32 Comments
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Ginny Branch's avatar

The Grand High Witch still sends shivers down my spine. Also Heckedy Peg who turned children to food!

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Sarah Miller's avatar

Heckedy Peg is legit terrifying.

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Taylor Sterling's avatar

😋

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Laura's avatar

I was absolutely terrified by Heckedy Peg! As an adult I still find it creepy!

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Taylor Sterling's avatar

Yes!

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Tayler's avatar

Miss Trunchbull from Matilda!!!

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Taylor Sterling's avatar

Same!

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Alessandra Braghelli's avatar

I'm not sure it can be considered an Halloween book, but one that really scared me when I was younger was Charles Dickens "A Christmas carol". I was frightened by the ghosts!

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Taylor Sterling's avatar

Alessandra! You're the winner!! Can you email me? taylor.sterling@taylor-sterling.com —and I can get a mailing address from you? Congrats! xx

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Taylor Sterling's avatar

Totally!!

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ashley's avatar

Leo from Leo, A Ghost Story. He’s not scary, he’s a friend, but it’s my daughter’s first book with something like a ghost in it. It’s “the scary book.” :)

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Taylor Sterling's avatar

Ah we love Leo!

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Tim DeRoche's avatar

On your recommendation, we picked up Millicent the Monster and Bony Legs...which have both quickly become favorites. I pick Bony Legs...I was worried that she was going to turn out to be a nice old lady and was very pleased that she remained an evil witch till the bitter end.

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Taylor Sterling's avatar

Totally!

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Violet's avatar

I was very much not into scary stuff as a child, but I LOVED The Trouble With Mom by Babette Cole, and all of the creepy, witchy background characters like the giant spider and heavily fanged (but loving) black cat they had as pets. It was a good title for when you wanted a little creepy, but still very sweet.

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Taylor Sterling's avatar

I've never heard of that one before!

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Katy's avatar

So many! Bony-legs, any of the characters from Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, Helen from Wait ‘Till Helen Comes!

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Taylor Sterling's avatar

Yes yes yes!

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Acacia Kautz's avatar

The white witch from Narnia haunted me.

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Taylor Sterling's avatar

!!

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R Valiquette's avatar

Miss Viola Swamp is pretty terrifying! And my kids wouldn’t let me read Bony Legs to the, for the longest time.

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Taylor Sterling's avatar

Oh yes she is!

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Claire D's avatar

The green ribbon lady from that one scary stories book was definitely the scariest to me for a few years!

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Taylor Sterling's avatar

Great choice

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Laura Arentsen's avatar

As a kid, no one struck fear in my heart quite like Miss Trunchbull.

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Taylor Sterling's avatar

ME TOO!!!

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Julianna's avatar

Arawn-Death-Lord in the Chronicles of Prydain series. I mean, he kills soldiers and brings them back to life in a cauldron! Loved this series in 3rd grade!

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Taylor Sterling's avatar

ooooh I don't know this one!

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Sarah Miller's avatar

Oh, I love this giveaway! and definitely hope to win 🤞

My favorite scary character is Baba Yaga — any iteration in any story, I just find her fabulous — but if I have to pick one, it’s Baba Yaga in Bony-Legs by Joanna Cole. Dirk Zimmer’s excellent illustrations (when she rows over the lake in her claw-foot tub!) make it the perfect version for toddlers and preschoolers — my youngest was so intensely obsessed with this book, I had to resort to hiding it more than once just to get a break for a day or two.

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Taylor Sterling's avatar

That is such a great answer! She's one of my favorites too!

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Taylor Sterling's avatar

CONGRATS TO:

Alessandra Braghelli

YOU'RE THE WINNER! :)

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Alessandra Braghelli's avatar

Oh My God I'm so flattered and excited! Thank you so much!

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