Chilling Childlore: Ten Twisted Childhood Tales

by Victoria Williamson

Ten unnerving tales of the weird and uncanny from award-winning author Victoria Williamson.

An unwelcome visitor, a hungry house, an unsettling doll and a sinister Christmas surprise…

These are just some of the disturbing childhood tales in this anthology for adults who are young at heart, and younger readers with old souls who have strong stomachs and a taste for the macabre.

Genres: Horror

201 pages, Paperback

Published September 25, 2025

About the author

A lifelong storyteller and daydreamer, Victoria Williamson is an author and teacher who has lived and worked in Africa, China, America and the UK.

Victoria grew up in Kirkintilloch, north Glasgow, surrounded by hills on the edge of a forest estate where many of her early ghost stories and fantasy tales were born amid the magical trees and spooky old ruined buildings.

After studying Physics at the University of Glasgow, she set out on her own real life adventures, which included teaching Maths and Science in Cameroon, training teachers in Malawi, teaching English in China and working with children with special needs in the UK.

A qualified primary school teacher with a degree in Mandarin Chinese from Yunnan University and a Master’s degree in Special Needs Education, Victoria is passionate about creating inclusive worlds in her novels where all children can see a reflection of themselves in a heroic role.

Victoria’s experiences of teaching young children in a deprived area of Glasgow, many of whom were asylum seekers, inspired her debut novel, The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle, an uplifting tale of friendship between Glasgow girl Caylin and Syrian refugee Reema.

Victoria writes fantasy, adventure, science fiction and contemporary issue novels for Middle Grade (9-12), Teen, and Young Adult readers. Many of her books have been inspired by children she has met on her travels, both abroad and in the UK. She is currently working on a Middle Grade novel exploring the issues faced by a boy with ADHD who is struggling to fit in with his new step-family, and a spooky adventure novel for Teens, centred around a cast of characters with special needs including deafness, Down Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy.

Twenty percent of her author royalties for The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle are donated to the Scottish Refugee Council.

You can find out more about Victoria's books, school visits and upcoming events on her website: www.strangelymagical.com

Reviews

[Irene Well Worth A Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy Thanksgiving week and a book review. This one was already published in September, and yes, I'm still that behind.
Chilling Childlore: Ten Twisted Childhood Tales by Victoria Williamson
I love short horror stories, and Victoria Williamson is adept at bringing on the spine tingly chills and unnerving thrills without loads of gore.
In these 10 twisted tales the protagonists are children, but I would not recommend these as bedtime stories for very young readers because some of them do get pretty damned creepy, especially the longer story at the end "Curtain Calls" about a girl who senses something terribly wrong with her renovated bedroom, particularly with the second hand material that was used to make her new curtains.
There are cautionary tales, such as what happens to one child when she makes up a haunted house story to manipulate her parents, and an amusing story of what happens to the favored child who won't quit picking on her sister. There is the fear a child has of being left alone with a strange relative he has never met, and of course, there is more than one bully to be dealt with.
I loved all of these stories. If you are in the mood for some hair-raising tales without explicit bloodshed, this is for you.

My thanks to Silver Thistle Press for the gifted paperback.

[Rereader · Rating 5 out of 5]

The stories in this collection are horrifying and traumatizing, not just because of the haunting writing, the descriptions that make one's stomach turn, or the suspense that forces one to keep reading even though they fear what comes next. What makes this collection disturbing is realizing how unsafe this world is for children; whether it be from neglectful parents, supernatural forces, antagonistic and sadistic siblings, greedy relatives, or their own actions coming back to invoke karmic retribution, one thing is made clear: the children are not safe.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chilling Childlore is an anthology of ten unnerving childhood tales - ranging from unwelcome visitors, to unsettling dolls, to a sinister Christmas surprise.

I am amazed at how much unease and eeriness has been packed into this anthology, especially in less than 200 pages. Each story is deeply unsettling, delving into psychological horror, supernatural terror and childhood tales twisted into something more sinister. Victoria Williamson’s ability to evoke such intensity in so few pages is expertly demonstrated - there’s no time for character development or elaborate plotting, just raw fear and chilling tales designed to send shivers down your spine.

All the stories were imaginative and distinct in their own dark ways - but I think if I had to pick a favourite it would be either The Boy In The Mirror or The Unwelcome Visitor. The Boy in the Mirror had a brilliant Black Mirror vibe that I absolutely loved, whilst The Unwelcome Visitor left me genuinely unsettled and is the one that lingered with me after I finished the anthology.

I love short stories, especially horror, and this was the perfect spooky read to accompany a cosy evening - though I’d recommend keeping the lights on!👀

Thank you so much to the Silver Thistle Press team and Victoria Williamson for sending me this copy of Chilling Childlore to read and review. My opinions are my own.

