Grouped by genre, this collection of short stories introduces students to a range of fiction genres. Each group includes an introduction to the genre, an example of pre-20th century fiction and reading and writing assignments - helping students explore the characteristics of each genre.

Four pairs of eyes stare from the blackness to watch fearsome creatures trick-or-treat.

"Lovingly written and painted, this strange and silly book will delight everyone who reads it. The grown-up people who read it may find it confusing. But young people, I think, will understand that in its strangeness and silliness it mirrors our own strange and silly world." -Eleanor Davis, author of Stinky and How to Be Happy Thomas is a friend to all plants. He even has a cactus collection! One morning, he discovers his mother has been replaced by a ferna monstrous fern! What happened? Is this the start of a plant revolt? Did the fern eat her? Where did this fern come from, anyway? Will it eat his father too? And then Thomas? That Night, A Monster . . . is a beautifully painted all-ages graphic novel exploring imagination: its power and its dark side. Marzena "Marzi" Sowa is a Polish graphic novelist living in France. She was born in 1979 in the small industrial city Stalowa Wola. She left her country in 2001 and settled in Bordeaux. Marzi, her graphic memoir about childhood in communist Poland, was published by Vertigo in 2011. The book has been translated in several languages. Marzi loves dictionaries, is afraid of spiders, and is crazy about skateboarding and cheesecake. Berenika Kolomycka is a cartoonist, sculptor, and illustrator. In 2011, she received the Grand Prix at the Lodz International Comics Festival. She lives in Poland.

Rules of The Midnight Game: Do not turn on the lights. Do not go to sleep. Do not leave the building. When a group who have met on a creepy Deddit thread decide to meet in real life, they only have one plan in mind: they are going to summon the Midnight Man. And once you start the Midnight Game, you must finish it - there's no other way out! Six strangers. One night. But how many survivors? From thriller-horror YA queen, Cynthia Murphy, author of Last One To Die and TIKTOK MADE ME BUY IT Win Lose Kill Die, comes her third nail-biting novel about CreepyPasta. Perfect for fans of Karen McManus, Kathryn Foxfield and slasher horror movies like Candyman. With six-character points-of-view, Deddit threads, newspaper articles and DMs, this pacy thriller will keep you awake and guessing until the very last page.

The majestic conclusion to Maggie Stiefvater's Dreamer Trilogy. This is the story of the Lynch family. Niall and Mor escaped their homeland for a new start, and lost themselves in what they found. Declan has grown up as the responsible son, the responsible brother--only to find there is no way for him to keep his family safe. Ronan has always lived on the edge between dreams and waking... but now that edge is gone, and he is falling. Matthew has been the happy child, the brightest beam. But rebellion beckons, because it all feels like an illusion now. This world was not made for such a family--a family with the power to make a world and break it. If they cannot save each other or themselves, we are all doomed.

New York Times bestselling adult author of The Bear and the Nightingale makes her middle grade debut with a creepy, spellbinding ghost story destined to become a classic. Now in paperback.

After suffering a tragic loss, eleven-year-old Ollie who only finds solace in books discovers a chilling ghost story about a girl named Beth, the two brothers who loved her, and a peculiar deal made with "the smiling man"--a sinister specter who grants your most tightly held wish, but only for the ultimate price.

Captivated by the tale, Ollie begins to wonder if the smiling man might be real when she stumbles upon the graves of the very people she's been reading about on a school trip to a nearby farm. Then, later, when her school bus breaks down on the ride home, the strange bus driver tells Ollie and her classmates: "Best get moving. At nightfall they'll come for the rest of you." Nightfall is, indeed, fast descending when Ollie's previously broken digital wristwatch begins a startling countdown and delivers a terrifying message: RUN.

Only Ollie and two of her classmates heed these warnings. As the trio head out into the woods--bordered by a field of scarecrows that seem to be watching them--the bus driver has just one final piece of advice for Ollie and her friends: "Avoid large places. Keep to small."

