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I thought I would share a funny fact about myself which you may remember from earlier posts. I love Halloween but will not go into a haunted House ever. I do not watch Horror Films and I don’t read books about #Halloween that often which Charlie and David love all these things. But I love decorating for Halloween and would use Frights to Tell: A Coven of Witches as part of my Halloween decorations.
As much as I love books there are some books that are meant to be read during the day. And then there are books that make you wonder if you really want to turn the lights off when you’re finished reading. Frights to Tell at Night: A Coven of Witches is one of those books that should be read during the day although you might feel differently.
I knew when I first picked the book up that it would be a fun addition to our Halloween Gift Guide, especially because I can’t wait to share it with my nieces and nephews. But what I didn’t expect was for the book cover itself to become part of the experience. The cover has a dark purple background with black details, and when you first look at it, you can barely make out the head of a witch with bright green eyes. There are little black cats, a skeleton, poison, bones, and other spooky details hidden throughout the artwork.
It’s spooky, but it isn’t so scary that I think most children are going to be terrified. In fact, I think many children will find the stories and illustrations more funny than frightening. Then you turn off the lights. And the cover glows in the dark. You have to charge the book under a light first, but once you’ve done that, the cover glows when the lights go out.
And let me give you a little warning from personal experience. Cover Frights to Tell at Night: A Coven of Witches before you go to bed. If you wake up in the middle of the night and see that glowing witch staring back at you, it can give you a little surprise. It did me. David thought it was funny, and Charlie thought it was funny when we told him about it later. That’s part of what makes this book so much fun for Halloween.
Frights to Tell at Night: A Coven of Witches is a chapter book containing 20 original spooky tales inspired by witches and magical figures from folklore, mythology, and history. The stories draw inspiration from legendary figures and traditions including Baba Yaga, Marie Laveau, Circe, the Salem Witch Trials, La Lechuza, and La Llorona.
And these aren’t all the same kind of story. One story involves a girl who receives a Christmas gift that is far worse than coal. Another involves a strange sideshow that lures in new recruits. There’s a birthday party that becomes a grisly scavenger hunt, a werewolf stalking a ghostly graveyard, and even a train ride that proves deadly.
So yes, there are some genuinely eerie stories inside. But that’s exactly what makes this such a fun choice for an older child or adults who enjoys Halloween and spooky reading. One of the things I really appreciate about this book is that it doesn’t just throw spooky stories at children and leave it at that.
The book is divided into sections that explore folklore, mythology, and history. The introduction begins by asking readers what they imagine when they hear the word witch. It then explains the differences between mythological, folkloric, and historical figures. That caught my attention because I could easily see this book being used as part of a homeschool language arts or reading lesson.
You could read one story and then talk about the folklore or historical figure that inspired it. You could look at where the story originated, learn how to pronounce unfamiliar names, or talk about how legends change as they are passed from one generation to another. The book also includes information about the inspiration behind the stories.
The reading doesn’t have to end when the story does. And that is something I always appreciate in a children’s book. A child may pick it up because it looks spooky, but they may walk away knowing something they didn’t know before. Charlie and David wanted me to point out that just because its a Halloween inspired book that it couldn’t be read year round.
Another feature I noticed is that the stories have different star levels indicating their reading difficulty. Some stories have more stars, while others have fewer. For example, Dragon Rot has a lower star level, which should make it one of the easier stories to read. That can be helpful when you’re choosing a story based on a child’s reading ability.
There are also some unusual names and words throughout the book. One example is Barbonius, a wizard or male witch from Hungarian folklore. A child may not know how to pronounce a word like that, and that’s okay. That’s an opportunity to stop, sound it out, look it up, and learn something new. Sometimes those little moments are what turn reading into learning without making it feel like a lesson.
frights To Tell At Night A Coven of Witches would also make a fun addition to our 30 Minutes of Reading Challenge. You don’t have to finish an entire chapter in one sitting. A child could spend 30 minutes reading one story, then use a few minutes afterward to talk about the character, the folklore behind it, or the historical figure that inspired the story.
You could even make one evening’s reading time a little Halloween activity. Turn on a lamp, read together for 30 minutes, talk about the story, and then—if you’re brave enough—turn off the lights and see the cover glow. For older children who are working on building a daily reading habit, a book like this can be especially helpful because the stories are short enough to give them a feeling of accomplishment.
They can finish a story without having to read an entire novel before they feel like they’ve gotten somewhere. And for parents trying to encourage children to read more, finding a book that actually makes them want to pick it up can make all the difference and that is what Frights To Tell At Night A Coven of Witches does.
I think this book is best suited for upper-elementary readers and older children, depending on the child and how comfortable they are with spooky stories. Some children are going to think the stories are funny. Some will find them creepy. And some will probably read the whole thing and then decide they don’t want to sleep in the dark.
That’s where knowing your child comes in. For my nieces and nephews, I think this could be a really fun Halloween gift because it combines reading with the kind of spooky fun children enjoy this time of year. Although my best friend wouldn’t care for the book because she doesn’t celebrate Halloween and that is fine because not every book is created for everyone.
I can’t wait to share this book with my nieces and nephews because t has spooky stories, colorful illustrations, folklore, mythology, history, unusual characters, and a cover that glows in the dark. That’s a lot packed into one book. And I especially like that it can serve more than one purpose. It can be a Halloween gift. It can be a chapter book for independent reading. It can become part of a homeschool language arts or reading lesson. And it can be one of the books a child chooses for our 30 Minutes of Reading Challenge.
Just don’t make the mistake I made. Don’t leave the book uncovered beside your bed. Because when you wake up in the middle of the night and see those green eyes glowing in the dark, you may suddenly understand exactly why this book is called Frights to Tell at Night A Coven of Witches and you may never go back to sleep. If David and Charlie are around, they’ll probably just laugh at you like they did me.
About the book:
A spellbinding collection of 20 original spooky tales that reimagine witches from folklore, myth, and history. Read them before bedtime or share them to spook your friends—if you dare!
“Deliciously terrifying.”—Kirkus Reviews
“A gleefully spooky anthology….good for anyone young or old wanting new takes on scary stories that can be shared around a campfire, in the dead of night, or before bedtime….holds readers captive in both words and imagery.” —School Library Journal
A girl receives a Christmas gift far worse than coal. A strange sideshow lures in new recruits. A birthday party turns into a grisly scavenger hunt. A werewolf stalks a ghostly graveyard. A train ride proves quite deadly. These stories are as enchanting as they are eerie, shining a light on the magical world of these legendary witches.
Features stories inspired by Baba Yaga, Marie Laveau, Circe, the Salem Witch Trials, La Lechuza, and more, all brought to life through gorgeous full-color illustrations.
More Accolades
“Enchanting illustrations accompany each story, highlighting uncanny moments of contact between the magical and mundane worlds….And following each story, a description of the mythological or folkloric witch that served as inspiration is included….In the imaginative short story collection A Coven of Witches, witches from folklore are fleshed out in fresh settings.”—Foreword Reviews
Grateful, Thankful, and Blessed
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates