What do you think?
Rate this book
Scary Stories: A Tribute To Terror
An all new collection of original stories and art that pays tribute to the work of Alvin Schwartz and Stephen Gammell.
229 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2020
33 people are currently reading
667 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
June 29, 2020
While I admire these guys for taking their love of the classic scary stories to the level of creating their own volume, the stories just weren't creepy or memorable to me. The two stars are solely for the illustrations, which were definitely on point and would be right at home in Mr Schwartz' work.
October 14, 2020
For fans of the original trilogy, this is a true love letter to the classic books. The format is the same; various stories based on folklore and myth, with haunting illustrations throughout. I appreciated the introduction and end notes as well. With any anthology some stories are stronger or scarier than others, but they’re all worth a read.
October 21, 2020
Scary Stories: A Tribute to Terror is mixed candy bag of obscure curiosities and unaccountable tragedies. Ghoulish and peculiar stories weaved with a rich silk of warped nostalgia and magical thinking, fascinated by the mysteries of brief imagined glimpses and impossible flights of fancy. The stories contained herein are as imitative as they are personal, and the result is something altogether strange.
Across its 30 or so odd tales the reader will be mystified and unsettled as often as not, but the autobiographical accuracy of the stories lends them a personal and unpolished quality. They are as unrestrained as they are unrelenting, and yet often times the terror of the stories feel as though "you had to be there." While the emotions present feel real and compel the reader to empathize with the protagonists, the horror imagery is often of a variety that is difficult to translate to one's own personal experiences. I think especially of The Time-Out Corner, which utilizes an engrossing and suspenseful buildup towards a monster design reveal that feels more appropriate for a PBS Children's show villain than an urban legend anecdote.
The rich, unwaveringly firm grasp on what scares children -- what specifically scared himself as a child -- is the central basis of A Tribute to Terror's central thematic framework. With the more universal fears, Tuckfield writes with a unique and macabre vision, chock full of humor and elegiac chills. His stories are obsessed with the uncanny illusions that all children, internally or externally, will struggle with, usually without having yet developed a rigid groundwork for reality or how to handle fear. The dread is often psychological, sympathetic, beckoning the reader to be engrossed by the intensity of the protagonists' reactions. Oddities which are strange and unexplainable, deeply troubling to the often child protagonists. A few of the stories manage to transcend this third person empathetic scrutinization, in exchange for conjuring chills that seem to transport the reader back into the very mindset they felt sorry for, just a story or two ago. It's here where Tuckfield's writing is at its best.
Certain stories especially didn't resonate with me: The Haunted Cemetery, The Fortune Teller, Christmas Creatures, Puppety Hands, and Geulogy. These stories were particularly experimental in different ways which, to me, did not seem to hit their marks. The two rhymes, The Haunted Cemetery and Christmas Creatures, depict bizarre and high concept narratives in clunky rhyming meters, a far cry from the simple, memorably grim folk songs they seem to want to emulate. The Fortune Teller and Puppety Hands play with fire by invoking too much in-the-moment and dialogue-based observation of the antagonists, rendering them as disaffecting caricatures whose narrative danger does not succeed in making them feel intimidating. Geulogy is a mess; a drawn out and paint by numbers story set within the Cthulhu mythos... a bizarre and unfitting choice for the anthology's ultimate conclusion.
I've deliberately thus far made very little efforts to examine how A Tribute to Terror ties up as a pastiche of the infamously beloved Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark series which this book is specifically the "Tribute" for. On a formatting and presentation level, it's nearly flawless, evoking the uncanny dream-feeling of truly finding a forgotten Scary Stories book. However, the soul of the original book is irrevocably lost in translation. In contrast to the whimsical nightmare parables of Tuckfield's design which I've described in-depth already, the original books were primarily compiled as genuinely academically sourced folkloristics resources aimed at middle-grade children and younger. They were the work of a journalist and a folklorist collecting stories which had been recorded from near and far and presenting them in their barest, most recognizable forms, recontextualized in a way an American child would be able to empathize with. Amidst the eerie dreamscapes were fairy tales, songs and games; at the end of some of the stories, the reader was given alternate versions, and unique tips for how to scare friends while reciting it. The heart of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark was about history, culture, and learning; about the power of storytelling and the pleasure in a shared experience of mysterious fears.
