The Short Version
If you loved Something Wicked This Way Comes, I have six books for you.
They are all spoiler free, and they all share what makes Ray Bradbury’s novel special: a spooky autumn mood, young heroes, a strange visitor, and prose you want to read slowly.
Let’s start with the closest one.
Dandelion Wine
Number one is Dandelion Wine, by Ray Bradbury, from nineteen fifty seven.
It is set in Green Town, Illinois, the very same town as our book, but this time it is summer, in nineteen twenty eight. A twelve year old boy named Douglas Spaulding wakes up one morning and realizes he is alive.
It is the sunny twin of Something Wicked. There is no villain with a calling card here. There is a boy, a town, and a summer full of small wonders and small sadnesses. If you loved the way Bradbury writes about boyhood, start here.
The Halloween Tree
Number two is The Halloween Tree, also by Bradbury, from nineteen seventy two.
On Halloween night, a group of boys goes out trick or treating, and one of them, Pipkin, is in terrible trouble. A strange, tall man called Mr. Moundshroud takes the rest of them on a flying trip through history to learn where Halloween came from.
It is shorter and lighter than Something Wicked, and it is perfect for younger readers, or anyone who wants a Halloween story that feels like a magic trick. It is great read aloud.
The Night Circus
Number three is The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern, from twenty eleven.
A circus arrives without warning and opens only at night. The tents are black and white, and everything inside is a little bit magical. But behind it all, two young performers are locked into a mysterious competition they did not choose.
If the carnival was your favorite part of Something Wicked, this is your book. It is more romantic and more dreamlike, with a slow, gorgeous style that rewards patience.
The Graveyard Book
Number four is The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman, from two thousand eight.
A baby escapes a terrible night and wanders into a graveyard, where the ghosts decide to raise him. They name him Nobody Owens, Bod for short, and he grows up among the dead, learning their tricks and their rules.
This is a good pick if you liked the father and son warmth of our book. It is spooky, funny and surprisingly moving, and it works for teens and adults alike.
The Ocean at the End of the Lane
Number five is The Ocean at the End of the Lane, also by Neil Gaiman, from twenty thirteen.
A man returns to the country lane where he grew up, and remembers something strange that happened when he was seven. A neighbor girl lived at the end of the lane, and she insisted that the duck pond behind her house was an ocean.
It is short, haunting, and told from a child’s point of view, with that same feeling Bradbury gives you, that the adults around you do not know what is really going on. Read it in one evening.
The October Country
Number six is The October Country, by Ray Bradbury, from nineteen fifty five.
This is a collection of short stories, and it is Bradbury at his creepiest. Think dark carnivals, strange visitors, fear that creeps in at the edges, and some truly unsettling little tales.
It also pairs perfectly with Something Wicked, since it comes from the same imagination. If you want to read a story a night in October, this is the one.
How To Choose
So how do you choose?
If you want more Green Town and more Bradbury, start with Dandelion Wine.
If you want a short, fun Halloween adventure, pick The Halloween Tree.
For the magical carnival feeling, The Night Circus.
For ghosts and a warm heart, The Graveyard Book.
For quiet, haunting childhood memories, The Ocean at the End of the Lane.
And for pure spooky short stories, The October Country.
What To Watch Next
If you haven’t yet, my full spoiler free review of Something Wicked This Way Comes is linked, and so is the ending explained video for when you finish.
Tell me in the comments, which one are you picking up first? I read every one. Thanks for watching, and see you in the next video.
