Top 5 Halloween Reads, 2013

Since Halloween is on a Thursday night this year and we're all in that limbo of debating on partying it up on a week night or waiting to enjoy the weekend celebrations...you could always stay home in your costume and read.

5. Goodnight Goon, Michael Rex – 2008
Look, I know we’re pretending to be adults in our normal day-to-day lives, but who doesn’t appreciate a little nostalgia? Goodnight Goon is a monster parody of the well-known children’s book, Goodnight Moon. Yes, it is a picture book – but the illustrations were fun and worth checking out

4. Haunted Air,Ossian Brown, David Lynch, Geoff Cox – 2011

Anything David Lynch puts his name on is pretty solid in my eyes. Haunted Air is a coffee table book of vintage Americana Halloween photographs that range from 1875 – 1955. There’s something darkly magnetic about the anonymous photographs of our ancestors and the photography is chillingly beautiful. A must for any Halloween collection.

3. The Book of Halloween, Ruth Edna Kelley – 1919

A wonderful and extensive history of Halloween and the Samhain holiday. It illustrates the various folklore and traditions of Europe and America during the turn of the century. Published in 1919, it’s obviously that it’s content might sound rather dated, and somewhat brief, but it’s an amazing primary source to delve into. If you decide to purchase this book, the publishers have kept the original writings, but some editions are missing the original artwork and photographs-definitely check around for the better copy.

2. Dark Harvest, Norman Partridge – 2007
Middle America sure knows how to produce some creepy legends and October Boy, or more appropriately Ol’ Hacksaw Face, is one to remember. Set in the early 60’s, every Halloween this folkloric figure leaves his supernatural haven and sets forth upon the town with butcher knife in hand. The town’s boys wait all year for this annual confrontation and opportunity to prove themselves victor. One boy, determined to use this as a chance to forever change his future will soon discover the real horror of this small town tradition.

1. The Halloween Tree, Ray Bradbury – 1972
Again, I know this is more of a text pointed towards the young adult reader, but it’s creepy and fantastical plot is exciting to anyone; also it’s Ray Bradbury – what other incentive do you need? Actually set on Halloween night, a group of young boys decide to check out the haunted house on the outskirts of town. Realizing their friend has been kidnapped by a darkness, the boys follow a mysterious figure on a wild and sacrificial journey to save their friend.