Ghost stories for the kiddos? Isn’t this just the prescription for a night of bad dreams? Not according to the “Spooky America” series of ghost books, and most recently its “The Ghostly Tales of The Midwest.”
Perfect for Middle School students
“This series of books is perfect for middle school kids (age 8 to 12),” said Nancy Ellwood, publishing director with Arcadia Children’s Books, and creator of the “Spooky America” series. “They’re ‘creepy’ and a bit scary, but not so scary that it would bother this age group.”
“In fact,” she explained, “they’re meaty books (112 pages) for more sophisticated readers. These are nonfiction books in which we tell the truth and explain complicated processes using bigger words.”
The approach to the series is journalistic, Ellwood said. Someone believes a particular place is haunted, and so they go back to history to learn what may have happened in that spot that would have caused it to be haunted.
“Overall, we had two objectives in producing these books,” Ellwood said. “First, we wanted to make them fun and dynamic for readers, and two, we wanted to preserve the history so it’s a learning experience too.”
Adapted from adult series
The “Spooky America” series of young adult books was adapted from the “Haunted America” series for adults, which explores historical haunts in cities and regions across America. Ellwood said, “We picked the most popular in the series, and then had children’s literature writers adapt the books for young readers (with permission from the original authors).”
“The Ghostly Tales of the Midwest” represents a new approach to the series, according to Ellwood. Stories are presented from states around the region, highlighting community history and traditions along with the ghost stories. In this book, for example, you can learn about phantoms walking along Michigan beaches (looking for towns that have disappeared), family members, guests and teachers walking the halls of colleges, libraries and courthouses in Ohio, Indiana and Missouri, or summer resorts and cemeteries in Missouri, Illinois and Wisconsin.
And along the readers’ journeys through the ghost stories are the stories of Midwest history. Every chapter is full of references to the area’s geography, common attributes, historical events (and military battles) and even a discussion of what constitutes “Midwestern.” The region’s Native American nations, and their impact on the region, are described in detail throughout the book.
Another interesting treatment of these stories is asking the reader to place themselves and their family into that time in history, to get a better feeling for the times. For example, the book asks readers to imagine how they’d feel making a trip along the Underground Railroad during and after the Civil War.
Any ghosts from Toledo?
“Toledo’s got plenty of ghost stories!” said Ellwood. And while none were included in “The Ghostly Tales of the Midwest,” the adult book “Haunted Toledo,” which was released in September 2022, has everything you need to learn more about our very own ghosts. Hauntings are common occurrences at many locations around Toledo, including the Collingwood Arts Center, St. Ursula Academy, the Toledo Yacht Club and especially the Oliver House. All are featured in the new book, along with many other local stories.
And Ellwood predicts that they’re planning another compilation of Midwestern ghost stories (and possibly including the Toledo ghosts) for a new book in the Spooky America series.
The Ghostly Tales of the Midwest and Haunted Toledo are available through Arcadia Publishing, as well as most other booksellers.
