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Nightsiders Series

Don't Turn Out the Lights

3.79
on Goodreads (1,484)

What’s inside...

Featuring stories from R.L. Stine and Madeleine Roux, this middle grade horror anthology, curated by New York Times bestselling author and master of macabre Jonathan Maberry, is a chilling tribute to Alvin Schwartz’s Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark . Flesh-hungry ogres? Brains full of spiders? Haunted houses you can’t escape? This collection of 35 terrifying stories from the Horror Writers Association has it all, including ghastly illustrations from Iris Compiet that will absolutely chill readers to the bone. So turn off your lamps, click on your flashlights, and prepare— if you dare —to be utterly spooked! The complete list of writers : Linda D. Addison, Courtney Alameda, Jonathan Auxier, Gary A. Braunbeck, Z Brewer, Aric Cushing, John Dixon, Tananarive Due, Jamie Ford, Kami Garcia, Christopher Golden, Tonya Hurley, Catherine Jordan, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Alethea Kontis, N.R. Lambert, Laurent Linn, Amy Lukavics, Barry Lyga, D.J. MacHale, Josh Malerman, James A. Moore, Michael Northrop, Micol Ostow, Joanna Parypinksi, Brendan Reichs, Madeleine Roux, R.L. Stine, Margaret Stohl, Gaby Triana, Luis Alberto Urrea, Rosario Urrea, Kim Ventrella, Sheri White, T.J. Wooldridge, Brenna Yovanoff
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
8-12
Length
416 pages
Text complexity

Discussion points

How did the stories in 'Don't Turn Out the Lights' make you feel? Were there any moments that particularly stood out to you?
Which story was your favorite and why? What did you learn from it?
If you were to create a spooky story, what elements would you include to make it interesting?
How do the characters in the book handle fear? Can you think of a time when you were scared and how you dealt with it?
What do you think the authors were trying to teach us through these scary tales?
Tip: Role play these questions
Encourage your child to express their thoughts and feelings about the stories, reassuring them that it's okay to feel scared. Use the book's variety of tales to discuss different coping mechanisms for fear. Relate the stories to personal experiences or create hypothetical scenarios to help your child apply the lessons learned in the book. Highlight the creativity involved in storytelling, motivating them to think about how they could tell their own scary story. Lastly, ensure to discuss the moral or lesson behind each tale to instill values and provoke deeper thinking.

Key lessons

Example Lesson: Facing fears
Explanation: The stories in 'Don't Turn Out the Lights' revolve around various eerie scenarios that challenge the characters to confront and manage their fears.
Real-World Application: Children can learn that facing their fears, whether it be the dark, insects, or speaking in front of a class, is a part of growth and can be conquered through courage and resilience.
Example Lesson: Empathy and understanding
Explanation: By reading about characters experiencing frightening situations, children can develop a sense of empathy, understanding how others might feel in scary or unfamiliar situations.
Real-World Application: This empowers children to support their peers who might be frightened or anxious, fostering a more empathetic and supportive environment among friends.
Example Lesson: Importance of storytelling
Explanation: The anthology structure of 'Don't Turn Out the Lights' highlights the importance and power of storytelling in sharing experiences and moral lessons.
Real-World Application: Children can be encouraged to share their own stories or experiences with peers and family, enhancing their communication skills and understanding the perspectives of others.
Example Lesson: Creative thinking
Explanation: The various scenarios in the book require characters to think creatively to resolve their eerie encounters, promoting out-of-the-box thinking.
Real-World Application: This can inspire children to apply creative solutions to their own problems, whether at school or in social situations, enhancing their problem-solving skills.
Example Lesson: Resilience and perseverance
Explanation: Characters in the book often face seemingly insurmountable fears but learn to overcome these through resilience and perseverance.
Real-World Application: This teaches children the value of persisting through difficult times or challenges, knowing that they can emerge stronger and more capable.