In that sense, Tuckfield's entirely invented experiments, peppered into fictionalized accounts of personal childhood anecdotes, is an entirely different beast. The simplicity and memorability of most stories is lost, in favor of a longform articulation of delicate and complicated memories and emotions. Rather than a tribute to the reality of universal fears and feelings -- a distilled essence of culture and creativity, of terror and of humor -- his collection of short stories can feel laser-focused on one intricate experience, expressed with a particular writer's pen and isolated to a single person's past.
And yet, as a tribute to the original books themselves as cultural objects, rather than an imitation of them, Tuckfield's stories are perfect in so many ways. Let us not forget that anecdotes are the basis of folklore. Without individual experiences, we could have no universal ones, and as a set of themes: Nostalgia and fear, the mysteries of feeling ungrounded in a place of illusory images, the dread of uncertainty and the whimsy of imagination, the unaccountable surprise of eerie peculiarities... these are are all themes that relate to many people's experiences with and relationships to the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark Books. Grim, shocking books of morbid thoughts and startling images, tucked away like a dare in school libraries and personal bookshelves, empty pages beckoning the imagination to allow inkwell shadows to creep in along the edges. There is a distilled, shared experience here, too, one where a single series of books can open one's mind to things too unreal to disbelieve.
Some words on the art (not an art critic):
-Shane Hunt's visions are such good imitations of the form and mood of Gammell's pieces that it's honestly astonishing, it feels at times indistinguishable and it's a very strange sensation
-they often tie in so directly with the story they're from that it almost feels out of spirit with the often apropos of nothing illustrations from the OG books.
-i did not find them especially scary? Aside from one or two pictures, I tended to be more marveled by them than put off or uncomfortable.
Across its 30 or so odd tales the reader will be mystified and unsettled as often as not, but the autobiographical accuracy of the stories lends them a personal and unpolished quality. They are as unrestrained as they are unrelenting, and yet often times the terror of the stories feel as though "you had to be there." While the emotions present feel real and compel the reader to empathize with the protagonists, the horror imagery is often of a variety that is difficult to translate to one's own personal experiences. I think especially of The Time-Out Corner, which utilizes an engrossing and suspenseful buildup towards a monster design reveal that feels more appropriate for a PBS Children's show villain than an urban legend anecdote.
The rich, unwaveringly firm grasp on what scares children -- what specifically scared himself as a child -- is the central basis of A Tribute to Terror's central thematic framework. With the more universal fears, Tuckfield writes with a unique and macabre vision, chock full of humor and elegiac chills. His stories are obsessed with the uncanny illusions that all children, internally or externally, will struggle with, usually without having yet developed a rigid groundwork for reality or how to handle fear. The dread is often psychological, sympathetic, beckoning the reader to be engrossed by the intensity of the protagonists' reactions. Oddities which are strange and unexplainable, deeply troubling to the often child protagonists. A few of the stories manage to transcend this third person empathetic scrutinization, in exchange for conjuring chills that seem to transport the reader back into the very mindset they felt sorry for, just a story or two ago. It's here where Tuckfield's writing is at its best.
Certain stories especially didn't resonate with me: The Haunted Cemetery, The Fortune Teller, Christmas Creatures, Puppety Hands, and Geulogy. These stories were particularly experimental in different ways which, to me, did not seem to hit their marks. The two rhymes, The Haunted Cemetery and Christmas Creatures, depict bizarre and high concept narratives in clunky rhyming meters, a far cry from the simple, memorably grim folk songs they seem to want to emulate. The Fortune Teller and Puppety Hands play with fire by invoking too much in-the-moment and dialogue-based observation of the antagonists, rendering them as disaffecting caricatures whose narrative danger does not succeed in making them feel intimidating. Geulogy is a mess; a drawn out and paint by numbers story set within the Cthulhu mythos... a bizarre and unfitting choice for the anthology's ultimate conclusion.
I've deliberately thus far made very little efforts to examine how A Tribute to Terror ties up as a pastiche of the infamously beloved Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark series which this book is specifically the "Tribute" for. On a formatting and presentation level, it's nearly flawless, evoking the uncanny dream-feeling of truly finding a forgotten Scary Stories book. However, the soul of the original book is irrevocably lost in translation. In contrast to the whimsical nightmare parables of Tuckfield's design which I've described in-depth already, the original books were primarily compiled as genuinely academically sourced folkloristics resources aimed at middle-grade children and younger. They were the work of a journalist and a folklorist collecting stories which had been recorded from near and far and presenting them in their barest, most recognizable forms, recontextualized in a way an American child would be able to empathize with. Amidst the eerie dreamscapes were fairy tales, songs and games; at the end of some of the stories, the reader was given alternate versions, and unique tips for how to scare friends while reciting it. The heart of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark was about history, culture, and learning; about the power of storytelling and the pleasure in a shared experience of mysterious fears.
