Gothic books
Into The Forest by Anthony Browne (Walker Books, £5.99)
A fantastic book to put the fear into young children, while older ones will enjoy reading it for themselves. Playing on a young boy’s anxieties, Children’s Laureate Anthony Browne takes readers on a journey where terror builds more through the power of suggestion than any real event.
Fear factor 8/10
Dimanche Diller by Henrietta Branford (HarperCollins, £4.99)
Wicked guardians, evil plots and a lovely young female heroine have turned this book into a modern classic. Orphaned at the tender age of one, Dimanche, heir to a fortune, is taken into the care of the money-grabbing Valburga Vilemile. A brilliant introduction to the Gothic genre.
Fear factor 7/10
Crazy Hair by Neil Gaiman (HarperCollins, £11.99)
Master of the dark and disgusting, Gaiman’s book for younger readers gives just a small glimpse of the author’s Gothic potential. When a young girl ogles a man’s outrageous hairdo, a strange and unusual story ensues, that’s also ever so slightly creepy.
Fear factor 4/10
Gothic films
Witches (Cert PG)
Based on Roald Dahl’s book of the same name, this superbly scary offering tells the story of a recently orphaned boy who is taken to England by his grandmother. At the hotel in which they are staying, a group of witches have gathered to prepare a plot to rid the world of all children.
Fear factor 9/10
Coraline (Cert PG)
A movie must for any budding Goth, it tells the story of a young girl who feeling bored and neglected, discovers a parallel world where her parents are fun and caring, yet have buttons for eyes. But as Coraline soon discovers, not everything is as it seems.
Fear factor 8/10
Monster House (Cert PG)
A suburban home has become physically animated by a vengeful human soul looking to stir up trouble from beyond the grave. It’s up to three adventurous children from the neighbourhood to do battle in this comically frightful tale.
Fear factor 7/10