And with that, a deliciously creepy and hair-raising adventure begins.

Trudchen grew up hearing Odette's stories of a monster slaying and a magician's curse. But now that Tru's older, she's starting to wonder if her older sister's tales were just comforting lies, especially because there's nothing fantastic about her own life-permanently injured and in constant pain from a childhood illness. In 1909, after a two-year absence, Od reappears with a suitcase full of weapons and a promise to rescue Tru from the monsters on their way to attack her. But it's Od who seems haunted by something. And when the sisters' search for their mother leads them to a face-off with the Leeds Devil, a nightmarish beast that's wreaking havoc in the mid-Atlantic states, Tru discovers the peculiar possibility that she and her sister-despite their dark pasts and ordinary appearances-might indeed have magic after all.

Fresh out of school, young Mariah faces a new chapter of his life, living in the Prince Regent hotel built into the face of a cliff. His job is to assist the magician in the stage shows held for the guests. Above ground, the guests are offered every form of luxury. Below ground, in the green, slime-dripping walls of the basements, is where the magic show equipment is kept - and lurking in an Egyptian sarcophagus amongst scuttling sea-creatures is a secret that draws Mariah into the path of villainy, plots and possible death.

"Peter Ricq's Ghost Are People Too is a gorgeous book that brings to mind the best of Edward Gorey. Filled with stunning artwork and a charming story, it is a sincere, beautiful, and imaginative love letter to the gothic and bizarre." - David Gallaher (High Moon) Ethan Alby, for all intents and purposes, is a regular child with a family, a pet dog, a favorite pastime, and even a crush. Except he's a ghost. And as a ghost, there is one thing he would like to improve: understanding between ghosts and "spooky living people." Drawing on the very root of storytelling: explaining the unexplainable, Ethan describes situations that readers will recognize as regular activities for "spooky living people" and be charmed with his interpretations of them. They will also wonder if it was their resident ghost who might have snapped their favorite toy in two, or changed the T.V. channel suddenly. In his debut publication, Peter Ricq introduces us to Ethan Alby, a ghost who lives among us "spooky living people" and who genuinely wants to be friends. Charming and tongue-in-cheek text is paired with pointillism art giving the book a film noir meets Tim Burton mood and aesthetic.

On the brink of an all-consuming war and caught at the crossroads where choice and destiny meet, Grace struggles to save her school, her friends, and her very soul when she finds herself in a dangerous and unique prison. The shocking, twist-filled third book in Tracy Wolff's epic Crave fantasy series is a masterpiece of romance, betrayal, and the strength we all have inside.

It's a new school term and Eoin Madden has new responsibilities. He's now captain of the Under 14s team and has to deal with friction between his friend Rory and new boy Dylan as they thrash it out for a place as scrum-half. And away from the pitch Eoin has his hands full. He starts work on a project about Irish-born All Black Dave Gallaher who died in World War I. Then history becomes reality when an old book brings Eoin a lot closer to the rugby legend than he ever thought possible ... Fast-paced action, mysterious spirits and feuding friends - it's a season to remember!

'It's dark monstrous fun!' Wondrous Reads Re-join Stitch Head, as he steps out of the shadows into the adventure of an almost-lifetime... When an unexpected visitor crash-lands on top of Castle Grotteskew, Stitch Head knows it can only mean trouble. Eccentric explorer, Dotty Dauntless, has bet her fortune on delivering a monster to the Venture Club - the problem is, all the castle's monsters are as meek as kittens... The sixth and final book in the best-selling, laugh-out-loud STITCH HEAD series by award-winning author Guy Bass, with illustrations by Pete Williamson. Full of monstrous fun, STITCH HEAD is perfect for fans of David Walliams, AMELIA FANG and THE NOTHING TO SEE HERE HOTEL. Delve into Stitch Head's other adventures: STITCH HEAD THE PIRATE'S EYE THE GHOST OF GROTTESKEW THE SPIDER'S LAIR THE BEAST OF GRUBBERS NUBBIN

Grubbs Grady has stiff red hair and is a little big for his age, which means he can get into R-rated movies. He hates history and loves bacon, rats, and playing tricks on his squeamish older sister. When he opts out of a family weekend trip, he never guesses that he is about to take a terrifying journey into darkness. Hungry demons and howling werewolves haunt his waking nightmares... and threaten his life.

