Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | Alvin Schwartz |
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| Illustrator | Stephen Gammell Brett Helquist (2011 edition) |
| Cover artist | Stephen Gammell Brett Helquist (2011 edition) |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Horror, Children's literature, Folklore |
| Publisher | Harper & Row |
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Publication date
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1981–1991 |
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is a popular series of three short horror stories for children. Alvin Schwartz wrote these books. The original drawings were done by Stephen Gammell.
In 2011, HarperCollins released new versions of the books. These new books had different art by Brett Helquist. This change caused some debate among fans. Later printings brought back the original Gammell artwork. The three book titles 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).
Each book in the series has many scary short stories. Alvin Schwartz used folklore and urban legends as ideas for his stories. Folklore means old stories and beliefs passed down through generations. Urban legends are modern myths often spread by word of mouth. He spent over a year writing each book.
The books have sold more than seven million copies. They have appeared on many children's best-seller lists. Many people see them as a very important part of their childhood. Stephen Gammell's original charcoal and ink drawings are often praised. However, some parents and groups have said the books are too scary for children.
There are also audiobook versions of each book. George S. Irving reads them. A movie based on the books came out on August 9, 2019. Critics generally liked the film.
The Books in the Series
The Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark series includes three main books. There are also collections that combine all the stories.
| # | Title | Original Published Date | Pages | ISBN | |
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| 1 | Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark | October 14, 1981 | 128 | ISBN: 978-0-397-31927-5 | |
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This first book has 29 stories. Some well-known ones are "The Big Toe" and "The Girl Who Stood on a Grave."
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| 2 | More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark | October 31, 1984 | 112 | ISBN: 978-0-8124-4914-3 | |
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The second book includes 28 stories. You might know "The Little Black Dog" or "The Bride."
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| 3 | Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones | September 1, 1991 | 128 | ISBN: 978-0-7607-3418-6 | |
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The third and last book has 25 stories. Popular ones include "Harold" and "The Red Spot."
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| Compilation | The Scary Stories Treasury | July 25, 2004 | 368 | ISBN: 978-0-760-76273-8 | |
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This book combines all three original books into one.
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| Compilation | Scary Stories: The Complete 3-Book Collection | July 25, 2017 | 368 | ISBN: 978-0062682895 | |
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This is a box set of all three books. It features the original drawings by Stephen Gammell.
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Different Editions and Artwork
In 2011, the books were re-released for their 30th anniversary. HarperCollins published them with new drawings by Brett Helquist. Many fans felt these new drawings were not as scary as the original ones. They were seen as more "kid-friendly." This led to many fans being upset. Because of this, the books were re-issued in 2017 with the original artwork.
The Movie Adaptation
In 2013, CBS Films bought the rights to make a movie from the books. The goal was to create a feature film. In 2014, John August was chosen to write the movie script.
On January 14, 2016, it was announced that Guillermo del Toro would help create the movie. He also thought about directing it. Later, brothers Dan and Kevin Hageman were hired to improve the script. Del Toro, Marcus Dunstan, and Patrick Melton also helped with the story.
Guillermo del Toro produced the film. Other producers included Sean Daniel, Jason Brown, and Elizabeth Grave. In August 2018, actors Michael Garza, Austin Abrams, Gabriel Rush, Austin Zajur, and Natalie Ganzhorn joined the cast. André Øvredal directed the movie.
The film was released on August 9, 2019. Lionsgate and CBS Films released it.
See also
In Spanish: Historias de miedo para contar en la oscuridad para niños
