners by Libba Bray
It’s amazing how many genres are seamlessly interwoven in this novel –mystery, historical fiction, horror, steampunk and science fiction. The setting is New York City in 1926 where 17 year old Evie has been sent to stay with her uncle who runs The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition and the Occult. Evie, along with several other characters, has a secret talent – hers is being able to read a person’s history by holding something that belongs to them. These “Diviners”, including a healer and a seer, are being called to face a coming storm. Meanwhile, New York City is in the midst of brutal serial murders by the “Pentacle Killer” – who may be the reincarnation of an old evil, "The Beast" , that will bring the world to an end. This book packs so much into its pages that it was impossible to put down! This is only the beginning and I cannot wait for more.
Hi, can i ask you something? I’m looking for children books with “scary” animal illustrations like the big bad wolf (or a fox) eating pigs (or seven kids or Red Riding hood or birds in Chicken Little) or being pictured with a fat stomach. Could be any other animal as well. Have you seen any book of this sort? Any sort of help is appreciated. Thanks in advance.
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Hi! I know offhand that the story of The Fat Cat - a Danish folktale has illustrations of the cat's stomach getting bigger and bigger as it eats more people - not sure it it's scary though. I imagine that older versions of the folktales have scarier illustrations that more modern retellings. I will let you know if I think of anything else.
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