Freaky Folklore reveals the history and culture of over 50 ancient and modern mythological beasts and creatures from around the world.

Aliens, ghosts, and cryptids may all fall under the category of “strange” or “unusual,” but all are classified as paranormal. There are plenty of spooky and scary stories throughout history. From Abraham Lincoln’s doppelganger to the mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle and even the feeling of déjà vu, there are many unexplained phenomena. Even some aspects of history itself are still a mystery, like the Antikythera mechanism found in a Greek shipwreck. This book shows readers that there is often a blurry line between fact and the paranormal, and sometimes fact is even stranger than fiction!

Step behind the veil of a rarely accessed culture with terrifying and mysterious ghost stories and lore as old and deeply enriched as the Appalachian Mountains themselves. Hosts of the leading, ever-popular horror podcast network, Eeriecast, guide the reader through the winding trails and thick forests of Appalachia, encountering the ghosts, creepy creatures, paranormal sounds, and mysterious mists that cloak and roam this rarely-accessed region. With an emphasis on the rich history and deep cultural roots that haunt the folklore unique to Appalachia, Darkness Prevails and Carman Carrion illuminates the darkest and creepiest stories that have shaped a cryptic and essential aspect of Americana, including: Wampus Cat The Nûñnë'hï The Story of Spearfinger The Ghosts of Shut-in Creek The Scorched Man and more that demonstrate the tapestry of cultures that make up Appalachia, including Indigenous Native American-, colonial European-, and African American-influenced lore. Artful illustrations of each eerie story take this compilation beyond the ordinary, bringing to life the ghosts, monsters, and cryptids of the Appalachian Trail.

Horrifying Children examines weird and eerie children's television and literature via critical analysis, memoir and autoethnography. There has been an explosion of interest in the impact of children's television and literature of the late twentieth century. In particular, the 1970s, '80s and '90s are seen as decades that shaped a great deal of the contemporary cultural landscape. Television of this period dominated the world of childhood entertainment, drawing freely upon literature and popular culture, like the Garbage Pail Kids and Stranger Things, and much of it continues to resonate powerfully with the generation of cultural producers (fiction writers, screenwriters, directors, musicians and artists) that grew up watching the weird, the eerie and the horrific: the essence of 21st-century Hauntology. In these terms this book is not about children's television as it exists now, but rather as it features as a facet of memory in the 21st century. As such it is the legacy of these television programmes that is at the core of Horrifying Children. The 'haunting' of adults by what we have seen on the screen is crucial to the study. This collection directly addresses that which 'scared us' in the past insomuch as there is a correlation between individual and collective cultural memory, with some chapters providing an opportunity for situating existing explorations and understandings of Gothic and Horror TV within a hauntological and experiential framework.

Discover the history and culture of over 50 of the most fearsome mythical creatures to capture the human imagination in this startlingly illustrated compendium. Accompanied by illustrations of each beast, Freaky Folklore is your guide to the world’s most terrifying beings, from ancient times to today. Hosts from Eeriecast, the leading horror podcast network, present the most frightening—and entertaining—tales of these mysterious creatures, revealing everything you need to know. This beautifully creepy collection is filled with wicked monsters, including: Chupacabra: A legendary monster that is said to drain the blood of livestock throughout Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the US Southwest. Jersey Devil: Said to have been created due to a mother's curse upon her newborn in the Pine Barrens of southern New Jersey, USA. Kelpie: A shape-shifting water horse told of in Celtic folklore. Whatever form it takes, it is said to lure its victims to their watery graves. Moehau: A cryptid from Māori mythology, it stands up to 8 feet tall and can be very aggressive when encountered. Kuchisake-onna: From Japanese folklore, Kuchisake-onna is a yokai with deep gashes that forms a haunting smile across her face. Should you happen to meet her, she will ask you a question--and you had better answer it correctly. Dogman: A werewolf or werewolf-type creature first reported in 1887 in Wexford County, Michigan, Dogman sightings have been reported in several locations throughout Michigan, primarily in the northwestern quadrant of the Lower Peninsula. Freaky Folklore has the stories, culture, and illustrations for you to be on the lookout for these beasts. Dive into the world of mythology and find what makes each creature unique.

