Ten Great Halloween Books for Geeks

Here are ten books for your Geeklets and/or you to enjoy this Halloween. Not the top 10 or the only 10, but just 10… please add your own in the comments.

Johnny Boo by James Kolchaka. Top Shelf Productions

Johnny Boo by James Kochalka. A short graphic novel for young readers that goes where it probably shouldn’t and comes out in a world of happy. No surprise that it’s endorsed by Yo Gabba Gabba’s DJ Lance Rock. Preview.

Count Karlstein and Clockwork by Philip Pullman. Pullman is much-celebrated for his Golden Compass books, but I much prefer these scary fairy tales.

The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald. Written in 1911, I think we could almost count this as a Victorian horror story. It’s a fairy tale setting, but the story is fully-realized and quite captivating. The title is a misnomer, by the way. Our young heroes, a princess and a local lad, have to face more than one goblin. A lot more. When you’re done you’ll be ready to read the sequel, The Princess and Curdie. eRead for free.

The Winter of the Birds by Helen Cresswell. Some folks would think that kids couldn’t grok a mature, metaphysical “horror” story like this. Thankfully, British author Helen Cresswell knew better. The book begins with a strange old man telling us: “I see the birds that do not fly, but run on wires.” and “There is evil in their glitter, in the swift strike, their hissing.” But do we believe him?

Something Wicked This Way Comes, by Ray Bradbury. Why … you can almost smell the cotton candy from Cooper & Dark’s Pandemonium Shadow Show.

Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich by Adam Rex – Picture book, but very suitable for anyone who digs monsters. When you see that this is a book of poems, you might be turned off. But that’s only because most books of poems don’t have one called: “Count Dracula Doesn’t Know He’s Been Walking Around All Night With Spinach in His Teeth.” And the illustrations are jaw-dropping.

The Snarkout Boys — I couldn’t choose between Daniel Pinkwater’s two Snarkout Boys books: The Avocado of Death and The Baconburg Horror. Three young geeks meeting weirdos, eating crazy food and solving the perplexities of the universe. Blood and gore? Very little. Tapioca pudding at the Deadly Nightshade Diner — We Never Close? Yes. Free Avocado of Death audio book.

Note: Stay tuned for Pinkwater’s Geekdad interview coming soon.