Friday, July 04, 2008

Non-Oprah Book Club (kids book edition): Something Wicked This Way Comes


Patti Abbott has asked her fellow bloggers to pick a favorite kids book, and I thought of one that scared the living shit out of me when I was younger: Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes.

In the book, a mysterious travelling carnival comes to a quiet Midwestern town, piquing the interests of two 13-year-old boys who are on that edge between childhood and adulthood. But they aren't the only ones fascinated by the enigmatic carnival as other town residents visit the strange shows and rides - including the carousel. The man who runs the show, Mr. Dark, lures people with promises of youth (or, for the boys, adulthood); but there is an evil catch (there always is).

If you have an aversion to carnivals or fairs or circuses (like I do - it's the clowns, creepy fuckers), then this book will haunt you forever. It was even turned into a movie - by Disney!

4 comments:

Terrie Farley Moran said...

Wow! Not a story I ever would have thought of as a kids story but I see the possibilities.

Terrie

Lesa said...

Loved this book! And, I love the creepiness of the movie as well. The music in that movie always gets me.

If this was your favorite kids book, though, I can see why you write Noir.

pattinase (abbott) said...

He sure wrote some great books, didn't he?

Chris said...

This is, without a doubt, one of my all-time faves. Great choice!