This ghost story gave me chill after chill. It will haunt you. -- R.L. Stine, author of Goosebumps Do you know what it feels like to be forgotten? On a cold winter night, Iris and her best friend, Daniel, sneak into a clearing in the woods to play in the freshly fallen snow. There, Iris carefully makes a perfect snow angel--only to find the crumbling gravestone of a young girl, Avery Moore, right beneath her. Immediately, strange things start to happen to Iris: She begins having vivid nightmares. She wakes up to find her bedroom window wide open, letting in the snow. She thinks she sees the shadow of a girl lurking in the woods. And she feels the pull of the abandoned grave, calling her back to the clearing... Obsessed with figuring out what's going on, Iris and Daniel start to research the area for a school project. They discover that Avery's grave is actually part of a neglected and forgotten Black cemetery, dating back to a time when White and Black people were kept separate in life--and in death. As Iris and Daniel learn more about their town's past, they become determined to restore Avery's grave and finally have proper respect paid to Avery and the others buried there. But they have awakened a jealous and demanding ghost, one that's not satisfied with their plans for getting recognition. One that is searching for a best friend forever--no matter what the cost. The Forgotten Girl is both a spooky original ghost story and a timely and important storyline about reclaiming an abandoned segregated cemetery. A harrowing yet empowering tale reminding us that the past is connected to the present, that every place and every person has a story, and that those stories deserve to be told. -- Renee Watson, New York Times bestselling author of Piecing Me Together

War looms on the horizon

As the Spook's apprentice, Tom Ward must protect the County from the creatures of the dark. But now his mother has returned from her homeland to seek his help. A dangerous ancient witch, Ordeen, is about to rise, bringing with her suffering and devastation. Tom's mother has mustered a powerful army--including Tom's friend Alice and the assassin Grimalkin--to confront Ordeen. If Tom joins them, the Spook will abandon Tom as his apprentice. What sacrifices will be made in the battle against the dark?

Drie Sanri Steyn-stories in een omnibus!

Sanri Steyn droom daarvan om eendag 'n joernalis te word. En nie sommer enige joernalis nie. Haar naam sal op almal se lippe wees ... Superjoernalis Sanri Steyn. Sy het nie verniet haar eie koerant, die Raaiselfontein Gazette, begin nie. Op die dorpie Raaiselfontein beleef Sanri en haar beste vriend, Markus, allerlei vreemde avonture - van vampiere wat op die dorp kom woon, tot 'n weerwolfmeisie wat haar opwagting in hul klas maak! Die aweregse humor en lekker grillerige avonture in hierdie gewilde reeks sal seuns en meisies vasgenael hou!

Vir die eerste keer is die Sanri-reeks nou in 'n bekostigbare omnibus-formaat beskikbaar! Die drie titels in hierdie omnibus sluit in:

5: Die monsters van Middernagstraat

Sanri se neus begin kriewel toe 'n vreemde ding een middag in Middernagstraat gebeur. En as Sanri se neus kriewel, beteken dit net een ding - sy ruik 'n storie! Sy is byna doodseker sy het gesien hoe een van Claudia Müller se oulike skoothondjies 'n oomblik lank in 'n monster verander ... 'n Nare monster met bloedrooi oë, 'n bek vol vreesaanjaende tande, en vreemde stekels op sy rug en nek. Markus is oortuig Sanri se verbeelding werk weer oortyd. Maar dan begin troeteldiere in Raaiselfontein verdwyn ...