In that sense, Tuckfield's entirely invented experiments, peppered into fictionalized accounts of personal childhood anecdotes, is an entirely different beast. The simplicity and memorability of most stories is lost, in favor of a longform articulation of delicate and complicated memories and emotions. Rather than a tribute to the reality of universal fears and feelings -- a distilled essence of culture and creativity, of terror and of humor -- his collection of short stories can feel laser-focused on one intricate experience, expressed with a particular writer's pen and isolated to a single person's past.
And yet, as a tribute to the original books themselves as cultural objects, rather than an imitation of them, Tuckfield's stories are perfect in so many ways. Let us not forget that anecdotes are the basis of folklore. Without individual experiences, we could have no universal ones, and as a set of themes: Nostalgia and fear, the mysteries of feeling ungrounded in a place of illusory images, the dread of uncertainty and the whimsy of imagination, the unaccountable surprise of eerie peculiarities... these are are all themes that relate to many people's experiences with and relationships to the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark Books. Grim, shocking books of morbid thoughts and startling images, tucked away like a dare in school libraries and personal bookshelves, empty pages beckoning the imagination to allow inkwell shadows to creep in along the edges. There is a distilled, shared experience here, too, one where a single series of books can open one's mind to things too unreal to disbelieve.
Some words on the art (not an art critic):
-Shane Hunt's visions are such good imitations of the form and mood of Gammell's pieces that it's honestly astonishing, it feels at times indistinguishable and it's a very strange sensation
-they often tie in so directly with the story they're from that it almost feels out of spirit with the often apropos of nothing illustrations from the OG books.
-i did not find them especially scary? Aside from one or two pictures, I tended to be more marveled by them than put off or uncomfortable.
September 6, 2020
Here is a heart-warming and sincere tribute to the trilogy of "Scary Stories to Tell in The Dark" and of the contributors, Alvin Schwarz and Stephen Gammell. Although the book is written and illustrated by Curt Tuckfield and Shane Hunt, you will be presented with a plethora of creepy and strange tales and illustrations much in the revered manners of Schwarz and Gammell. This work is so sincere to the "Scary Stories.." books that you may, for a moment, think it a lost work from the past. Each story is either spooky, strange, and/or mildly brutal. Written as Schwarz himself would write, there are plenty of twists, turns, suspense, and yes- jump scares! This book is quite the page-turner, as it left me guessing what horror or manifestation is to come, before running into the next page and the illustrations! Now, the illustrations are fantastic! Shane Hunt has somehow masterfully crafted images of terror in the fashion of Stephen Gammell- the ORIGINAL illustrator of the series, before the three books were censored some years back. Yes, these can get pretty gruesome and frightening, just as much if not more than the originals. These really help amplify the fear of each tale, as if you weren't already spooked to begin with, but it's all good fun! "Scary Stories: A Tribute to Terror" is a book that I will proudly place next to the original three books on my bookshelf and, much like those original books, it will be something I will cherish and share with my children for years to come. The book really made me feel eight years old again, when I read my first copy of "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark". I had that same dark and morbid curiosity of what lurked on each page and I once again felt transported to that strange world where just about anything could happen! It was thrilling, and most important, it was fun and full of nostalgia! I recommend this book to anyone who is a lover of the "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" series! I'd also recommend to simply any fans of spooky, short stories that could be shared with younger readers. Now, if you fall in these categories, do yourself a favor. Buy the book, find a dark room or a dark night, and get ready to chill your bones!
July 7, 2022
An obviously loving tribute to the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark books from Alvin Schwartz and Stephen Gammell, which sometimes hits the mark and sometimes not. The influence is obvious and intentional, right down to the cover design and book structure.
Unlike the original books by Schwartz, these stories aren't compiled from folklore and urban legends, but seem to be originals created by the author. The art is also obviously imitating Gammell's style, which is good because the art was honestly much more memorable than most of the stories in the original books. Best of all, this is a pretty big book with a lot of stories packed in.
So the question is, does it satisfy? Well, sometimes yes, sometimes no. Some stories like "Memento Mori" are downright terrifying. "Down in the Park" and "Venetian Blinds" are also awesome, frightening stories. And "Puppety Hands" feels like something that would've come right out of the original Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.
But they're not all as good as that. A few of the early stories (some of which are apparently based on dreams the author had) are short and end abruptly without really making sense. That is how dreams often are, but sometimes it doesn't translate well to the page. A few others aren't scary at all, like the one where the cat lady takes in a bunch of kids and raises them all, only to find out that they're all cats and she hallucinated that they were people. That one is just kinda dumb.
And the last story, "Geulogy," is straight-up Lovecraftian horror, which isn't bad or anything but is a different style of horror than the rest of the collection and is therefore kind of an odd fit in this book.
As for the art, it's pretty solid overall. However, there isn't anything that rises to the level of the absolute scariest of Gammell's work. You know the ones.
Overall, this book exists as a tribute to the original Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark books the way that Greta Van Fleet is kind of a tribute to Led Zeppelin. It copies the style, but doesn't quite match the highlights. Still, that doesn't mean it's not worth the time, especially if what you're looking for is a bit of nostalgia.
Unlike the original books by Schwartz, these stories aren't compiled from folklore and urban legends, but seem to be originals created by the author. The art is also obviously imitating Gammell's style, which is good because the art was honestly much more memorable than most of the stories in the original books. Best of all, this is a pretty big book with a lot of stories packed in.
So the question is, does it satisfy? Well, sometimes yes, sometimes no. Some stories like "Memento Mori" are downright terrifying. "Down in the Park" and "Venetian Blinds" are also awesome, frightening stories. And "Puppety Hands" feels like something that would've come right out of the original Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.
But they're not all as good as that. A few of the early stories (some of which are apparently based on dreams the author had) are short and end abruptly without really making sense. That is how dreams often are, but sometimes it doesn't translate well to the page. A few others aren't scary at all, like the one where the cat lady takes in a bunch of kids and raises them all, only to find out that they're all cats and she hallucinated that they were people. That one is just kinda dumb.
And the last story, "Geulogy," is straight-up Lovecraftian horror, which isn't bad or anything but is a different style of horror than the rest of the collection and is therefore kind of an odd fit in this book.
As for the art, it's pretty solid overall. However, there isn't anything that rises to the level of the absolute scariest of Gammell's work. You know the ones.
Overall, this book exists as a tribute to the original Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark books the way that Greta Van Fleet is kind of a tribute to Led Zeppelin. It copies the style, but doesn't quite match the highlights. Still, that doesn't mean it's not worth the time, especially if what you're looking for is a bit of nostalgia.
August 9, 2020
I’m super impressed. I was admittedly not expecting much from this collection but could tell that either way, from what I gathered from the Kickstarter, it was done with a lot of passion and I was curious. I’m really glad I took a chance on it and was able to support their work.
I can’t say it really hits the same vibe as the originals exactly, but I don’t know that that would be a realistic expectation either way. What it does accomplish wholeheartedly is laying out a sequence of stories and illustrations that could be easily enjoyed by anyone that did love Schwartz/Gammell’s books and that is an admirable and worthwhile pursuit. There were also several times where it did genuinely feel like it was hitting some of the same beats in the same strangely comforting/spooky combination that I got from the original trilogy.
There were plenty of stories that felt like they were Trying Too Hard, but frankly that existed in the Schwartz/Gammell books as well, as clouded by nostalgia as we may be by them. The original stories were charming, the retellings of true ones were told in a way that made them feel atmosphericly appropriate to the collection. A few actually unsettled me.
I would be very happy to read/see more from this duo and I am very thankful they put the work in to give this experience to fans of those silly old books. Thanks guys.
I can’t say it really hits the same vibe as the originals exactly, but I don’t know that that would be a realistic expectation either way. What it does accomplish wholeheartedly is laying out a sequence of stories and illustrations that could be easily enjoyed by anyone that did love Schwartz/Gammell’s books and that is an admirable and worthwhile pursuit. There were also several times where it did genuinely feel like it was hitting some of the same beats in the same strangely comforting/spooky combination that I got from the original trilogy.
There were plenty of stories that felt like they were Trying Too Hard, but frankly that existed in the Schwartz/Gammell books as well, as clouded by nostalgia as we may be by them. The original stories were charming, the retellings of true ones were told in a way that made them feel atmosphericly appropriate to the collection. A few actually unsettled me.
I would be very happy to read/see more from this duo and I am very thankful they put the work in to give this experience to fans of those silly old books. Thanks guys.
March 30, 2020
Curt Tuckfield's tribute to the Alvin Schwartz and Stephen Gammell "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" trilogy feels like a book from another world. When it works, and when it clicks into place, this book is genuinely uncanny; there are one or two stories in here that will truly stick with me, particularly the Freudian dreamscape horror of "Cotton Candy" and the nightmarish amusement park in "Clipping."
