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Encyclopedia Horrifica
Vampires, ghosts, monsters, and more--ENCYCLOPEDIA HORRIFICA invites you to join our quest for the terrifying truth about all things ghoulish and ghastly. But beware! Surprises lurk at the turn of every page. . . .
Discover a time line of ALIEN LIFE on earth--beginning 4 billion years ago! Meet a man recruited by the U.S. government to become a PSYCHIC SUPERSPY. Spend a dark and stormy night with professional GHOSTBUSTERS. Visit a mysterious library in search of DRACULA's shocking origins. Witness new photos of the actual sea monster that inspired the mythical KRAKEN. And much more!
Discover a time line of ALIEN LIFE on earth--beginning 4 billion years ago! Meet a man recruited by the U.S. government to become a PSYCHIC SUPERSPY. Spend a dark and stormy night with professional GHOSTBUSTERS. Visit a mysterious library in search of DRACULA's shocking origins. Witness new photos of the actual sea monster that inspired the mythical KRAKEN. And much more!
129 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
22 people are currently reading
941 people want to read
About the author
Joshua Gee
36 books26 followersJOSHUA GEE devotes his life to the unflinching pursuit of all things ghoulish and ghastly. He is author of the award-winning ENCYCLOPEDIA HORRIFICA and founder of Spidertech Studios, where his team publishes books and apps for fright fans of all ages.
Joshua Gee also cofounded the wildly successful Multimedia Publishing department at Scholastic, home of GOOSEBUMPS, THE 39 CLUES, and SKELETON CREEK. As editor, Mr. Gee has worked with internationally bestselling horror-humor authors such as R.L. Stine and Seth Grahame-Smith.
According to eyewitnesses, Mr. Gee is most frequently sighted in New York City and Maine.
Joshua Gee also cofounded the wildly successful Multimedia Publishing department at Scholastic, home of GOOSEBUMPS, THE 39 CLUES, and SKELETON CREEK. As editor, Mr. Gee has worked with internationally bestselling horror-humor authors such as R.L. Stine and Seth Grahame-Smith.
According to eyewitnesses, Mr. Gee is most frequently sighted in New York City and Maine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
November 27, 2021
This was really fun to read! It explores all areas of the supernatural, and I appreciated how upfront it was about hoaxes.
April 18, 2017
I'm torn on how to rate this book.
On one hand, it's awesome. A holographic skull is on the cover, and when you move the book away from you it opens it's mouth and a spider crawls out of it's eye. It's filled with amazing photographs of ghosts, fairies, werewolves, vampires, aliens, etc. It's smart and doesn't talk down to kids.
On the other hand, it is just giving you the barest taste of what's going on. It brings up these fascinating facts and concepts. You eagerly anticipate more information...and it's moved on to the next topic. I found this frustrating. I understand it's an "encyclopedia" but I wanted more in-depth explorations of the topics. I learned a little bit when I wanted to learn A LOT.
Gee is obviously a clever and funny guy. His inside cover and back cover are plastered with notebook pages from his investigations. Being the person I am, I dug out a magnifying glass and examined each one. There are very amusing and exciting. Later, when I reached the end of the book, I learned that what I had done was unnecessary - Gee has all the notebook pages blown up in a slideshow available on his website. While you view them, Nine Inch Nails plays in the background. They even solve a "mystery" presented to the reader at the end of the book.
I would say ages 10-12. But that's just my guess. Each kid is unique.
P.S. Much like "found footage" horror movies are super-popular right now, so are "found evidence" books aimed at kids regarding supernatural stuff. Most of the one's I've seen are about fairies, but I've also read ones by "dragon experts," and "monster experts." This is the first one I've read by a "horror expert."
On one hand, it's awesome. A holographic skull is on the cover, and when you move the book away from you it opens it's mouth and a spider crawls out of it's eye. It's filled with amazing photographs of ghosts, fairies, werewolves, vampires, aliens, etc. It's smart and doesn't talk down to kids.
