Halloween is a great time to get out the Classic Halloween Books and have a good read through to set the perfect atmosphere between friends. Whichever type of scary stories you like, whatever age you are, there are Classic Halloween Books to suit all. If you like Roald Dahl and let’s face it, it’s hard not to, then you can’t miss the Ronald Dahl’s Book of Ghost Stories, these are suitable for children whilst also being suitably spooky for Halloween, as his macabre sense of humor shines through. Another of the great Classic Halloween Books is called The Halloween Tree, this eerie tale gives accurate details about legends and myths throughout history, making it more real, interesting and scary as a result.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

In the short story classic The Legend of Sleepy Hollow written by Washington Irving, a headless horseman is featured which has been used in various films as a frightening spectacle. You will start the journey in the Dutch settlement of Tarry Town, a secluded glen which is where the glen Sleep Hollow sits, a schoolmaster, namely Ichabod Crane competes with Abraham “Brom Bones” for the hand of 18 year old Katrina Van Tassel. A headless horseman who is believed to be the ghost of a Hessian trooper soon pursues Crane, leaving Brom Bones to marry Katrina, although the story implies that Brom Bones was really the horseman in disguise.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow was first published in 1820 along with Rip Van Winkle which is a companion piece that Irving wrote. The reading level of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is from ages 9-12 but many teenagers and adults can also enjoy the story which is amongst the earliest examples of American fiction still popularly read today, especially around Halloween.

Edgar Allan Poe: Selected Works Deluxe Edition

Edgar Allan Poe Selected Works

In this smartly presented book of tales Edgar Allan Poe: Selected Works Deluxe Edition you will find stories which are perfect for telling at Halloween. There are 67 tales and 30 poems in this charming Edgar Allan Poe: Selected Works Deluxe Edition, including classics such as The Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Masque of the Red Death and The Pit and the Pendulum.

Edgar Allan Poe is well known for revolutionising the ‘horror tale’ giving it psychological insight and a consistent tone and atmosphere. Many describe Edgar Allan Poe’s writing as modern detective stories, he is also known for writing some of the world’s best known lyric poetry.