Horror for Both Children and Adults

Halloween is this coming Friday, five days away! That sounds crazy but it’s true. The night full of time with friends and candy is nearly here.

As author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Matilda, Roald Dahl was known for writing books for children. Many of them were humorous, many of them had magical elements, and all of them were stories that children resonated with. Dahl didn’t write as many scary stories, but perhaps the most famous one is The Witches.

I was terrified of that novel for a long time. I started reading his books maybe around nine years old and this was one of the first ones I picked up; but I set it down barely a few chapters in and hid it in my closet. I had no desire to touch it again until I was around eleven or twelve.

The cover of The Witches at first glance looks like a story for a young child. In truth, it’s a story filled with terrifying creatures and horrific details.

It’s about a young boy who moves in to live with his grandmother. Originally, witches were never a thought in his young mind . . . until his grandmother teaches him otherwise. He is taught to fear all witches, but most of all the Grand High Witch whose deepest desire is to murder all children in England.

From that point forward, he knows he is never safe and always needs to be aware of his surroundings. Witches could be anywhere, at any point, and are merciless and heartless creatures.

I enjoy this book (I didn’t like it so much as a young child!) because of its intriguing storyline and captivating characters. It’s definitely a page-turner!

This is a perfect example of a Halloween read for children and adults alike.

Content/trigger warning- Death, mild violence, mildly frightening imagery and themes.

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