[Sarah-Louise Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

was sent this lovely review pack (see previous posts) from @silverthistlepress thank you very much
This is my 3rd Victoria Williamson book. I love them.
This book contains 10 disturbing tales, including the worst children and their siblings, an unwelcome, creepy dolls, a Christmas surprise and more.
No spoiler's, but if you love creepy, sinister tales. Then I recommend this book. Can be purchased now!!

[The Book and Bubble · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chilling Child Lore: 10 Twisted Childhood Tales by Victoria Williamson

This book feels just like sitting around a campfire with friends, telling spooky stories late into the night. Each of the ten short stories is quick, creepy, and definitely chilling! My two favorites were Have Yourself a Greedy Little Christmas and The Boy in the Mirror. This anthology is such a fun and scaretastic read — perfect for anyone who loves a good fright.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good! Ten chilling tales, all featuring children in some way. 

Reminded me a lot of Goosebumps stories. Not overly scary, but creep you out in a fun way. You could definitely read these with older children, especially around Halloween 👻

I loved reading every single one of these stories. This is the third book I've read by this author and they never disappoint!

[Linda (The Arizona Bookstagrammer) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Silver Thistle Press @silverthistlepress and Victoria Williamson @strangelymagicalbooks for this free book and review pack of tiny, eerie toys!
“Chilling Childlore: Ten Twisted Childhood Tales” by Victoria Williamson⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Genre: Short Horror Stories/Middle Grade through Adult.

Author Williamson’s book contains 10 weirdly horrific stories about children vs terrible things-plus some terrible children, parents, and grandparents. And 1 wonderful dog. Here are 4 of my favorites:
⭐️Have Yourself a Greedy Little Christmas: Greedy Jemima thinks everyone owes her-especially Santa.
⭐️A Boy’s Best Friend: Horace, the always hungry ghost dog!
⭐️Snip, Snip: Rapunzel Core: Katie’s surprising, sinister haircut.
⭐️Curtain Call: Lucy’s space-themed bedroom is redecorated with 2nd hand, possibly carnivorous curtains.

Williamson’s imaginative, haunting, really fun-to-read stories will make you uneasy, with their eerily creepy kids, parents, and inanimate objects (but are they really inanimate?) Her book is for those with strong stomachs and a taste for horror-kids and adults alike-I’m a retired Child Development Specialist, and I’d let my late elementary school grandchildren read this! Williamson is an award-winning author from Glasgow, Scotland, where “mists descend on the Scottish moors, and eerie stories come whispering on the wind on dark evenings”. I’ll be reading more Victoria Williamson, and it’s 5⭐️s from me 📚👩🏼‍🦳 #silverthistlepress #victoriawilliamson #chillingchildlore

[ScarlettAnomalyReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Silver Thistle for letting me read this and the very cool box it came in!

I am a sucker for short story collections and you all are almost certainly tired of hearing me say lately lol.

But to me they are a great window into the author and usually gets me excited for what else they have, and this was a good one.

Let’s be honest, kids are freaky, those imaginations and no concept of reality so when I think back to the stories that used to scare me, this hit in such a fantastic way. It was like more adult Goosebumps with out being too much and I mean that in a good way.

So yeah sign me up for the hell that this book rolls out and oh my dolls, dolls forever get under my skin.

There are ten tales but I am only going to talk about a few of my favorites.

The Unwelcome Visitor, I’m a sucker for weird stuff like that, I mean even a welcome visitor a a horror on its own to me, so unwelcome? Nah no thanks..I kept thinking about this one after, it was absolutely my favorite.

Curtain Call the monster in this one was absolutely fantastically creepy, I wont say more to avoid spoilers, but wow.

All of those were really good and I can’t finish this with out mentioning there is a very good little Christmas horror story in there and its almost that time so..

[Iseult Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Victoria Williamson is accomplished at writing truly horrible children! This collection is full of the worst siblings (and parents, for that matter), which lessens the blow somewhat when horrible things happen to them. There were a few stories where I was cheering for the children to get what was coming to them!

As with all short story collections, some stories resonated with me more than others. My favorites from this collection were:
1. "Have yourself a greedy little Christmas". I love Christmas horror stories, and this one was suitably nasty.
2. "The boy in the mirror". This story gave me Goosebumps vibes. I find mirrors creepy anyway, so this was a good tale about when your reflection doesn't follow along with your actions.
3. "Curtain Call". A really unusual monster and lots of rising tension. This story had one of the few little girls that I actually liked!
4. "A boy's best friend". I love dogs, so I really liked the ghost dog in this story.