But other stories never quite hit the mark. Some are underdeveloped moments of isolated surrealism, while others seem like too-direct, undercooked pastiche of specific stories in the Schwartz book. In general, the dreamlike, hazy weirdness of the best stories is what makes them work; Tuckfield's more specific imitation does not land as naturally. One of the best stories isn't a story at all, but Tuckfield's "Notes" at the end, which reveals how much of the imagery and a number of the events in the book tie into his own childhood. Haunted by paranormal activity, Tuckfield's story holds together better than some of the shorter, fictionalized tales throughout.
But other stories never quite hit the mark. Some are underdeveloped moments of isolated surrealism, while others seem like too-direct, undercooked pastiche of specific stories in the Schwartz book. In general, the dreamlike, hazy weirdness of the best stories is what makes them work; Tuckfield's more specific imitation does not land as naturally. One of the best stories isn't a story at all, but Tuckfield's "Notes" at the end, which reveals how much of the imagery and a number of the events in the book tie into his own childhood. Haunted by paranormal activity, Tuckfield's story holds together better than some of the shorter, fictionalized tales throughout.
August 16, 2020
I was a little skeptical, as the scary stories series was my favorite growing up, but this is an amazing tribute!!! The pictures are exactly like Stephen Gammels style, and the stories are written very well, a few of them actually have me chills, which as an avid horror fan, is hard to do!
If you’re thinking about picking this book, go for it!! You don’t be disappointed!
If you’re thinking about picking this book, go for it!! You don’t be disappointed!
May 18, 2020
Such a great tribute to the original books! I’m so thrilled I found this tribute! I would recommend to anyone who loves a scary story!
February 28, 2021
Oh, my. At least the author's heart was in the right place. I identify with his obsession with the Scary Stories books and his desire for more. Unfortunately, this book doesn't hold a candle to the original. The stories, although a few had potential, are amateur at best and awkwardly written. They sound like something I would have attempted to write in fifth grade. The originals at least were based off of urban legends and folklore. Most of the stories in this book don't even make a lot of sense. The original stories had a meaning to them, usually an innocent person gets caught up in strange circumstances, or a guilty person gets their just desserts. The author seemed to just want to tell odd stories with random twists at the end, such as the story about the girl getting attacked while she was sleeping and then the doctors finding sewing needles in her body. Why sewing needles? This was such a disappointment to me. Go read Half Minute Horrors for a true horror story fix.
October 23, 2020
Scary Stories: A Tribute to Terror
Plot: Two fans of the original stories thought there needed to be one more book in the series after the author of the original Scary Stories passed. So they got together and with their combined writing and illustrative talents production a collection of stories that are very true to the original collections.
My Thoughts: This book came to my attention from my best friend. My best friend ADORES the Scary Stories series. I swear I have seen every book and heard every audio version and related podcast because of him. So, when his birthday came up in August and he hadn’t surprisingly got the book yet I couldn’t think of a more perfect present. I ordered the book with enough time to get to him by his birthday and I also got myself a copy so it would be something we could share together. I got my copy with no problems. His, however, there was some confusion over with the address. I sent the site owners an email and they responded back quickly and while his address error was not corrected, it was agreed that the paperback copy would be sent to my address and from there I would mail it to him. I’m still not sure what the problem was as I’ve sent him tons of things to the address and he received them all. He did eventually receive it and even though it was late when he arrived home from a family outing, he started the book immediately! The next day we started the book together (although he’d gotten ahead of me in just a night). Some of the stories we talked about were “CLIPPINGS” “COTTON CANDY” “DOWN IN THE PARK” and “FLOWERS” (which I could strongly relate to as I have a neighbor with a loud vehicle that rides up and down the street all day and night). Since these stories tend to be on the vague side and leave a lot open to the imagination, I begin to make up my own reasons why. For example, I speculated the cotton candy machine’s button hypnotized the kids and below the cliff was the cotton candy man who was really a monster who ate their souls. One of the best things about this book were the illustrations which were SUPERB! I loved these so much that I think I even loved them more than the artwork in the original books. I can just flip though this book and enjoy the illustrations all on their own. I was very pleasantly satisfied with this book from beginning to end. The content and illustrations were worth the earlier issues with ordering a physical copy. Not to mention how happy the book made my best friend
Rating: 8 and a half stars
Plot: Two fans of the original stories thought there needed to be one more book in the series after the author of the original Scary Stories passed. So they got together and with their combined writing and illustrative talents production a collection of stories that are very true to the original collections.
