The BMCC Library provides not only the materials students need to succeed in their courses, but also a selection of novels, memoirs, and comic books and other graphic works for leisure reading. The cooler days and longer nights of autumn are a great time to get comfortable with a book—or to get spooked by one. Here are some of our suggestions.
In the Leisure Reading Collection
In The Villa by Rachel Hawkins, Emily and Chess, two childhood friends who were once inseparable, decide to take a trip to Italy to work on their strained relationship. During their stay at Villa Aestas in Orvieto, they uncover a dark history of murder, creativity, and secrets.
Black House by Stephen King and Peter Straub tells the story of an ex-cop chasing a serial killer and discovering a whole new level of terror in his journey. It is a sequel to King and Straub’s 1984 novel, The Talisman.
In the Comics and Graphic Novels Collection
Locke & Key, written by Joe Hill and illustrated by Gabriel Rodríguez, follows the Locke siblings as they stumble upon a collection of enchanting keys, each granting them powers like shape-shifting, memory manipulation, and interdimensional travel. As they grapple with their newfound abilities, the Lockes must also confront malevolent forces drawn to the keys hidden within the depths of their family’s past, leading to a thrilling journey filled with mysteries and supernatural dangers.
In Ebook Central
Ebook Central is a database of thousands of e-books that you can access using your CUNYfirst credentials.
How-to E-books for Halloween Fun
Halloween Crafts by Annalees Lim provides step-by-step instruction for nine crafts, including zombie finger puppets, a spooky candy tree, hanging bats, and more. Gathering the materials needed for each craft will likely take more than ten minutes, but the items themselves are easy to assemble for children in elementary school and older. Some could also make great decorations for a Halloween party.
More Halloween Origami by Ruth Owen shows how to make such creatures as toads, spiders, and vampires out of paper. The step-by-step instructions are illustrated with photographs, and the inviting text tells about the origins of various Halloween traditions.
Spooky Snacks and Treats: Frightfully Fun Halloween Recipes for Kids by Zac Williams includes recipes for all the drinks, snacks, munchies, and treats you could possibly want for a Halloween party. The book is written for children, but many children will need adult help gathering and measuring ingredients and executing the steps in the recipes.
E-books on the History of Halloween and Related Monsters
Trick or Treat: A History of Halloween by Lisa Morton traces the history of the holiday from its Celtic origins to its portrayal in present-day popular culture.
Vampire Legends in Contemporary American Culture: What Becomes a Legend Most by William Patrick Day is about vampires and relates how vampires were presented in the past with how they are presented today. Vampires are immortal creatures and are serial killers that thirst for the blood of citizens. The author writes, “Contemporary vampire stories now not only have a past but represent the past to us, both the world of folklore and myth and the romantic and Victorian heritage of the nineteenth century.” The book includes pictures of the cast of movies and shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Ghosts: A Haunted History by Lisa Morton provides an expansive history of ghosts. After a chapter taking up the question of what is and is not a ghost, the book explores how ghosts have been portrayed in different cultures throughout the world, considers ghost-hunters, and discusses ghosts in literature, film, and popular culture.
Bad Clowns by Benjamin Radford is a cultural history of clowns in folklore, urban legend, and popular culture. “I myself harbor no particular love nor fear or hatred of clowns, whether bad or good,” writes the author in the introduction; as he points out, “because clowns are human (or at least have human attributes) they have good and bad sides.”
About the author This page is a collaborative effort by the BMCC Reads team.
