Paranormal Reading for Young Adults

History of the Paranormal Genre

Human beings have always tried to find explanations for the unexplainable. There has always been an awareness of something more than our physical existence. This has produced stories, sagas, tales, methods of divination, cults and religions. Humans have tried to understand, negotiate and to whatever extent possible, control this realm beyond the physical world. The modern genre of paranormal literature has definite historical roots in earlier tellings. The sagas and stories of the oral traditions are full of references to the supernatural and humanity's attempts to deal with it. The fairy tales and folk tales of the literate period usually have some kind of fantastic element in them. Modern collections and renditions of fairy tales and folk tales constitute some of the earliest children's fiction in this genre. There was much fascination with this type of material during the Victorian period and it often turned up in the novels and stories produced by the great writers of that time. Dickens, A Christmas Carol, certainly contains elements of it as do the works the Brontes and Jane Austen. Edgar Allen Poe, who is an early master of the modern short story, based many of his tales directly upon paranormal occurrences. The Telltale Heart and The Masque of the Red Death would be good examples of this. Paranormal literature is often considered an outgrowth or subgenre of Science Fiction. This seems a very normal progression in that science fiction deals with the unknown. Early writers such as C. S. Lewis and H. G. Wells produced fiction that spanned both genres and was considered appropriate for children and young adults. Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, certainly fit into this category as well. Since these early works many books and stories about the fantastic and the supernatural have been produced for the young adult audience. Trends come and go in this field. Aliens and flying saucers were popular subjects in the 50's, 60's, and 70's. The 80's and 90's produced an interest in witches and vampires that remains popular today. Several books in this genre are recommended here, and for those who wish to explore farther there are links to a variety of websites on the subject.

Bibliographies from the Paranormal Genre

Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allen Poe

The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe by Edgar Allan Poe is a collection of all of Poe's work. It has 73 tales in all, including stories, poems, essays, criticism, and journalistic writings. Poe was a developer of the detective story and the science fiction story. However, he is probably best known for his horror stories. Poe's tales of the macabre still thrill readers. This collection contains not only his well known works, but also lesser know works that are equally frightening.

The Changeling Sea by Patricia A. McKillip

The Changeling Sea is an excellent combination of fantasy and reality - the balance of hard working villagers and magical beings make this story not only enchanting, but lovely in its realism. Periwinkle is a likable, offbeat heroine, an uncared for child turning into a woman in spite of herself. McKillip's deft characterization and smooth, tender resolution result in a memorable, often poignant novel.

The Third Eye by Lois Duncan

The protagonist of this book is Karen, a high senior. She has psychic powers and wishes she didn't have them so she wouldn't feel like she's different from everyone. That is, until a local policeman asks for Karen's psychic help in locating missing persons. Will she see her powers as something positive? Will she become the hero by finding the missing persons?

Tree by Leaf by Cynthia Voigt

Set on the New England coast in the summer of 1920, this beautifully written novel traces the course of a few eventful days in Clothilde Speer's life. Miserable, confused, adrift, Clothilde wanders deep into the Maine woods, where she hears a Voice, a Voice that can grant all her wishes -- but at a very dear price. The author has woven together her themes of love, war and loss, and it is convincing and moving.

The Blooding by Patricia Windsor

Maris jumps at the chance to work for the summer as an au pair in England. She likes the family she is staying with very much but wonders about certain things going on: the father who wonders into the woods after dark, the mother who is sickly, the bathroom that often has remnants of blood and flesh...Can the family really be werewolves? Will she be the next victim?

Skelling by David Almond

Michael is a normal kid until he finds Skellig, the man-owl-angel who lies motionless behind the tea chests in the abandoned garage in back of the boy's dilapidated new house. As disturbing as this discovery is, it is the least of Michael's worries. The new house is a mess, his parents are distracted, and his brand-new baby sister is seriously ill. Still, he can't get this mysterious creature out of his mind--even as he wonders if he has really seen him at all. British novelist David Almond works magic as he examines the large issues of death, life, friendship, love, and the breathtaking connections between all things.

The Green Man

The image of the "Green Man" is an ancient one as the introduction to this collection makes clear. From the old tales to Tolkien to Susan Cooper's Green Boy (McElderry, 2002), the awakening of nature has fueled many a gripping tale. The 15 stories and 3 poems were written for this book by such diverse authors as Patricia McKillip, Michael Cadnum, and Midori Snyder. Mature themes and an often sophisticated view of the world and how one survives in it characterize many of these stories.

Look for Me by Moonlight by Mary Downing Hahn

Cynda doesn't want to go on a trip with her mom and stepfather to Italy so instead she goes to stay with her father, stepmother and half-brother at an old inn in Maine. Cynda soon finds out that the inn is haunted and finds herself in the middle of romance and danger.

Sites on Paranormal