On the other hand, it is just giving you the barest taste of what's going on. It brings up these fascinating facts and concepts. You eagerly anticipate more information...and it's moved on to the next topic. I found this frustrating. I understand it's an "encyclopedia" but I wanted more in-depth explorations of the topics. I learned a little bit when I wanted to learn A LOT.
Gee is obviously a clever and funny guy. His inside cover and back cover are plastered with notebook pages from his investigations. Being the person I am, I dug out a magnifying glass and examined each one. There are very amusing and exciting. Later, when I reached the end of the book, I learned that what I had done was unnecessary - Gee has all the notebook pages blown up in a slideshow available on his website. While you view them, Nine Inch Nails plays in the background. They even solve a "mystery" presented to the reader at the end of the book.
I would say ages 10-12. But that's just my guess. Each kid is unique.
P.S. Much like "found footage" horror movies are super-popular right now, so are "found evidence" books aimed at kids regarding supernatural stuff. Most of the one's I've seen are about fairies, but I've also read ones by "dragon experts," and "monster experts." This is the first one I've read by a "horror expert."
November 10, 2012
Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com
ENCYCLOPEDIA HORRIFICA is the perfect book for anyone who loves the spooky, the eerie, and the downright weird. Want to know about ghosts, vampires, ESP, werewolves, or anything else even partially paranormal? Then this is definitely the book for you!
The book is broken down into four main parts: Real Nightmares, "That's the Spirit!", Every Day is Halloween, and Fearsome Fates.
In part one, you can read about vampires, sea creatures, aliens, and werewolves. Part two covers ghosts: where to find them, how to catch them, when they've been caught on film, and animals who could have been extras on the movie Pet Sematary. Part three includes weird shops (where you can even buy a three-pound jar of dead flies), ESP and other psychic abilities, phobias and superstitions, and the most horrific books you could ever find on a bookshelf. Part four covers zombies, pixies and faeries, mummies, and everything death related.
This book is hilariously horrifying. Although that may sound like an oxymoron, author Joshua Gee has made sure to make the facts he covers interesting, funny, and entertaining. Besides being a reference book, this is one tome that you'll find yourself reading over and over again for its pure entertainment value.
ENCYCLOPEDIA HORRIFICA is the perfect book for anyone who loves the spooky, the eerie, and the downright weird. Want to know about ghosts, vampires, ESP, werewolves, or anything else even partially paranormal? Then this is definitely the book for you!
The book is broken down into four main parts: Real Nightmares, "That's the Spirit!", Every Day is Halloween, and Fearsome Fates.
In part one, you can read about vampires, sea creatures, aliens, and werewolves. Part two covers ghosts: where to find them, how to catch them, when they've been caught on film, and animals who could have been extras on the movie Pet Sematary. Part three includes weird shops (where you can even buy a three-pound jar of dead flies), ESP and other psychic abilities, phobias and superstitions, and the most horrific books you could ever find on a bookshelf. Part four covers zombies, pixies and faeries, mummies, and everything death related.
This book is hilariously horrifying. Although that may sound like an oxymoron, author Joshua Gee has made sure to make the facts he covers interesting, funny, and entertaining. Besides being a reference book, this is one tome that you'll find yourself reading over and over again for its pure entertainment value.
January 5, 2025
Not bad of a collection on the most basic of monsters
May 7, 2025
”If one door closes and another door opens, your house is probably haunted.”
3.5 out of 5 stars
Hi, my name is Katherine, and I love all things creepy, spooky, and monstrous. I love reading about ghosts and vampires and werewolves and fairies and all things made or lore and nightmares. I’m the type of person who would actually love to see or be haunted by a ghost, at least once. My favorite show as a teen was MonsterQuest, which I watched religiously, hanging onto the tiniest sliver of hope that they would actually find something. Forget McDreamy and McSteamy. The only dynamic duo I need in my life is Shane and Ryan from Buzzfeed: Unsolved. The things that go bump in the night don’t scare me in the slightest… at least, not yet.
