What do you think?
Rate this book
The Haunted House and Other Spooky Poems and Tales
Here are chilling thrilling tales and poems...ghosts, witches, and evil creatures of the night. You'll shiver and shake, quiver and quake at your ghastly moans and chuckles!
80 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1970
2 people are currently reading
47 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 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 25, 2019
I probably read this book twenty times in my younger days. There was a record that went along with it as well. It's filled with a mix of humorous and spooky stories and poems that are scary, but not too scary. It's a nice mix of the classic and contemporary (well, contemporary as of October, 1970, when it was published) and it still holds up remarkably well.
A classic!
A classic!
February 28, 2016
A childhood favorite rediscovered at the thrift store. Glad to have found it again.
July 13, 2019
Nice variety of stories and poems about "Ghoulies and Ghosties, and long-leggity Beasties." Not too scary, just the right amount of shivers. Some notable authors, such as O. Nash, H. W. Longfellow, Shakespeare, R. L. Stevenson, L. Hughes, H. G. Wells, as well as many unknown to me.
"For something walks
Along the stair -
Something that is
And isn't there."
(Vic Crume)
"But nevertheless I knew I'd won
The secret of raising a ghost.
And the method is this- at least for a miss-
You must sit on a graveyard wall,
And talk of the things you never have seen,
And you'll see them, one and all."
(Nathalia Crane)
"For something walks
Along the stair -
Something that is
And isn't there."
(Vic Crume)
"But nevertheless I knew I'd won
The secret of raising a ghost.
And the method is this- at least for a miss-
You must sit on a graveyard wall,
And talk of the things you never have seen,
And you'll see them, one and all."
(Nathalia Crane)
June 15, 2017
As a spooky kid of the 70's-80's, this was a key formative book. It originally came with a 45 record (the audio of which is available on two You Tube videos if you search it). Words that have stayed with me for life!
June 22, 2018
The poems are sometimes pretty morbid, and other times morbidly hilarious! The poems are also better than the majority of short stories in this collection as well. A fun, spooky book for younger readers.
August 21, 2011
It is what it is. Fun for kids!
4th grade and up.
4th grade and up.
February 22, 2017
Hauntingly fun!! :)
November 3, 2017
I just love these books from my childhood. Nice to read just before Halloween.
November 14, 2025
A Spine-Tingling Delight: *The Haunted House and Other Spooky Poems and Tales*
Oh, what a serendipitous find on this crisp November eve! As the wind whispers secrets through the bare branches outside and the first frost nips at the windowpanes, there's no better companion than this gem of a book: *The Haunted House and Other Spooky Poems and Tales*, edited by the masterful Gladys Schwartz and Vic Crume. Published in that groovy era of swirling psychedelia (hello, 1970s vibes!), its cover alone—a riot of fiery oranges, purples, and a looming Victorian mansion draped in ethereal flames—promises an instant portal to the eerie unknown. It's like if Salvador Dalí crashed a Halloween party and decided to illustrate Edgar Allan Poe's lighter side.
This collection is pure magic for the restless soul craving a quick shiver without the commitment of a doorstopper novel. Clocking in at a breezy handful of pages, it's the ideal fireside read: curl up under a blanket with a mug of mulled cider (or hot cocoa for the young ghouls), and let these short, punchy poems and tales whisk you away in under an hour. The selections are a treasure trove of classic spookiness—think ghostly apparitions rattling chains, mischievous specters in moonlit graveyards, and witches brewing storms in cauldrons of rhyme. Yet, it's all wrapped in a whimsical, not-too-terrifying package that dances on the edge of delight rather than dread. The language is vivid and rhythmic, perfect for reading aloud; I can already hear the giggles and gasps echoing from a family huddle.
What elevates this beyond a mere anthology is the editors' keen eye for balance—enough chills to thrill the kiddos (ages 8 and up, I'd wager) without sending them scampering under the bed, and layers of sly wit and atmospheric poetry to hook the grown-ups reminiscing about their own ghost stories. Schwartz and Crume curate a symphony of voices, from forgotten folk rhymes to punchy prose that lingers like fog on a lake. It's nostalgic, nostalgic in the best way—like flipping through a scrapbook of autumn's shadowy heart.
In a world of endless scrolls and screen glows, *The Haunted House* is a reminder of the simple joy of turning pages by lamplight. Grab it for your next chilly November night (or any night, really), and let it haunt your imagination with the good kind of goosebumps. Five out of five jack-o'-lanterns—highly recommended for anyone who believes the best scares come with a side of snuggle. If you don't have a copy, hunt one down; it's the literary equivalent of a warm scarf on a haunted hike!