Taylor Swift, arguably the most prolific and acclaimed singer-songwriter of the 21st century, has shaped her listeners' collective consciousness and challenged her industry's often limiting attitudes toward genre, revision, and collaboration. Although Swift is a perennial subject in the media, cast in both a positive and a negative light, few professional scholars have considered her ever-growing body of work. The Literary Taylor Swift examines Swift's significance and timeliness through literary analysis and theory. Taylor Swift has been celebrated for her ability to craft immersive narratives and to articulate, with lyrical acuity, a broad range of emotional experiences, and her lyrics underscore her profound relationship with text. The Literary Taylor Swift explores Swift's engagements, intertextual and otherwise, with literature and treats her songs as literature-as, that is, stories, poems, and other textual forms to which literary-critical theories and methodologies can and should be productively applied. This collection offers carefully curated arguments constellated around four key relationships: Swift and the literary-historical canon; Swift and the language of gender and sexuality; Swift and the relationship between writing and memory; and Swift and the nature of literary craft.

This fascinating book uncovers the history behind urban legends and explains how the contemporary iterations of familiar fictional tales provide a window into the modern concerns—and digital advancements—of our society. What do ghost hunting, legend tripping, and legendary monsters have in common with email hoaxes, chain letters, and horror movies? In this follow-up to Libraries Unlimited's Tales, Rumors, and Gossip: Exploring Contemporary Folk Literature in Grades 7–12, author Gail de Vos revisits popular urban legends, and examines the impact of media—online, social, and broadcast—on their current iterations. What Happens Next? Contemporary Urban Legends and Popular Culture traces the evolution of contemporary legends from the tradition of oral storytelling to the sharing of stories on the Internet and TV. The author examines if the popularity of contemporary legends in the media has changed the form, role, and integrity of familiar legends. In addition to revisiting some of the legends highlighted in her first book, de Vos shares new tales in circulation which she sees as a direct result of technological advancements.

This comprehensive bibliography covers writings about vampires and related creatures from the 19th century to the present. More than 6,000 entries document the vampire's penetration of Western culture, from scholarly discourse, to popular culture, politics and cook books. Sections by topic list works covering various aspects, including general sources, folklore and history, vampires in literature, music and art, metaphorical vampires and the contemporary vampire community. Vampires from film and television--from Bela Lugosi's Dracula to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, True Blood and the Twilight Saga--are well represented.

What really happened that weekend? Four friends go to a remote cabin one summer. Only three return. Life is good for university friends Sarah, Ruth, Charlotte, and Kathy: exams are over and they’re escaping to a cabin by the Blue Pool. But when Sarah disappears without a trace, life for the others will never be the same again. Twenty-five years later a man walks into a police station, claiming to know about the missing girl. Suddenly, the three women – now estranged – become suspects. Forced to revisit that horrifying weekend, they must confront buried fears. For not everything was as it seemed. And the greater the secret, the deeper it lies... From the author of Twisted River comes another unputdownable and unpredictable psychological thriller perfect for fans of Clare Mackintosh, Paula Hawkins, and B A Paris. Praise for Twisted River by Siobhan MacDonald ‘MacDonald’s dark and twisted tale of American tourists caught up in recession-hit Ireland will change the way you look at house swaps forever’ Alex Marwood, award-winning author of The Wicked Girls ‘Thrilling... a strong choice for readers who enjoyed Paula Hawkins’s The Girl on the Train.’ Library Journal ‘Evocative and richly detailed, Twisted River is a page-turning mystery about the tragic consequences that result when the tightly held secrets of two families collide.’ Kimberly McCreight, author of Reconstructing Amelia and Where They Found Her ‘MacDonald toys with the reader, leading right then feinting left with plot twists that genuinely surprise. Infidelity, deception, revenge, and murder all come into play, but the big thrill here is the constant undermining of assumptions.’ Kirkus Reviews ‘Twisted River is a superb thriller – gripping, surprising, and terrifically rewarding.’ Chris Pavone, bestselling author of The Expats ‘A gripping novel... it commands your attention from the very beginning’ InStyle Magazine ‘A terrific debut novel. MacDonald develops her twin stories with masterly control of mood and scene’ Chicago Tribune ‘​A remarkable debut novel [plotted with] breathtaking precision’ Toronto Star

A collection of seven freaky stories especially compiled for parents and teachers to share with young children. Bright and bold illustrations complement the lively text.