Fortunately for me, I found someone who loves all those things. My boyfriend’s love language was also MonsterQuest, and with a little encouraging nudge, he is now a die-hard Ghoul Boy supporter (totally not influenced by me in the slightest. Not at all...) He reads, watches, and devours anything supernatural and mythological. He’s the one I would most want to go on ghostly adventures with. Ironically, he’s also the first person I would hide behind if I ever encountered said ghostly figures.
This was the first book he bought with his own money. He remembers because he saved up the money for it so he could buy it at the school book fair. No Harry Potter for him. He was going for the serious stuff. And it wasn’t cheap either. This was a $20 book we’re talking about. Ironically, my first book purchase was about the same amount of money, except it was a history book. He donated the original, but he found it for fairly cheap online and gave it to me as a present.
My love language: No romance books; just ones relating to vampires, werewolves, ghosts, and other things that go bump in the night.
The best way I can describe this book is Lore for younger audiences. It doesn’t go into a lot of depth and not all the details are covered, but this was a very solid introduction to all things spooky, creepy and crawly. The sections are just short enough that it would hold the attention of the targeted age bracket. I didn’t consider this a particularly scary read, but is a note at the beginning indicating which images might be a little off-putting for those with squeamish stomachs. The book also gives readers the ability to pick and choose which topic they want to read about, if they don’t want to consume the whole thing in one fell swoop.
I did find some sections more fascinating than others. Unsurprisingly, my favorite section had to do with the creatures such as vampires, werewolves, and giant squids. High school Katherine came roaring back for those chapters, haha! Probably the least interesting section for me was the one related to psychic powers (but shhh, don’t tell The Boyfriend.)
For those just getting started in what may be an eventual deep dive into the unknown, this book was a solid start. While it didn’t provide much new information to me and some of the sections were boring than others, this was still an enjoyable read. One could argue it was made more enjoyable because of who gifted me the book, but I digress. This would be a perfect Halloween coffee table book and an excellent gift for children ages 9-13 who are just starting to get interested in the supernatural and unexplained. Because even at the age of 26, I’m still a believer.
Oh, and honey? Let’s go ghost hunting.
3.5 out of 5 stars
Hi, my name is Katherine, and I love all things creepy, spooky, and monstrous. I love reading about ghosts and vampires and werewolves and fairies and all things made or lore and nightmares. I’m the type of person who would actually love to see or be haunted by a ghost, at least once. My favorite show as a teen was MonsterQuest, which I watched religiously, hanging onto the tiniest sliver of hope that they would actually find something. Forget McDreamy and McSteamy. The only dynamic duo I need in my life is Shane and Ryan from Buzzfeed: Unsolved. The things that go bump in the night don’t scare me in the slightest… at least, not yet.
Fortunately for me, I found someone who loves all those things. My boyfriend’s love language was also MonsterQuest, and with a little encouraging nudge, he is now a die-hard Ghoul Boy supporter (totally not influenced by me in the slightest. Not at all...) He reads, watches, and devours anything supernatural and mythological. He’s the one I would most want to go on ghostly adventures with. Ironically, he’s also the first person I would hide behind if I ever encountered said ghostly figures.
This was the first book he bought with his own money. He remembers because he saved up the money for it so he could buy it at the school book fair. No Harry Potter for him. He was going for the serious stuff. And it wasn’t cheap either. This was a $20 book we’re talking about. Ironically, my first book purchase was about the same amount of money, except it was a history book. He donated the original, but he found it for fairly cheap online and gave it to me as a present.
My love language: No romance books; just ones relating to vampires, werewolves, ghosts, and other things that go bump in the night.
The best way I can describe this book is Lore for younger audiences. It doesn’t go into a lot of depth and not all the details are covered, but this was a very solid introduction to all things spooky, creepy and crawly. The sections are just short enough that it would hold the attention of the targeted age bracket. I didn’t consider this a particularly scary read, but is a note at the beginning indicating which images might be a little off-putting for those with squeamish stomachs. The book also gives readers the ability to pick and choose which topic they want to read about, if they don’t want to consume the whole thing in one fell swoop.