6: Die nag van die weerwolwe

Sanri se neus begin kriewel toe sy die nuwe meisie in hul klas, Chrissie de Wolfe, ontmoet. Waarom het Chrissie 'n sappige rou steak in haar kosblik? Wat soek sy by die slaghuis en waarom koop sy soveel vleis? En hoekom lyk dit of sy supersterk is? As Sanri se neus kriewel, moet jy weet hier kom 'n storie ... Sanri is oortuig die nuwe meisie in haar klas is 'n weerwolf. Maar hoe gaan sy en Markus dit bewys?

7: Die vampiere van vlermuishoogte

Sanri kan nie wag om haar beste vriend, Markus, se neef te ontmoet nie. Danté en sy gesin bly in Vlermuishoogte - 'n geheimsinnige ou kasteel. Maar iets is nie pluis nie ... Waarom het Danté se pa 'n skaduwee soos 'n vlermuis? En is Markus dalk in gevaar?

Sixteen-year-old star basketball player, Luc Ponti wins an important tiebreaker game for the Palo Alto Vikings with a three-point basket during the last few seconds of play. He is simultaneously critically injured with a flagrant foul by a player from the opposing team. Luc dies for several minutes but is revived after having a near-death experience (NDE). He inexplicably begins to develop superpowers, which change the course of his life and have a profound impact on the world. Luc becomes caught in a tangled web of espionage, blackmailed by the CIA to use his powers of remote viewing to spy for them. This creates conflict in his life, most significant-how can he pursue his long-time dream of playing varsity ball for a top college; major in engineering; and possibly go pro after graduation. I Can See Clearly is the story of a talented teenager seeking the Meaning of Life and his Life Purpose, while fighting the grip of the CIA.

"This metafictional guide to monsters dares readers to keep turning the pages..." - Publishers Weekly "Positively ideal for Halloween storytimes, actually. Put this one in your holster." - School Library Journal "Not just for Halloween, but fun for anytime of year, you'll be immersed in the sink, loud, interactive world of monster-kind. Favorite of 2017." - Imagination Soup A perfect children's book for Halloween storytime, from bestselling author-illustrator Guido Van Genechten! This is a book full of monsters: small, smelly, yelling, creepy... monsters! So it's a book for hard core monster lovers, but also for beginners in monsterology. With shock effects! Try it yourself! Softies keep out! Conquer your deepest fears! Tremble and shiver with pleasure! Are you scared already? No? Just you wait and see?. (Includes a monstrously fun pop-up spread at the end of the book!) It's for real monster lovers, but also for beginners in monster-ology, ages 4 and up. Guided Reading Level L

Tsalagi should never have to live on human blood, but sometimes things just happen to sixteen-year-old girls. Making her YA debut, Cherokee writer Andrea L. Rogers takes her place as one of the most striking voices of the horror renaissance that has swept the last decade. Horror fans will get their thrills in this collection - from werewolves to vampires to zombies - all the time-worn horror baddies are there. But so are predators of a distinctly American variety - the horrors of empire, of intimate partner violence, of dispossession. And so too the monsters of Rogers' imagination, that draw upon long-told Cherokee stories - of Deer Woman, fantastical sea creatures, and more. Following one extended Cherokee family across the centuries, from the tribe's homelands in Georgia in the 1830s to World War I, the Vietnam War, our own present, and well into the future, each story delivers a slice of a particular time period that will leave readers longing for more. Alongside each story, Cherokee artist and language technologist Jeff Edwards delivers haunting illustrations that incorporate Cherokee syllabary. But don't just take it from us - award-winning writer of The Only Good Indians and My Heart is a Chainsaw Stephen Graham Jones says that "Andrea Rogers writes like the house is on fire and her words are the only thing that can put it out." Man-Made Monsters is a masterful, heartfelt, haunting collection ripe for crossover appeal - just don't blame us if you start hearing things that go bump in the night.