Screech!

A CBC Books Best of 2020 Pick. A spooky, illustrated collection of Atlantic ghost stories for middle-grade readers by the award-winning author of The Ghost Road.

The whole world seemed to tilt at that moment, like a painting on a wall that gets knocked a little crooked. Everything she had known as real up until now was slightly altered, and she seemed to be standing on the edge of a huge, dark, trembling world that was just a little different than it had been one minute before. Ghosts were real.

There is no dark like the Newfoundland dark. These ominous words beckon young readers onward in this spooky collection of ghost stories by celebrated ghost story-teller and award-winning middle-grade author Charis Cotter. Reimagined from family stories told across Newfoundland and passed down over generations, these 10 spine-tingling tales traverse centuries and introduce readers to the Rock's nooks and crannies. From a ghostly blueberry-picker on the barrens to a visit from the notorious Old Hag, from a mysterious ballet troupe in a St. John's mansion to a haunted house in an outport community on the cusp of resettlement, these stories bring the island of Newfoundland to vibrant new life (and death) as the thread of these years-old yarns is unravelled for a whole new generation.

Featuring ghostly black-and-white illustrations from Newfoundland artist Genevieve Simms, as well as an overview of the Newfoundland storytelling tradition, and a Story Behind the Story for each tale including context on the story's history, its original teller, its featured ghost, and setting, along with tips for spooky storytelling and a Glossary of Newfoundland terms, Screech! is equal parts eerie and educational, making it a riveting read as well as a great resource for budding historians and storytellers.

Charis Cotter grew up beside a cemetery and has been living with ghosts ever since. She studied English in university and went to drama school in London, England. Her spooky, suspenseful novels—The Swallow, The Painting, and The Ghost Road—have won numerous awards and captivated readers of all ages. Charis has worked extensively in schools and her performances of Newfoundland ghost stories have thrilled audiences coast to coast. She lives in one of the most haunted parts of Newfoundland.

Genevieve Simms studied illustration at the Alberta College of Art and Design and recently completed her Masters in Architecture at the University of Toronto. She has produced illustrations for a variety of clients throughout North America since 2006. Genevieve is from St. John's, Newfoundland, and currently lives in Toronto with her husband, Josh Holinaty, who is also an illustrator. They share a home with a mostly-beagle named Jack.