It’s officially time for chilly nights curled by a bonfire, buckets of candy, and pumpkin spice lattes. To top it off, it’s horror movie binging season. Sadly we don’t cover movies in this feature, but we do cover books, which are adapted into movies.

This month’s genre is horror, respectively. For the next four weeks, there will be a new spooky and scary horror novel chosen.

The first novel to kick off the spooky season, is the longtime staple and classic, It. Written by Stephen King, and published on September 15, 1986. 

Taking place in 1958, and later, 1985, the story of It follows a group of seven kids as they are terrorized by an evil, shapeshifting monster that the group calls “It.” Every 27 years the monster emerges, taking different appearances that appeal to its victims. It’s latest victim is Georgie, the younger brother to protagonist Bill. As Georgie had seemingly disappeared without a trace, Bill and his unlikely crew of misfits band together to uncover the chilling secrets of the monster and find out what truly happened to Georgie and the other missing kids.

The novel was a hit and was adapted into an equally successful film in 1990. Just over three decades later, the book was readapted for the younger generation and diehard horror fans. The 2017 adaptation was accepted by long-term fans and was a greater success than that of the 1990 adaptation. The sequel, It Chapter Two, was released two years later and wrapped up the It movie storyline. While both sets of adaptations cut a large portion of the novel’s original story, the base storyline along with primary themes and encounters remain the same.

Born on September 21, 1947, even at age 76, world-renowned, and bestselling author, Stephen King is still mass publishing and writing books. His first novel, Carrie, debuted in 1974 and he has released a novel nearly every year since, his latest being Fairy Tale, published in 2022.

Stephen King has produced countless bone-chilling books and movies alike. Nearly all of them are the go-to favorites of many horror fans. So, if you enjoy a good scare, be it curled up with a book, or with popcorn in a dark room, Stephen King has just the thing for you.

The HHS Library had previously owned two copies of the Stephen King It, both books have since been stolen by various people. So, if you are interested in donating your own books, whether it is Stephen King or not, please contact our Librarian; Ms. Johnson, for further information.

Happy Spooky Season, Herrin Tigers.