I know there's only a slim chance that someone can help me with this one, but it's bugged me for years. When I was a kid I absolutely loved Halloween (still do). Because we lived in an apartment my parents would take my brother and I over to my grandparents' house to trick or treat. My uncle has also always loved Halloween, and all things morbid and creepy, so one year he brought home this book from the library to read to everyone. It was full of poems and stories that scared the crap out of me. Mostly they were about monsters eating children. I think one might have been about a Cyclops; one about a troll.
I remember the impact the book had on me, but I never found out what the name of it was, and I've asked my uncle, but it's been like 20 years and he can't remember. Like I said, I know there's an absolutely slim chance of finding out what book this was, but I'm fairly certain it was published in the ‘80s (or late ‘70s).
If anyone has any faint ideas I'd appreciate them. It'd be so awesome to find a copy of it, and see it again after all these years.
Sounds like it would have to be something by Jack Prelutsky. I would guess "Nightmares" or "The Headless Horseman Rides Tonight." Both are wonderful, truly scary poems for kids.
http://tinyurl.com/l6flc2
http://tinyurl.com/lokng5
Let me just say, awesome site! I've been lurking for a few months. Glad to finally be able to contribute something.
Reader Richard F. just emailed this tip:
If the two posts above turn out to be incorrect, there is a really good service by Loganberry Books called "Stump the Bookseller." Â Loganberry specializes in children's books. Â You pay $2.00 and submit everything you know about the book and others can suggest what they think it is. Â I tried it once and within days several people had correctly identified my book request as Sid Fleischman's "The Ghost on Saturday Night".
Forgot to mention that if your "stumper" is solved, you can put the $2.00 towards the purchase of the book.
As always, try Kindertrauma first, if it's in the proper genre. Â 😉 Â It's free and run by nice folks.
OH WOW you guys I think that might be the one.. SWEEEET..  I'm going to have to buy a copy of it now.. and that site Professor Von Whiskersen mentioned sounds really interesting.. I'll have to check that out.. Thanks again everyone 🙂