Williamson is a talented writer, and I enjoyed all the stories. They are quite short, so each story is quickly devoured (like many of the protagonists). A fun collection and great for spooky season.

[Bryony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pick this up now you won't regret it!

These stories are so atmospheric, the stories drew me in from the start, they are creepy and feel like little horror stories you might tell a naughty child! These are psychological, childhood cautionary tales, and supernatural.

A coupe really stood out to me, but I enjoyed them all and this is an anthology that I will be picking up time and time again.
1. The Christmas one that tells a spoiled brat what happens when you get greedy for presents. This got really dark at the end and it definitely a cautionary tale.
2. The boy and his best friend, this was sad but then turned pretty quickly into this creepy, but in some ways, heart warming story about a boy and his best friend who never left him.
3. The one about the haunted house, the way the author anthropomorphised the house, the description brought this house to life and is one of the best haunted house stories.

[Valinora Troy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this ten short tales of childhood horror. I am a fan of Victoria Williamson's work, so I looked forward to immersing myself in fabulous writing, evocative settings, and great characters. I was not disappointed! Each story revolves around a child (some spoiled, others selfish, some innocent) and an encounter with the preternatural. It's suitable also for younger readers who already enjoy horror. Like all collections, some stories I loved more than others. My favourite stories are 'The Boy in the Mirror', 'Snip, Snip' and 'Curtain Call.' I particularly loved themes around having to face difficulties yourself rather than outsource them, and how children suffer at the expense of their parents' selfishness and obsessions. At 203 pages, it's a short read, but an entertaining and spine-tingling way to relive your childhood terrors. Highly recommended.

[Louise Gaskell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was thrilled to receive an incredible review pack from Silverthistlepress, which included a beautifully presented paperback featuring 10 eerie, creepy, and haunting stories, each accompanied by a unique trinket that perfectly matched the tale.

Despite being short stories, every piece was packed with tension and chilling atmosphere. A few of them even left me thinking, “Well, those kids definitely got what was coming to them!” (in the best possible sinister way, of course!).

My top three favorites were:

A Boy’s Best Friend
The Boy in the Mirror
Snip Snip

If you love creepy, sinister tales that linger in your mind long after you’ve finished reading, this collection is an absolute must-read. It’s a fantastic experience from start to finish!

[Bookish Coffee UK · Rating 5 out of 5]

Right where do I even start.. well first of all, Victoria really knows how to send chills to your very core, so deep within that your very soul gets goosebumps!

The short story's are just incredible in their own themes. There was a few times I had to look away and be like 'It's just a book', 'It's just a story', 'The mirror is fine' LOL!!! And I was dragged up in horror (watching and reading, not experiencing 🙃) ..

Such a wicked read for this Halloween season and going into Christmas! Ahhh definitely an author to keep an eye on!

[mrsbookburnee Niamh Burnett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another eerie, creepy and haunting set of stories by the author and the best bookmail from the publishers, I always love to see what will be added to my bookstagram prop box, the attention to detail of these, really add to the reading experience 🥰.

Despite being short stories, they really pack a punch and are more chilling then some horror novels! My two favorites were Have Yourself a Greedy Little Christmas and The Boy in the Mirror.

This is well worth a read!

[Evelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A vampiric teddy, a selfish dad, a rotten infested house, Santas revenge (for a spoilt brat), a back from the dead pet, a haunting, a reflective doppelgänger, sinister sisterly love, a surprising haircut and some carnivorous curtains.


Chilling, tense and full of foreboding these well written short tales are the stuff of nightmares (in a good way)!

Excellent.

[Toni Everett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to follow 🤍

[Lauren Vick · Rating 4 out of 5]

The perfect spooky read for those who love short stories! I couldn’t pick a favorite because they were all so unique to read!

[Addled Rabbit]

When this author writes a book I know the stories are going to be a creepy delight. Out of the three I have read from her so far this one has unseated Tainted Towns as my favorite.
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Are these horror stories? Yes. But they are definately friendly to those dipping their toes into the horror genre. Don't let that spook you away from them though, they are anything but boring. Think Goosebumps or Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark except a little darker.
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All of them are based around children and terrible things, or terrible children, now and then terrible grandparents, an unusually high amount of terrible parents. And one very good dog. (Sort of)
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This book as a whole is short, out of the 10 stories some are shorter than others. Ran through it in one sitting though because each one was a trip. And while A Boy's Best Friend is my favorite because it reminded me of the little black dog, The Vampire was a close second because that ending had me dming the author immediately. 😂
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I cannot thank the publisher enough for their PR package. Figuring out where all the little toys fit into which stories was a blast. This was all around a fantastic read.