Oh, what a serendipitous find on this crisp November eve! As the wind whispers secrets through the bare branches outside and the first frost nips at the windowpanes, there's no better companion than this gem of a book: *The Haunted House and Other Spooky Poems and Tales*, edited by the masterful Gladys Schwartz and Vic Crume. Published in that groovy era of swirling psychedelia (hello, 1970s vibes!), its cover alone—a riot of fiery oranges, purples, and a looming Victorian mansion draped in ethereal flames—promises an instant portal to the eerie unknown. It's like if Salvador Dalí crashed a Halloween party and decided to illustrate Edgar Allan Poe's lighter side.
This collection is pure magic for the restless soul craving a quick shiver without the commitment of a doorstopper novel. Clocking in at a breezy handful of pages, it's the ideal fireside read: curl up under a blanket with a mug of mulled cider (or hot cocoa for the young ghouls), and let these short, punchy poems and tales whisk you away in under an hour. The selections are a treasure trove of classic spookiness—think ghostly apparitions rattling chains, mischievous specters in moonlit graveyards, and witches brewing storms in cauldrons of rhyme. Yet, it's all wrapped in a whimsical, not-too-terrifying package that dances on the edge of delight rather than dread. The language is vivid and rhythmic, perfect for reading aloud; I can already hear the giggles and gasps echoing from a family huddle.
What elevates this beyond a mere anthology is the editors' keen eye for balance—enough chills to thrill the kiddos (ages 8 and up, I'd wager) without sending them scampering under the bed, and layers of sly wit and atmospheric poetry to hook the grown-ups reminiscing about their own ghost stories. Schwartz and Crume curate a symphony of voices, from forgotten folk rhymes to punchy prose that lingers like fog on a lake. It's nostalgic, nostalgic in the best way—like flipping through a scrapbook of autumn's shadowy heart.
In a world of endless scrolls and screen glows, *The Haunted House* is a reminder of the simple joy of turning pages by lamplight. Grab it for your next chilly November night (or any night, really), and let it haunt your imagination with the good kind of goosebumps. Five out of five jack-o'-lanterns—highly recommended for anyone who believes the best scares come with a side of snuggle. If you don't have a copy, hunt one down; it's the literary equivalent of a warm scarf on a haunted hike!
July 12, 2023
Back in the day, I owned a copy of this book and absolutely loved reading the poems and short little spooky stories over and over again. It was passed down to me by my older sister and I'm sure was passed on to my nephews after I was done with it. A very well-read and much enjoyed book!
This book is long out of print, but used copies are available online. It contains 39 tales, poems, gravestone epitaphs, and even songs all on a spooky theme. Age appropriate for middle grade readers.
I felt very nostalgic as I read back through every story in this collection. It's been decades since I last read this book, but I read it so many times that I remembered most of the stories and poems after reading a few lines. I remember sitting in my room on my bed and reading these stories -- the spooky quarry, the velvet ribbon, a ghostly cradle...so many neat and varied stories! And I remembered the illustrations. Loved them as a kid! Still do as an adult!
The illustrations in this book are awesome, but the used copy I found online did not have a title page or show any credit given to the artist. I researched a bit to try and discover who illustrated and found out that Gerry Contreras provided the drawings. Awesome work! His name should have been on the front cover with the editors, in my opinion, as his drawings really made the book!!
Loved reading this again! I wish I still had my old copy! I tried to choose one story/poem as my favorite and I just couldn't do it. I will just have to say that I enjoy them all! And, I'm glad I found this book online so I could enjoy reading it again!
I never knew until today that there was a record with readings of some of the stories!!! it's on Youtube: https://youtu.be/mqH4xFBtLZY Yay!!!!
This book is long out of print, but used copies are available online. It contains 39 tales, poems, gravestone epitaphs, and even songs all on a spooky theme. Age appropriate for middle grade readers.
I felt very nostalgic as I read back through every story in this collection. It's been decades since I last read this book, but I read it so many times that I remembered most of the stories and poems after reading a few lines. I remember sitting in my room on my bed and reading these stories -- the spooky quarry, the velvet ribbon, a ghostly cradle...so many neat and varied stories! And I remembered the illustrations. Loved them as a kid! Still do as an adult!
The illustrations in this book are awesome, but the used copy I found online did not have a title page or show any credit given to the artist. I researched a bit to try and discover who illustrated and found out that Gerry Contreras provided the drawings. Awesome work! His name should have been on the front cover with the editors, in my opinion, as his drawings really made the book!!
Loved reading this again! I wish I still had my old copy! I tried to choose one story/poem as my favorite and I just couldn't do it. I will just have to say that I enjoy them all! And, I'm glad I found this book online so I could enjoy reading it again!
I never knew until today that there was a record with readings of some of the stories!!! it's on Youtube: https://youtu.be/mqH4xFBtLZY Yay!!!!
September 21, 2019
This is an old scholastic book from 1970 I found at a thrift store. Dated, but charming.
November 22, 2019
The variety of short stories and poems could be used as fun read alouds with children and used as part of a holiday/seasonal unit.
April 6, 2021
Scholastic book 50 cents
December 14, 2019
Lame little collection. Stories that I don't even understand how they're supposed to be scary.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews