An overnight camping trip! Not Harold’s idea of fun. Too many mosquitoes, ticks and cockleburs. But when the Monroe family set out, their faithful dog Harold was with them, mostly because he remembered that camping could also bring s’mores and toasted marshmallows. Howie, the other family dog, and Chester the cat were also included in the trip. Only Chester thought the idea was completely insane. … insane. The woods, he informed Harold, were not only full of cockleburs and ticks, but of spirits, evil spirits who prey on the innocent. And on this, the worst night of the year — St. George’s Eve, when all spirits are set loose — who knew what could happen.
What Harold knew was that Chester was a well read, over-stimulated cat, full of weird ideas. He did not take Chester’s worries too seriously. He had s’more to think about. But then, the Monroes set up camp near two strange men and their even stranger dog, and things began to happen that made even Harold wonder. Could Chester be right?
This begins a long night, full of terrors and alarms, full of Chester’s horrifying tale of how Bunnicula, the vampire bunny, was born and came to America, full of storms and a total sense of danger; and at the end came surprises that even Chester could not have predicted.
Once again, the Monroe family may be the victims of evil forces or only of Chester’s strange imagination. But whichever, the result is suspenseful and very, very funny.
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Nighty-Nightmare, James Howe, 1987
My favorite quote: “‘In the woods it’s always dark,’ he said. ‘In the forest of the soul it’s always night.’”
Notable characters: Harold, our canine narrator; Chester, his feline friend; Howie, the young punster, the Monroes, their oblivious human family; Bud, Spud, and Dawg, their mysterious camping companions
Most memorable scene: Chester’s entire story about Dr. Emil Alphonse Diabolicus, aka, Dr. E.A.D., was to, ahem, die for
Greatest strengths: The pure (well, strongly implied, anyway) creepiness of Bud, Spud, and Dawg
Standout achievements: This installment has serious Dracula vibes … a big part of why I love it so much
Fun Facts: This was the last one in this series that I read as a kid — so I’m excited the read the rest of them and see if I love them as much as an adult
Other media: N/A
What it taught me: That St. George’s Day is an actual thing … and that it’s actually on April 23rd
How it inspired me: Reading this book (and the others in this series) reminds me that there’s great power in simplicity — that as a writer, you must resist the power to overwrite, and always, always trust the imaginations of the readers
Additional thoughts: I feel bad that Chester is always wrong in the end. Just once, I’d like his terrible suspicions to be founded. But alas, everyone likes a happy ending …
Haunt me: alistaircross.com
In this spooky continuation of the adventures of Herald, Chester, and Howie, we are taken on a camping trip with the Monroes. When Mr. Monroe decides to leave their vacation cabin to camp in the woods, the idea seems wonderful, so they pack up and head out. Then they get to the campsite and find two strange men there with a strange dog, and things stranger from there.
With the new dog, called Dog by his owners, Harold, Chester, and Howie go off on a whirlwind adventure. With the eve of St. George’s Day on Chester’s mind, some hare-raising stories are told, including the supposed origin of their favorite vampire rabbit, Bunnicula. But when they get lost in the woods, the pets start to worry about the Monroes and the intentions of the two strange men. Will they ever see their beloved family again, or is there a sinister plot to end their lives, permanently?
I really enjoyed this book. The supposed origin of Bunnicula is great fun to read about, and the new characters are just weird enough to be suspicious. Harold, Chester, and Howie are their usual goofy selves, and Chester’s wild imagination (due to excessive reading and television watching) is once again the cat-alyst (not sorry) for hilarity.
If you enjoyed the other Bunnicula books, this book is a great addition to the series. The origin story of Bunnicula was one of the best parts of the story, and if you ever wanted to know where the vampire bunny came from, this is the book for you. Funny and charming, this book will make you laugh at the antics of our favorite author dog and his companions.