Through the cool crisp air, the winds howling and whistling, leaves rustling, nothing is better in autumn than curling up in a blanket with a good book! Autumn is a favorite season for lots of people, some of people’s favorite thing to do in autumn is read a book full of twisted spooks and chilling finales!
“Nothing gets me in the mood for Halloween quicker than reading a good book,” says Mrs. Lisa Tilemna, one of the middle school English teachers.
Books are wondrous things full of adventures and fun. Ms. Lindsey Zimmerman, one of the amazing upper school English teachers at Barstow, loves scary books, “I really like scary books and horror fiction. I think that it’s very fun to be a little scared and to step out of boring reality and imagine yourself in a world where anything can happen.” She adds, “Of course October being halloween month it’s the perfect time for imagining that!”
There are so many spooky books to choose from, but people have their favorites. Mrs. Tillema’s favorite spooky story during autumn is Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.
She explains, “The book’s moral was that we should use our knowledge for good, not evil.” Frankenstein is a Gothic and Science fiction novel about the character Frankenstein himself. He believes that by creating the Monster, he can discover the secrets of life and death.
Ms. Zimmerman’s favorite story is Blood Meridian by Cormec Mcarthi, an exploration of the brutality of violence and the human condition through the journey of a teenager known as “the Kid.” Set in the violent landscapes of the American West, the novel challenges readers to confront the dark side of humanity and the complexities of morality.
AJ Buckner ‘29’s favorite spooky book is a Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson. The novel centers on a high school student investigating a closed murder case that has haunted her town for years. As she uncovers secrets and faces unexpected challenges, she learns that the truth can be more complicated than it seems.
Your English and Writing teachers can give you the best recommendations as they have the perfect books for your grade level and interests!
Mrs. Tillema and Ms. Zimmerman, have great recommendations for middle schoolers:
- Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
- “The Raven” by Edgar Allen Poe
- The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (a collection of short stories) by Washington Irving
- Short Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz
Ms. Zimmerman recommended books written by Stephen King and Dean Koontz for upper school students.
“I really enjoy Stephen King’s Short Stories because I think one of the things he does really well is he takes people who are just living their everyday lives and drops them into a situation that is totally bizarre or totally scary or totally strange. Then you have to see how is this normal person going to handle this totally abnormal scenario,” she explains.
King even has a collection called Stephen King’s Short Stories series with three volumes.
There are hundreds of perfect books for fall season, reading is a great way of relaxation! As the days grow shorter and the nights become chillier, there’s no better way to embrace the spirit of autumn than by getting lost in a captivating story, making each page turn a delightful escape into the eerie enchantment of the season.
