Readings

Fiction

Folk and Fairy tales

Horror/Spooky

Appropriate for all ages

Full length text

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Paradise Lost, by John Milton, 1667 - It's the full text of Paradise Lost. Check out Gustave Dore's beautiful illustrations on archive.org here.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, by Washington Irving, 1819 - Classic colonial American ghost story on the subject of fear and folklore. Warning for racist language/framing (brief).
Thumbelina, by Hans Christian Andersen, 1849 - Fairy tale. Thumbelina was born into this world a flower, and happiness does not come easily.
The Happy Prince, by Oscar Wilde, 1888 - Short fairy tale about a Prince and a Sparrow.
The Yellow Wallpaper, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, 1892 - A woman is confined to the attic of the new home she shares with her husband, "for her own good". Short psychological horror story.
The Flowering of the Strange Orchid, by H.G. Wells, 1894 - Quick take on "orchidelirium" by one of the original sci fi greats.
A Rose For Emily, by William Faulkner, 1930 - The life and death of the last heiress of a wealthy Southern legacy. Warning for racist language throughout (appropriate to the setting/time period).
A Visit, by Shirley Jackson, 1952 - A young woman visits her friend's decadent estate for summer vacation. Short story with surreal mystery elements. Audio Only.
All Summer in a Day, by Ray Bradbury, 1954 - Sun makes a quick appearance on Venus. Short sci-fi drama story.
Ringing the Changes, by Robert Aickman, 1955 - A poorly-planned honeymoon falls on a strange night in a strange town. Short personal drama ghost story.
The Lady of the House of Love, by Angela Carter, 1975 - Sleeping Beauty by way of Nosferatu; expect the usual hallmarks of vampire fiction.
The Specialist's Hat, by Kelly Link, 1998 - Two girls move to a strange old house when their father decides to write a history of its original owner, a mostly-forgotten poet. Short ghost story with magical realism and horror elements.

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