“The Big Toe,” Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark So here we go - maybe don’t read this list at night.Ĩ2. Still, there were plenty of undying themes of abuse and self-hatred that sent chills up our spines, along with some old-fashioned scares. This proved daunting, given that each book ends with a “funny” section devoted to lackluster gags. In honor of the movie’s release, we revisited all three books to determine which of the 82 tales hold up in terms of scariness and have remained relevant over the years. Judging by the trailer, this includes fan favorites like “Harold” and “The Red Spot,” undeniably two of the best in the collection. For many, they were a childhood staple: The stories, powered by Stephen Gammell’s ghastly, often unforgettable illustrations, are still etched into our memories and, possibly, inspired a passion for all things spooky.īut how good were those original stories, really? The series was published between the late ’80s and early ’90s and spans three books - Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, and Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones - yet only a handful of the 82 stories made the film cut. The Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark movie hits theaters this weekend, but true fans still remember the original book series - Alvin Schwartz’s iconic short horror stories for children.
