What was the scariest/most chilling book you read as a child?

[VintageGardenia]

And did you love it or hate it?

My ds is 11 and doesn't like reading scary books one bit - I hated them too when I was a child, I still do really. But the book that scared me most as a child was called Marianne Dreams by Catherine Storr, I can remember every bit of it and it still gives me the creeps to pass a tall boulder.

Just wondering what other chilling books there were.

Come Back Lucy was a chilling book about a foster child drawn into the past by a girl called Lucy who says she's her friend and then starts to be horrid in both times. It was made into an ITV production which was equally good. Would love a copy of the book but it now out of print.

Lucy was the orphan and Alice was the sinister child from the past, Freber. I'm lucky enough to have my original paperback so it's easier for me to check!

It was a great story and I can't think why it's out of print. Mind you, I can't think why a lot of good children's books are out of print.

MM and M-and anyone else out there...did the hattifatners in Moomins (sp.) worry you at all. All that business with barometers and going around in odd numbers...creepy

I don't remember being alarmed by the Hattifatteners, Spacehoppa, perhaps I didn't have enough imagination!

But I was alarmed by Moominpappa's mid-life crisis in Moominpappa at Sea - he wasn't meant to behave like that. And Moomintroll's loneliness in Moominland Midwinter was almost tangible.

OK then psychobabble Tehanu- worthy addition or failed experiment?

Hoppa attempts to out-snob

owl service

marianne dreams

SHUDDER

oh the the Hobbyas - little dog turpy