Halloween is on its way, and we asked our librarians to share some favorite terrifying tales from books, movies, children’s literature and more!
Do you have a scary story you'd like to add? Contact us and we might add it to this gruesome list!
Silver darts swerving madly
hues of rainbows floating angelically
half cats gliding along the pebbled water roads little pink crabs scuttling along the sandy shore rows of spears along a sleek menacing predator looking for prey a mysterious giant (bubblegum) squid waiting in the deep dark shadows of the most perilous waters swerving, floating, gliding, scuttling, looking, waiting fish of the 7 oceans.
Silver darts swerving madly
hues of rainbows floating angelically
half cats gliding along the pebbled water roads little pink crabs scuttling along the sandy shore rows of spears along a sleek menacing predator looking for prey a mysterious giant (bubblegum) squid waiting in the deep dark shadows of the most perilous waters swerving, floating, gliding, scuttling, looking, waiting fish of the 7 oceans.
“I manage the DVD collection at Central Library, and there is one movie we have that I find very scary—The Collector, with Terence Stamp and Samantha Eggar, based on the novel by John Fowles. There’s no bloodshed, no big teeth and no imaginary monsters; what’s terrifying about it is that it could easily happen in real life.” Marina Rudko, Librarian, Central Library
“One of my favorites is Paul Galdone’s version of The Teeny-Tiny Woman. I love it because it’s for young kids and a little scary, but not enough to really frighten them. It’s also funny and has a surprise ending, and it’s great to read aloud. I love the illustrations in this version, too!” Mary Blieka, Children’s Librarian, Queens Library at Flushing
“Stephen King wrote two short stories, ‘The Raft’ and ‘The Mist,’ which both appear in his book Skeleton Crew. Both explore the horror of helplessness. In the first story, some teenagers are stuck in the middle of a lake, cut off from shore by something trying to kill them. In the second, a group of townspeople are trapped in a supermarket, surrounded by the mist—and what’s in it—and unable to venture out. I can’t imagine anything worse than being in a situation where there is no hope for escape.” Daniel Thom, Senior Librarian, Information Access Services, Central Library
“I have a great young-adult pick: Welcome to the Dark House by Laurie Stolarz. Imagine an ’80s slasher movie taking place on the set of The Real World, and you’ve got some great old-school horror with a reality show twist. For six contestants, it’s the chance of a lifetime: to meet and possibly be in their favorite director’s next horror movie. Shortly after settling in, the group starts experiencing strange things, including one member going missing, cryptic messages and bloodstains. But is it all part of the movie?” Rosemary Kiladitis, Children’s Librarian, Queens Library at Pomonok
“I recall reading Edgar Allan Poe’s The Masque of the Red Death when I was fifteen. It was a riveting read. It’s short and concise, with nightmarish imagery. The story is quite frightening because it mixes the vivid images of the splendor of the Prince’s court with the hideous specter of the Red Death. It examines the fear of illness and death, which even the most privileged people in the kingdom are at a loss to cope with. What a haunting story!” Daniel Zaleski, Senior Librarian, Programming and Outreach, Central Library