![]() ![]() ![]() Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark worked for me, if only because the stories themselves were just lame urban legends, while the art by Stephen Gammell was synthesized, purified nightmare fuel, perfect for sleepovers. I remember distinctly picking up some rando Alfred Hitchcock story collection for kids and reading the warning that it would be the scariest thing I ever encountered, only to return it to the library without going any further. I wanted to be scared, but in the safest way imaginable. They were written by folks like Betty Ren Wright and Willo Davis Roberts and Mary Down Hahn, and I loved them dearly. ![]() The Apple paperbacks had titles like Ghost Cat, and Wait Till Helen Comes, and The Dollhouse Murders. But it was also long after John Bellairs made it his business to truck in the middle grade supernatural. This was long before Bob Stine decided to slap an “R.L.” in front of his last name and stake a claim in the world of G-rated horror fare. Only one thing that could make my little heart go pitter-pat, and that was the comforting presence of ghost stories. There was only one thing in the entire world I ever wanted to read, at that point. In fourth grade I sold my soul to the Scholastic Book Club’s Apple paperbacks. Putnam & Sons (an imprint of Penguin Young Reader’s Group) ![]()
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![]() ![]() They seek to rectify the present situation through a Kurdish “authenticated” and “original” form of Zoroastrianism. Kurdish Zoroastrians argue that the reason Kurds are “backward” is Islam. Instead, they have created their own versions of Zoroastrianism, which is nationalist, postmodern, and liberal. Notably, neither has tried to recreate Zoroastrianism the way it is currently and has been historically practiced in Iran and South Asia. In 2015, two Zoroastrian centers opened in Sulaimani, both of which are recognized by the Kurdish Regional Government in northern Iraq. Zoroastrianism, according to converts, was the “original” religion of the Kurds before they embraced Islam. Many became atheists, while others sought comfort in Zoroastrianism. Disgusted with ISIS, some Kurds turned away from Islam following the fall of Mosul in 2014. ![]() ![]()
![]() ![]() Visual cues that identify a person’s identity and the group they belong to-ghosts or humans-are obvious. They are especially clear, yet, at the same moment. Because the ghosts are predominantly blue in color-likely because they are dead-they blend in better with their surroundings. The graphic novel’s liberal use of color is what actually pleased me. There are some beautiful green and blue tones in this story, and it’s worth looking at for the graphics alone. It’s packed with lovely sceneries and attractive color palettes. ![]() When Blue realizes Hamal’s strange ability may be putting him in danger, Blue has to find a way to protect him-even if it means leaving him. Together, their friendship develops into something more, but being a ghost, Blue can never truly be connected with Hamal. O’Neil, author of The Tea Dragon Societyīlue has been living as a ghost for a year when he meets Hamal, a beautiful and sweet gardener who has the ability to see and communicate with ghosts. “It’s a pleasure to lose yourself in the beautiful artwork, and one of the loveliest queer romances I’ve ever read.” - K. Genres: young adult, fiction, graphic novel, LGBTQ+, romance ![]() Publisher: Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group, LLC ![]() |