My Thoughts: This book came to my attention from my best friend. My best friend ADORES the Scary Stories series. I swear I have seen every book and heard every audio version and related podcast because of him. So, when his birthday came up in August and he hadn’t surprisingly got the book yet I couldn’t think of a more perfect present. I ordered the book with enough time to get to him by his birthday and I also got myself a copy so it would be something we could share together. I got my copy with no problems. His, however, there was some confusion over with the address. I sent the site owners an email and they responded back quickly and while his address error was not corrected, it was agreed that the paperback copy would be sent to my address and from there I would mail it to him. I’m still not sure what the problem was as I’ve sent him tons of things to the address and he received them all. He did eventually receive it and even though it was late when he arrived home from a family outing, he started the book immediately! The next day we started the book together (although he’d gotten ahead of me in just a night). Some of the stories we talked about were “CLIPPINGS” “COTTON CANDY” “DOWN IN THE PARK” and “FLOWERS” (which I could strongly relate to as I have a neighbor with a loud vehicle that rides up and down the street all day and night). Since these stories tend to be on the vague side and leave a lot open to the imagination, I begin to make up my own reasons why. For example, I speculated the cotton candy machine’s button hypnotized the kids and below the cliff was the cotton candy man who was really a monster who ate their souls. One of the best things about this book were the illustrations which were SUPERB! I loved these so much that I think I even loved them more than the artwork in the original books. I can just flip though this book and enjoy the illustrations all on their own. I was very pleasantly satisfied with this book from beginning to end. The content and illustrations were worth the earlier issues with ordering a physical copy. Not to mention how happy the book made my best friend
Rating: 8 and a half stars
October 29, 2020
Scary Stories: A Tribute to Terror is a collection of 34 original stories and 60 illustrations which is created to pay a tribute to Alvin Schwartzz and Stephen Gammell.
The book is divided into 4 parts-
1) Nightmares
2) Unearthly Fates
3) Playgrounds
4) Creatures
The book is full of scary stories which are really entertaining and different from each other. Being a fan of horror stuff, I enjoyed reading this book. The main element of scary stories is that they should have content which actually sounds scary when we read it and this book have that quality.
My favourite stories are
Grandma
Hide N' Seek
Higher and Higher
The Hoard
and so many other stories.
I am sure all the fans of Alvin and Stephen will enjoy reading this book.
Since Halloween is around the corner it’s a best book to read. Book cover is appropriate and all the stories are fantastic.
Illustrations are horrifying and attractive and I would like to appreciate these drawings by Shane hunt for his mind blowing work.
The unique thing about this book is that this is the fourth book in this series and all the 3 books were written by Alvin Squartzz who died 30 years ago but after the Scary Stories 3, people wanted a 4th Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark book, but it was impossible but the author of this 4th book started having dreams where he went to a library and saw a 4th book and then he talked about this with his best friend who is an artist and they decided that the only way there could possibly be a 4th book was to make it. So they studied the style and vibe and especially art of the originals for years and made this book which is exactly the same as the originals down to the fonts and the formatting and everything, but is actually all new.
I highly recommend the readers to buy their copy soon. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from my end for the Author and the Illustrator, you both did an amazing job.
The book is divided into 4 parts-
1) Nightmares
2) Unearthly Fates
3) Playgrounds
4) Creatures
The book is full of scary stories which are really entertaining and different from each other. Being a fan of horror stuff, I enjoyed reading this book. The main element of scary stories is that they should have content which actually sounds scary when we read it and this book have that quality.
My favourite stories are
Grandma
Hide N' Seek
Higher and Higher
The Hoard
and so many other stories.
I am sure all the fans of Alvin and Stephen will enjoy reading this book.
Since Halloween is around the corner it’s a best book to read. Book cover is appropriate and all the stories are fantastic.
Illustrations are horrifying and attractive and I would like to appreciate these drawings by Shane hunt for his mind blowing work.
The unique thing about this book is that this is the fourth book in this series and all the 3 books were written by Alvin Squartzz who died 30 years ago but after the Scary Stories 3, people wanted a 4th Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark book, but it was impossible but the author of this 4th book started having dreams where he went to a library and saw a 4th book and then he talked about this with his best friend who is an artist and they decided that the only way there could possibly be a 4th book was to make it. So they studied the style and vibe and especially art of the originals for years and made this book which is exactly the same as the originals down to the fonts and the formatting and everything, but is actually all new.