I did find some sections more fascinating than others. Unsurprisingly, my favorite section had to do with the creatures such as vampires, werewolves, and giant squids. High school Katherine came roaring back for those chapters, haha! Probably the least interesting section for me was the one related to psychic powers (but shhh, don’t tell The Boyfriend.)
For those just getting started in what may be an eventual deep dive into the unknown, this book was a solid start. While it didn’t provide much new information to me and some of the sections were boring than others, this was still an enjoyable read. One could argue it was made more enjoyable because of who gifted me the book, but I digress. This would be a perfect Halloween coffee table book and an excellent gift for children ages 9-13 who are just starting to get interested in the supernatural and unexplained. Because even at the age of 26, I’m still a believer.
Oh, and honey? Let’s go ghost hunting.
July 9, 2012
Reviewed for: Awake at Midnight
A unique look at a myriad creeping nightmares, this Encyclopedia of Horror approaches its subject like a DK Eyewitness Book, in small sections with lots of pictures designed for a generation with attention deficit, but it manages to maintain a level of interest that is normally lost on this type of book. The lack of originality in its "overview of scary things" angle is overcome by the focus on imagination-grabbing topics like a Special Investigation of the ruins of a cursed colonial settlement, an inset balloon with the lyrics from the Ramones' Pet Sematary, and a segment on the phantom black dogs like the Black Shuck that abound in UK myth.
Examples of this book's index entries include:
Zombie Schoolgirls
Cthulhu Monster
Feejee Mermaid
Ghost Photo
Subjects range from a page on The Bell Witch to one on giant squids, a comparison between the werewolves of Hollywood and those of historic mythology, and a tour of stunning curiosity shops.
Some of the images are truly disturbing, like a two-headed baby skeleton, but this book is suitable for younger readers who have an interest in the supernatural from those who want a thought provoking introduction to ghost hunting to experienced fear fans looking for a shiver. In fact, writers of strange tales would easily be inspired to visions of things that slither and -schlupp!- in the night by perusing these pages.
An entire section on ghost hunting tells how you might make your own ghostly orb photographs, and a chapter on Zombies discusses Wade Davis' ethnographic work that discovered the drugs that can make a man into a true zombie. The compendium examines the ESP studies undertaken by major world governments and explores hoaxes, from P.T. Barnum to the War of the Worlds radio broadcast.
This is a fun book, filled with facts and pictures that stand up to re-reading numerous times. The Terrifying Truth About Vampires, Ghosts, Monsters, and More also contains something that has always held the interest of horror enthusiasts, the study of fear itself: a list of phobias and their nomenclature. It can also laugh at itself.
A unique look at a myriad creeping nightmares, this Encyclopedia of Horror approaches its subject like a DK Eyewitness Book, in small sections with lots of pictures designed for a generation with attention deficit, but it manages to maintain a level of interest that is normally lost on this type of book. The lack of originality in its "overview of scary things" angle is overcome by the focus on imagination-grabbing topics like a Special Investigation of the ruins of a cursed colonial settlement, an inset balloon with the lyrics from the Ramones' Pet Sematary, and a segment on the phantom black dogs like the Black Shuck that abound in UK myth.
Examples of this book's index entries include:
Zombie Schoolgirls
Cthulhu Monster
Feejee Mermaid
Ghost Photo
Subjects range from a page on The Bell Witch to one on giant squids, a comparison between the werewolves of Hollywood and those of historic mythology, and a tour of stunning curiosity shops.
Some of the images are truly disturbing, like a two-headed baby skeleton, but this book is suitable for younger readers who have an interest in the supernatural from those who want a thought provoking introduction to ghost hunting to experienced fear fans looking for a shiver. In fact, writers of strange tales would easily be inspired to visions of things that slither and -schlupp!- in the night by perusing these pages.
An entire section on ghost hunting tells how you might make your own ghostly orb photographs, and a chapter on Zombies discusses Wade Davis' ethnographic work that discovered the drugs that can make a man into a true zombie. The compendium examines the ESP studies undertaken by major world governments and explores hoaxes, from P.T. Barnum to the War of the Worlds radio broadcast.
