gloomy and creepy stories to read

In honour of a certain happening at the end of the month, I think it's time for another themed booklist. 

Around here we love a good gloomy story.  Creepy and fiendish are also welcome, although we do shy away from gore.  I've discovered the best horror writing to be in the children's literature section, mainly, I think, because children's literature can not rely on the hypnotic power of the standards in adult horror - sex and gore - and thus have to come up with an actual plot.

Here is an abbreviated tally of children's and young adult books that I have read and enjoyed over the past year or two and I think that you should read to somebody young and impressionable or older and appreciative of a good shiver.  Not all of them are strictly scary, although a few definitely are, but they all contain an acceptable level of creep and supernatural.  Loved them all.

• Anything by Edward Gorey, although The Gashlycrumb Tinies, The Evil Garden and The Beastly Baby are particularly worrisome.
• Lisa Wheeler's Spinster Goose: Twisted Rhymes for Naughty Children is delightfully dark, with the added thrill of being illustrated by fabulous Sophie Blackall.
• Adam Gidwitz's A Tale Dark and Grim is, admittedly, an exception to the generalization I made about gore being absent in children's horror writing.
• Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book by Terry Jones is not strictly scary, but there is something delightfully nasty about squishing the fair folk.
• Neil Gaiman's Coraline and The Graveyard Book are two of my all time favorites.
• The Humming Room by Ellen Potter is more of a mystery, but it has some chilling moments.
• P.J. Bracegirdle's The Joy of Spooking series is also good mysterious fun.
• Doll Bones and The Coldest Girl in Cold Town by Spiderwick Chronicles co-writer Holly Black.
• The Books of Elsewhere by Jacqueline West, with its creepy cellar and odd art.
• Fablehaven series by Brandon Mull, along the Spiderwick Chronicles vein of frightening and nasty fairyland creatures.
• The Last Apprentice series by Joseph Delaney are another exception to the lack of gore rule, and has super creepy illustrations.  Honestly, girl child won't even let me read the books around here.  I've had a nightmare or two myself.
• Christopher Edge's Twelve Minutes to Midnight, suitably populated by insane asylum inmates, also a good mystery read.
• The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier had me seriously worried while I was reading it.

I know you all have some recommendations of your own.  Please share in the comments so we can all check them out.

handmade scrapbook

Girl child's Harry Potter continues.  We are just over halfway done the Half Blood Prince and pushing hard through to the end of the series with several hours a day reading so we can be ready to go to this exhibit in December.

What to do with the few hundred Harry Potter drawings girl child has accumulated has a been a bit of a question.  Finally we decided to just make ourselves a large sized journal covered with paper girl child felt represented Gryffindor in which she could paste in and label her drawings as she sees fit.

This also represents my first foray into binding a book with multiple signatures. 

Lots of room was left between the signatures to allow for pasting in drawings, various Harry Potter ephemera as we encounter it and even extra pages if it is deemed necessary.  All together there is a hundred pages, though, so she shouldn't need too much more. 

Girl child has been busy all day in her messy little workspace.  We'll have to venture out for more glue soon. 

Judging by the few pages girl child has finished, I think that her creativity is being adequately addressed, given that I have provided almost no direction as to how she should put together her Potter scrapbook.  However, spelling may be something we have to look at over the next year.

Lena's Patterns Giveaway

One afternoon

Two little children hushed off to sleep

Three shops to visit

Four small feet to cover

Birdie has always loved Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, but even more so, for reasons I've yet to fathom, he loves the derivative Goodnight Moon 123 even more.  I read this book to him every day.  Twice.



So, when I got a hold of the Indietutes sponsor Lena's Patterns Mary Jane Shoes, like the little old lady who lived in shoe, I knew just what to do.



I loved this shoe pattern by Lena.  Birdie loves them too.  He's been wearing his Goodnight Moon counting shoes since the moment I put them on his feet.



We are seriously crushing on these shoes!

Now, before you run down to the bottom of the post to enter the giveaway for Lena's Patterns you know is coming, hold on a moment to see what my friendly neighborhood princess ballerina is now sporting on her royal nimble tootsies.



It thrills me that I was able to make shoes for a toddler and a six year old from the same pattern. 



Princess Smootch's new slippers have already given several enthusiastic performances.



And now, at the end of the day here, I can hear The Man in other room arguing with both children, trying to convince them to take off their new shoes for bed. 

Thank you Lena for a fantastic pattern!

Goodnight children.

Goodnight footwear.

Goodnight creative people everywhere.

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I know you are eager to try out Lena's patterns and she is very generously offering up a giveaway.

One sponsor

Two winners

Three patterns each!

If you would like to enter for a chance to win no less than three patterns (your choice) from Lena's Patterns, leave a comment below telling us a favorite book in your house.

I will draw two random entries on Wednesday April 6th, approximately 2:00 pm MST.

Be sure to check out all of Lena's fabulous patterns, ready shoes, applique, blog and facebook.

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Thanks all for playing!  The giveaway is now closed. 

I have drawn two entries, Tez (from Alberta!) and Deena (yay CSA!).  Congratulations ladies.  I need your contact info so Lena can send your patterns to you.  Please send me a note at vegbee[at]littleprintdesigns.com

And thank you again Lena for your generousity!

Stay tuned for another sponsor giveaway later on this month :)