I highly recommend the readers to buy their copy soon. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from my end for the Author and the Illustrator, you both did an amazing job.
November 6, 2020
Stories are decent, but not as unsettling as the originals in my opinion. The artwork however is amazing, especially the ones sprinkled throughout the “Notes” section.
January 2, 2021
Excellent book, I definitely enjoyed it.
September 7, 2020
The book was phenomenal! I couldn’t put it down, and ended up reading the whole thing in one day. It was such a delight to read because it brought back fond memories of my sister and I reading all 3 Scary Stories books by Alvin Schwartz and Stephen Gammell, when we were little.
Curt Tuckfield did an amazing job mirroring Mr. Schwartz and his style of writing, BUT still making it his own. And Shane Hunt’s illustrations were on point! Very reminiscent of Mr. Gammell’s work with the illustrations. I like that Shane kept the images creepy and did not water them down for children; as they were meant to be scary and freak you out. It’s all in good fun.
Only TRUE fans of the first 3 books by Schwartz and Gammell will appreciate the nostalgic vibes Curt and Shane bring to their Tribute book. It was a beautifully frightful way to pay homage. Good job, guys!
Curt Tuckfield did an amazing job mirroring Mr. Schwartz and his style of writing, BUT still making it his own. And Shane Hunt’s illustrations were on point! Very reminiscent of Mr. Gammell’s work with the illustrations. I like that Shane kept the images creepy and did not water them down for children; as they were meant to be scary and freak you out. It’s all in good fun.
Only TRUE fans of the first 3 books by Schwartz and Gammell will appreciate the nostalgic vibes Curt and Shane bring to their Tribute book. It was a beautifully frightful way to pay homage. Good job, guys!
November 3, 2025
B/80 (More than Satisfactory) 3.5 Stars rounded up
August 13, 2020
This was an ambitious undertaking, and Curt and Shane did a fantastic job. This new installment of the classic series is engaging, interesting, scary, and, perhaps most importantly, honors the work and styles of Alvin Schwartz and Stephen Gammell. Highly recommend.
September 14, 2020
Love this book! Definitely looking for you guys to write another book to add to my collection!
September 9, 2020
Words cannot accurately explain how awe inspiring this book is. From the art to the stories, it's so much like the original trilogy that I'm more than willing to pencil it in as the unofficial fourth book. I've read a lot of anthology horror attempting to recreate scary stories or trying to be in the same vein, but this stands out as something I expect to see in the elementary library right next to the books I checked out every week. Seeing the explanations of the stories in the back given by the writer only made me love it more. This book is truly special and charming.
September 11, 2020
If you are a fan of the original SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK you NEED this book written by a fan of these books Curt. All the drawings in this book done by Shane Hunt look EXACTLY like Stephen Gammell's from the original series. Each story fits into the series and I'm so glad I decided to buy this book. Extremely happy 😁
August 12, 2020
This is a great book. The stories are good and the illustrations are amazing. They did an excellent job capturing the feel and tone of the original books.
July 30, 2020
I read Scary Stories to tell in the dark back in the 1990s in my school library in 1 and 2nd and 3rd grade Pretty good books When i was in school i even listened to the audio tape of the stories for like a class assignment.The audio tape was pretty creepy and epic. Then out of the blue a new Author and illustrator Curt Tuck field and Shane hunt who may have even been possessed or spiritually connected by Alvin Schwartz and Stephen Gammell Decided to write a sequel Tribute to the Original Story's Its pretty good it really captures the The same exact style they did art wise and Story wise I thought one was really scary in there was a story called Clipping.I wont make or say any spoilers But its a awesome book worth reading of people of any age its a good book to share with children who like scary stories as well.I think it really deserves a place in library's all throughout the world.Hopefully they decide to make more books.
November 6, 2020
The illustrations in this are absolutely flawless - The artist captured Gammel’s style perfectly. The stories range from good to bad... I’m giving them 3 stars instead of 4 because a few of them are more depressing than disturbing in a scary way. But I do really appreciate the effort these guys put into the tribute. Their love for the original trilogy definitely shines through!