This is a fun book, filled with facts and pictures that stand up to re-reading numerous times. The Terrifying Truth About Vampires, Ghosts, Monsters, and More also contains something that has always held the interest of horror enthusiasts, the study of fear itself: a list of phobias and their nomenclature. It can also laugh at itself.
Read
June 22, 2010Encyclopedia Horrifica is a collection of articles on all things paranormal, from aliens to vampires to psychic powers. The end result is an unusual reference book, complete with index and selected bibliography that kids will dig into and enjoy reading. Encyclopedia Horrifica also has some educational components. For instance, it compares vampires and werewolves in the movies to their closest real world counterparts. There is an interview with a psychic spy, an excerpt from the journal of paranormal investigators staying overnight in a haunted house, and a discussion of real life zombies. The book is also interactive, with a chatty narrator and several quizzes and activities. The book’s design and visual appeal create a nice fusion of text with photographs, drawings, and a variety of other images, that will engage the reader’s imagination, making this a great way to reach reluctant readers. Parents and librarians may want to keep in mind that a book like Encyclopedia Horrifica can be a “jumping off” point for interested and engaged readers, which could lead to further exploration of some surprising and possibly disturbing topics. Highly recommended for school media centers and public libraries.
April 24, 2008
While by no means encyclopedic, this is a breezy introduction to both the unexplained and the ideas that scare us. A wide range is covered including the standard legendary monsters plus ghosts, extra-sensory powers, zombies, pixies, bad luck and phobias. The big draw here is the full-color layout of the book with plenty of eye-candy and entertainment value. Timelines and histories are given for many subjects but the sly, wise-cracking tone could confuse uninitiated readers on what’s fact and what’s fiction. That being said, this writing style makes for witty reading, particularly as the author interviews experts and historians of various phenomena and describes visits to eerie places and museums. Even readers who consider themselves well-versed in this area may find a new fact or two, but may also be disappointed in the fairly brief coverage given to each topic. Fortunately, there’s bibliography on each included in the back with a more complete reference list available online. To entice the reader even more, there are quizzes throughout as well as a report on the mysterious disappearance of the author, which you can supposedly solve with clues in the book and online.
October 16, 2010
One of my students checked this one out at the school library. It was marked with a small sticker that read: :3-5 grade check-out only" on it. He felt like he was carrying contraband as we left the library. I expressed interest in it, and rather than sending it back on library day, he checked it out to me and asked me to read it.
Full of interesting ghostly (and ghastly) tidbits that just might keep the average middle grade reader awake at night, my personal favorite was the section on pages 63-65. These pages contained photos and the readers had to decide if the photos were real or staged. Surprisingly, I didn't peek until the very end of the book. It nearly killed me, but I contained myself. Find out if the dead relative of a man really is sitting in the backseat of his car, or if the girl at the window of a burning house truly is an apparition! This is a book I plan to book talk next week-just in time for Halloween!
Full of interesting ghostly (and ghastly) tidbits that just might keep the average middle grade reader awake at night, my personal favorite was the section on pages 63-65. These pages contained photos and the readers had to decide if the photos were real or staged. Surprisingly, I didn't peek until the very end of the book. It nearly killed me, but I contained myself. Find out if the dead relative of a man really is sitting in the backseat of his car, or if the girl at the window of a burning house truly is an apparition! This is a book I plan to book talk next week-just in time for Halloween!
May 5, 2009
This book is very interesting. I really like it, and it is funny what hoax's some people fall for.
This book tells you about Vampires, phobia's, ghosts, monsters, and More. Some of the phobia's are really funny. I thought some of the ghost stories were interesting, and others were funny. I liked learning about Dracula.
This book tells you about Vampires, phobia's, ghosts, monsters, and More. Some of the phobia's are really funny. I thought some of the ghost stories were interesting, and others were funny. I liked learning about Dracula.
October 5, 2016
This book was OK..... The beginning was good but then it just out of hand with all these monsters so I'm recommending the only reason to read this is if you're really bored and this is the only book left at home.
October 14, 2014
entertaining, filled with pictures, colours and many subjects about supernatural beeings.great book.
February 7, 2017
Great book, but mildly creepy.
This book teaches you the basics of pretty much every topic that is being debated on whether it's fictional or real, such as vampire killing, ghost hunting, turning yourself into a werewolf, and so on.
Part I: Real Nightmares!
-Dracula Lives! summarizes the differences between history's Dracula and Hollywood's Dracula, as well as how to find and kill a vampire. It also summarizes the horror of Dracula's tomb; when archaeologists went to dig up the prince's body, they found nothing. When they dug up some of his jewels, those vanished as well.
-It Came From The Sea! gives readers details on likely hoaxes of sea creature, and some information on the giant squid, which is often mistaken for the Kraken.
-Alien Invasion! offers information about many alien sightings and encounters, as well as many theories about alien life.
-Howling at the Moon describes the terrorist of France from a few centuries ago: the Beast, a wolf that enjoyed feasting on human flesh. It also describes the differences between history's werewolf and Hollywood's werewolf, as well as providing information on turning yourself into a werewolf and werewolves in general.
Part II: That's The Spirit!
-Beware of Ghosts! tells many common ghost stories, such as the story of the Bell Witch or Bloody Mary, and how to summon them, and things like that.
-To Catch a Ghost is a short story on how the author went ghost hunting with two ghost hunters, and it offers tips on ghost-catching.
-Phantoms on Film provides many photos of ghosts(or hoaxes), as well as information on how to tell if there's actually a ghost in the picture or not.
This book teaches you the basics of pretty much every topic that is being debated on whether it's fictional or real, such as vampire killing, ghost hunting, turning yourself into a werewolf, and so on.
Part I: Real Nightmares!
-Dracula Lives! summarizes the differences between history's Dracula and Hollywood's Dracula, as well as how to find and kill a vampire. It also summarizes the horror of Dracula's tomb; when archaeologists went to dig up the prince's body, they found nothing. When they dug up some of his jewels, those vanished as well.
-It Came From The Sea! gives readers details on likely hoaxes of sea creature, and some information on the giant squid, which is often mistaken for the Kraken.
-Alien Invasion! offers information about many alien sightings and encounters, as well as many theories about alien life.
-Howling at the Moon describes the terrorist of France from a few centuries ago: the Beast, a wolf that enjoyed feasting on human flesh. It also describes the differences between history's werewolf and Hollywood's werewolf, as well as providing information on turning yourself into a werewolf and werewolves in general.
Part II: That's The Spirit!
-Beware of Ghosts! tells many common ghost stories, such as the story of the Bell Witch or Bloody Mary, and how to summon them, and things like that.
-To Catch a Ghost is a short story on how the author went ghost hunting with two ghost hunters, and it offers tips on ghost-catching.
-Phantoms on Film provides many photos of ghosts(or hoaxes), as well as information on how to tell if there's actually a ghost in the picture or not.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2017
I could not get through this book. It's not the I wasn't interested in the subjects at hand, I am. It's just that this was clearly written for older elementary/early middle school. The way the book was edited visually is very appealing. The content, however, was what got me it didn't go in-depth as much as I would have liked. Had I been younger I think I would have liked this book a lot more.
July 27, 2025
the amount of talent needed to make a nonfiction book non-noring was met and exceeded. I usually hate nonfiction books, but when I read this, I was pleasantly surprised.
Also wh I can say no to the coolest skull I've ever seen.
Also wh I can say no to the coolest skull I've ever seen.
December 17, 2017
Interesting.
January 25, 2018
Very cool coffee table book.
April 5, 2019
an encyclopedia of strangeness that all ages can have a look at and come away with some info they may not know yet.
February 8, 2021
Not that terrifying.
February 17, 2024
I got this book at a scholastic book fair I think the year it came out in 2007. I absolutely love this book to this day. It definitely was turning point in who I am today.
Read
December 15, 2024all time 7th grade book fair pick. also my personal introduction to nosferatu as more than a spongebob gag o7
August 23, 2010
GENRE: Non-fiction, horror, history, informational entertainment.
SUMMARY: Joshua Gee has collected a wealth of true information about untrue entities: Vampires, werewolves, merpeople, ghosts and much more. Although the subject matter revolves around what is largely deemed to be fictional, Gee presents the history behind each phenomenon, so that he reader understands why some believe in these creatures. The book color pictures on every page, and the text is separated into an easy-to-read layout. Also included are interactive sections, such as letting the reader decide which set of facts is a hoax is and which is real.
EVALUATION: I enjoyed this book, and I am certainly not in the target audience. I had fun reading it with my boys, and see the strange pictures and reading the 'eyewitness' accounts. Very well done!
WHY I WOULD INCLUDE IT: This subject matter is very appealing to tweens, and combined with this style of book formatting it makes a perfect marriage. It is quite popular, and tweens will have fun while they are learning some history.
READER'S ANNOTATION: If you've ever wondered what is true and what is a hoax regarding the world of vampires and other monsters, this is the book for you.
ITEMS WITH SIMILAR APPEAL:
• Monsterology: The Complete Book of Monstrous Beasts by Ernest Dr Drake, Dugald A. Steer, and various.
• Fear This Book: Your Guide to Fright, Horror, and Things That Go Bump in the Night by Jeff Szpirglas and Ramon Perez.
• Mythology (Ologies) by Lady Hestia Evans.
• Vampyre: The Terrifying Lost Journal of Dr. Cornelius Van Helsing by Dr. Cornelius Van Helsing.
SUMMARY: Joshua Gee has collected a wealth of true information about untrue entities: Vampires, werewolves, merpeople, ghosts and much more. Although the subject matter revolves around what is largely deemed to be fictional, Gee presents the history behind each phenomenon, so that he reader understands why some believe in these creatures. The book color pictures on every page, and the text is separated into an easy-to-read layout. Also included are interactive sections, such as letting the reader decide which set of facts is a hoax is and which is real.
EVALUATION: I enjoyed this book, and I am certainly not in the target audience. I had fun reading it with my boys, and see the strange pictures and reading the 'eyewitness' accounts. Very well done!
WHY I WOULD INCLUDE IT: This subject matter is very appealing to tweens, and combined with this style of book formatting it makes a perfect marriage. It is quite popular, and tweens will have fun while they are learning some history.
READER'S ANNOTATION: If you've ever wondered what is true and what is a hoax regarding the world of vampires and other monsters, this is the book for you.
ITEMS WITH SIMILAR APPEAL:
• Monsterology: The Complete Book of Monstrous Beasts by Ernest Dr Drake, Dugald A. Steer, and various.
• Fear This Book: Your Guide to Fright, Horror, and Things That Go Bump in the Night by Jeff Szpirglas and Ramon Perez.
• Mythology (Ologies) by Lady Hestia Evans.
• Vampyre: The Terrifying Lost Journal of Dr. Cornelius Van Helsing by Dr. Cornelius Van Helsing.
August 5, 2011
From Aliens to Zombies, Encyclopedia Horrifica sorts fact from fiction in exploring many of the spooky creatures that can go bump in the night. In this “nonfiction compendium of all things ghoulish and ghastly,” readers can learn all about apparitions, hauntings, and poltergeists, including real photographic evidence, and go on a ghost hunt with real-life ghostbusters. Other sections explore vampires, aliens, werewolves, zombies, faeries, terrifying sea creatures, and much more, and even give readers a chance to test themselves for other-worldly abilities like ESP. Combining humor, fun graphics, descriptive text, and an extensive bibliography and references list, Encyclopedia Horrifica is a great read for kids 10 and up interested in the terrifying truth behind the unexplained.
February 2, 2008
As a non-fiction selection by the ALA for reluctant readers, this is dead-on(haha). It does, as another reader suggest, read as a magazine, which does make it hard to read straight through, but does enhance its enjoyment in browseing and relating creepy stories and pictures to your friends. Though it was a teen pic, I would say even younger kids 10 and up might enjoy it. The book appeals both to today's boys and girls who are looking for a thrill, and is reminicant of increasing numbers of cable tv shows. It is a nice companion as well to the increased number of paranormal fiction being published.
April 6, 2008
I did like this book, I liked all the pictures and graphs etc. I wish, however, that the authors had picked a tone and ran with it. Sometimes the book is chatty and friendly, sometimes it feels like an actual encyclopedia. Sometimes, it felt as if the book was trying to impress me by creating an elaborate mythos for the authors. I also didn't learn anything new, which isn't suprising given that I read a LOT of paranormal information, but it would have been nice to include some very odd stuff.
The book is still very fun, though, and unlike other reviewers, I think it can be read straight through, since the reader does get involved in it and want to learn more.
The book is still very fun, though, and unlike other reviewers, I think it can be read straight through, since the reader does get involved in it and want to learn more.
September 8, 2013
Bár a szöveg stílusa nagyon gyerekeknek szól, és a rövid terjedelem miatt az író nem tud részletesen belemenni egy-egy témába, de szerencsére van hozzá egy jó hosszú és részletes bibliográfia (amiket a hasonló könyvekből ki szoktak spórolni), szóval ha valakit érdekelne a dolog, utána tud nézni. Gee-nek elég idétlen humora van, ami jól ellensúlyozza a félelmetes sztorikat. Egyébként szép kivitelezésű könyv, tele fotókkal, grafikákkal, és olyan ötletes megoldásokkal, mint pl. a mozgó borító. Bár azt hittem, hogy már nem tud újat mondani rémtörténetes/szörnyes témában, mégis találtam benne érdekességeket.
January 10, 2009
A fun, funny, and highly entertaining book that gives a brief summary of various creepy and or horrific things--vampires, UFO's, zombies and the like.
As an adult, I really enjoyed reading this book, and I'm sure that it'd be a big hit at the school where I work. I think the magazine like format would encourage even the most reluctant readers and if not that, then the plethora of pictures found within the book's pages would certainly be a draw. This book is packed with amazing photos, drawings, newspaper article reproductions, etc.
As an adult, I really enjoyed reading this book, and I'm sure that it'd be a big hit at the school where I work. I think the magazine like format would encourage even the most reluctant readers and if not that, then the plethora of pictures found within the book's pages would certainly be a draw. This book is packed with amazing photos, drawings, newspaper article reproductions, etc.
October 29, 2012
I thought this book was OK. Some pages were interesting but some of them weren't almost like he put more work into one page but less into the other.Anyway the book caught my attention because I like reading about ghosts and stuff like that and it had a big skull on it so I chose it. While I was reading it I decided that I didn't really find it interesting. I started to dislike it. And then it got interesting again and then I was done reading it.I didn't really like it But everyone has their own opinion.
August 11, 2015
Are you interested in all things horrific? Grab the Encyclopedia Horrifica and you’ll spend a dark and stormy night with professional ghostbusters, you’ll visit a mysterious library in search of Dracula’s shocking origins, discover a time line of alien life on earth-beginning 4 billion years ago, and you’ll learn about phobias that you had no idea existed (read a few pg. 93). Surprises lurk at the turn of every page. Want to know the terrifying truth about all things ghoulish and ghastly, then you don’t want to miss this book!
January 19, 2016
This is a really delightful book on the paranormal. It's not written as an academic dissertation, it includes a bunch of photos and, even more, it has a sense of humor which makes it pretty much a unique book in the paranormal field.
It covers a wide variety of topics including UFOs, fairies, zombies, ghosts, werewolves and other things. It also is broad-minded enough to point out fakes but at the same time presents lots of things that could be real. It's a fun read, it's got lots of photos and it's well balanced. A really good back to add to your collection on the topic.
It covers a wide variety of topics including UFOs, fairies, zombies, ghosts, werewolves and other things. It also is broad-minded enough to point out fakes but at the same time presents lots of things that could be real. It's a fun read, it's got lots of photos and it's well balanced. A really good back to add to your collection on the topic.
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