Are You Afraid of the Dark? Getting Middle-Grade Novel

A seminal horror experience for kids in the '90s was Nickelodeon's Are You Afraid of the Dark?, which delivered family-friendly tales of terror to either intrigue audiences about the horror genre or scare them away for life. Recent years have seen the series revived and reimagined in various ways, with one of the new ways the series will stay alive is through the upcoming middle-grade novel Are You Afraid of the Dark?: The Tale of the Gravemother. Much like the original TV show, the book aims to walk the line between eerie and exciting to draw in younger readers to the iconic world. Are You Afraid of the Dark?: The Tale of the Gravemother hits shelves on June 27th.

Per press release, "Published under the Amulet imprint with an announced first printing of 75,000 copies, the first middle-grade novel, The Tale of the Gravemother, will be written by critically acclaimed horror author Rin Chupeco and released in hardcover on June 27th. Horror novelist Danielle Valentine is signed on to write book two in the series, which features original horror stories narrated by an all-new Midnight Society. Fall 2023 will introduce the first graphic novel, The Witch's Wings and Other Terrifying Tales, drawing inspiration from Mexican folklore and urban legends and written by bestselling author Tehlor Kay Mejia and illustrated by Justin and Alexis Hernandez, Junyi Wu, and Kaylee Rowena. The middle-grade graphic novels will be simultaneously published in both hardcover and paperback upon release. 

"One of Nickelodeon's most iconic series from the '90s, the original Are You Afraid of the Dark? delivered riveting stories of horror to young audiences, all from a kid's perspective. In 2019, Are You Afraid of the Dark? saw a revival on Nickelodeon, which aired with an all-new Midnight Society telling scary stories to the next generation of horror enthusiasts. The show recently debuted its third installment, Are You Afraid of The Dark?: Ghost Island, which premiered on July 30, 2022.

"The Tale of the Gravemother marks the launch of the publishing program. The original novel is set in Solitude, a fictional town known for its local spook, a 19th-century woman responsible for the disappearance of several children. Everyone knows better than to trespass on her property. But when construction disturbs the grounds and rumors of a mysterious, jawless woman begin to circulate, 14-year-old Rhett must figure out how to put the ghost to rest before a new reign of terror is unleashed...starting with his sister as the latest victim.

"Arriving one season later, the graphic novel The Witch's Wings and Other Terrifying Tales features haunted buses, monstrous creatures, and spine-chilling mysteries. In order to join the Midnight Society, a new storyteller must share three interconnected stories -- 'The Tale of the Witch's Wings,' 'The Tale of the Haunting of Bus #13,' and 'The Tale of the Stray Comet' -- to prove she has the horror goods. The segments will be brought to life with distinct, eerie art styles from four different illustrators."

"We are thrilled -- and chilled -- to be partnering with Paramount on a creative publishing program that extends the fan-favorite Are You Afraid of the Dark? franchise with all-new original tales that will engage both existing fans and new readers alike," Andrew Smith, Senior Vice President, and Publisher of Abrams Children's Books, shared in a statement. "We're honored to be working with such amazingly talented creators -- fans themselves -- to bring these terrifying new stories to life!" 

Are You Afraid of the Dark?: The Tale of the Gravemother hits shelves on June 27th.

Will you be adding the book to your collection? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things Star Wars and horror!