March 26, 2022
Wow. This book, man….this new book has it all. Curt Tuckfield has written an absolute masterpiece in “Scary Stories: A Tribute to Terror.” This is formatted EXACTLY like the original Scary Stories trilogy, the only caveat is, well, it’s not really 90’s? 😂 I’m only kidding. This book is so perfectly worded, and structured, and every story feels so unique, disturbing, and surreal in the way they are told. And each ending? Talk about SHOCKING… My jaw was on the floor with. Every. Single. Story. My favorite story turned out to be “Down In The Park.” It just…spoke to me more than the others did. But I have picked at least 10 or so favorites, that I will share in my YouTube video review coming very soon! Now…about the ARTWORK. Holy princess, these illustrations were outstanding. Every single one is truly magnificent. They all have an eerie vibe….The illustrations are almost exactly the same style as Gammell’s—with a catch: they are now much clearer and brighter, which could be a good or a bad thing. Depends on your tastes, I guess. My favorite Illustration has to be the 2-page spread from “When I Wake Up.” My favorite story from Scary Stories 3 was “The Trouble” and this new illustration gave me that story’s vibe all over again, which is fantastic! They are all so gorgeously haunting.. this time the illustrations, by Shane Hunt, are a combo of digital and graphite drawings, which is fair since this is the modern age. I love every single art piece in this book and they definitely deserve to be seen. Stephen Gammell would be so proud. I only have one con with this book. I was hoping for some kind of “disembodied voice” story, or an “old pirate tale” but sadly those ended up on the chopping block. A little disappointed about that. But overall, this truly needs to be read and bought. This is the true 4th book, all the others, who claim to be tributes, are just pretenders. I did wanna also mention how THICK this new book is. It is definitely longer than the originals. More content here. Although there is no real folklore, which the exception of one story, which is fine. You definitely get longer, more engaging, more detailed stories here and I love it. I would give Scary Stories: A Tribute to Terror a solid 10/10. It is perfect, (dispute my issue mentioned.) and this needs to be on the shelf of a Scary Stories fan. A must-buy. If Alvin Schwartz was still alive, he would definitely approve. The man was a legend. If you want some nostalgia, or just want more Scary Stories, pick this up. Guaranteed enjoyment.
July 24, 2020
Sometimes funny, sometimes scary, sometimes gross and occasionally making no sense at all. Such was the style of the original three books that inspired this fan-created tribute and that style is flawlessly recreated here, both in the stories themselves and in the wonderful artwork expertly recreated in the black/white, drippy nightmare style of Stephen Gammell's infamous illustrations in the original trilogy. If I knew nothing about the original books at all and someone placed them in front of me along with this one there is absolutely no way that I would be able to tell that the artwork for this one was done by a different person. The love for the original Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark books that the creators hold that went into creating this couldn't be more clear if it were made out of crystal and it was an absolute treat to listen to the audiobook while I wait for the paperback to arrive so it can go right on the shelf with it's brothers, waiting to creating nightmares and memories in the current and future generations
November 2, 2020
I'm always glad to support a passion project, and I wish the author and the illustrator continued success. While I don't think that the stories in this tribute carry the same cultural resonance or exhibit the same level of research into the folklore and urban legends written by Alvin Schwartz, the author has instead put his own experiences and interests into the writing. As such, he has left his own imprint on the collection, and created a worthy contribution to the series. The illustrator's work is excellent and closely resembles Stephen Gammell's style. This was a lot of fun to read leading up to Halloween.
Read
July 11, 2020I bought and read the original "Scary Stories" books when they first came out years ago from school through Scholastic. I loved the illustrations that went perfectly within the books stories. This tribute book brought back so many memories of my youth. The best part is, is that I can relive the excitement through my sons eyes now when we read these new stories. I can not thank everyone involved enough with this new installment for what each and every one of them gave my family and I putting this out. Thank you all so much !
July 29, 2020
I have always been a massive horror fan from the day I was born, and consequently, a huge fan of the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark franchise. This novel mimics the style of the original writings and art perfectly. It was a wonderful read and I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone who wants a blast of nostalgia or just an overall light spooky time!
May 18, 2020
This wonderful collection carries on the tradition of the original three books and does it exceedingly well. It’s the fourth book we always wanted but never thought would come. Like the originals some of these stories are funny, most are ironic and a good chunk will make your skin crawl. The illustrations carry a terrifying beauty that even the originators would appreciate. Well done and highly recommended!
June 24, 2020
I grew up being terrorized by the original 3 books and always longed for more. These guys DELIVERED. The art is fantastic. Some of the stories have a disorienting dream-like quality, while others feel like they could have happened in your own neighborhood. Or even you own home! Some even have a basis in fact. Ate it up in a few days, and sent it camping with friends! My favorite book purchase this year.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews