It’s Halloween! We’re celebrating the scariest season of the year by cozying up with some of our favourite freaky reads. Whether you’re looking for family-friendly stories, true crime, horror or twisted fiction, BC’s publishers have you covered. Check out our trick-or-treating reading list!
A Wee Boo by Jessica Boyd, illustrated by Brooke Kerrigan (Orca Book Publishers)
Children will love Wee Boo—a ghost too cute to be frightening! Follow along her adventures as she tries to earn her haunting license in this adorable illustrated picture book.
Welcome, Dark by Charis St. Pierre, illustrated by Rachel Wada (Orca Book Publishers)
A beautiful picture book that teaches children about the sounds they might hear in the night, and why the dark is not as frightening as it sometimes feels. Animals hide and leaves blow, seeds are spread and crops are watered, and the world wakes anew in the morning.
Queer Little Nightmares: An Anthology of Monstrous Fiction and Poetry edited by David Ly and Daniel Zomparelli (Arsenal Pulp Press)
An incredible new anthology of nightmarish fiction and poetry featuring contributions from Amber Dawn, David Demchuk, Hiromi Goto, jaye simpson, Eddy Boudel Tan, Matthew J. Trafford, and Kai Cheng Thom.
Cold Case BC: The Stories Behind the Province’s Most Sensational Murder and Missing Person Cases by Eve Lazarus (Arsenal Pulp Press)
True crime readers will devour this book by crime historian and reporter Eve Lazarus, where the author uses her investigative skills to shine a light on Vancouver’s most baffling unsolved murders and missing person cases.
Vancouver’s Most Haunted: Supernatural Encounters in BC’s Terminal City by Ian Gibbs (Touchwood Editions)
“Ian Gibbs has done it again! Vancouver’s Most Haunted is full to the brim with spooky, spine-tingling, supernatural tales. He’s once again found the perfect balance of history and mystery; sure to intrigue readers everywhere, especially those who think they know the huge, vibrant city of Vancouver. You’re in for a treat with Gibbs’s intriguing and well-researched book.” — Barbara Smith, author of Great Canadian Ghost Stories
Unrest by Emma Côté (Anvil Press)
Winner of Anvil Press’s Annual 3-Day Novel Contest, Unrest follows mortician Mylène Andrews, who spends her days dealing with death, but has never quite figured out how to live.
Fiona the Fruit Bat by Dan Riskin, illustrated by Rachel Qiuqi (Greystone Kids Books)
Little Fiona, the fruit bat, is scared to take her first night flight. Follow along as she learns to use echolocation and her special instincts to conquer her fear of the deep, dark night.
Luminous: Living Things That Light Up the Night by Julia Kuo, illustrated by Julia Kuo (Greystone Kids Books)
What creatures lurk in the night? In this stunning, poetic, and science-based exploration of bioluminescence, kids 4 to 8 will marvel at the brightly glowing creatures and other living organisms that light up the night.
Falling Shadows by Christian Guay-Poliquin, translated by David Homel (Talonbooks)
In this dystopian, post-apocalyptic story, a lone man walks in the forest towards the hunting camp where his family has taken refuge to escape the upheaval caused by a widespread power failure. This is the third volume in acclaimed Québecois author Christian Guay-Poliquin’s series.