Youth horror
This is more or less the beginning of the first volume of Bunnicula Presents . The introduction very well reflects the nature of both books in this series currently available on the Polish market. In the title of the review, I allowed myself to suggest that these are gothic novels for children, because this is the stylistics the authors try to stick to, of course in a slightly looser convention. We find here a lot of references to the prose of Edgar Allan Poe, as well as to Czesław Miłosz. There were motifs known from horror novels, dramatic violin playing, lightning crackling in the night, and even kidnappings. However, the whole thing is presented in a humorous form, and the narrator is a very nice dog, Harold. We’ll take a look at what exactly we’ll find in Kicating Horror and Inn Pod Dog .
Socopic vampire?
The first volume of the series, Kicając horror , presents us with a story very much inspired by Bram Stoker’s Dracula . The house of the Monroe family, where the dog Harold and the cat Czesław (literature lover) also live, finds a rabbit sleeping all day. What’s more, the pet is baptized with the name Bunnicula. As if that wasn’t enough, from that moment on, every night the vegetables in the fridge are sucked out of all their juices. Harold and Czesław decide to join forces to find out more about a mysterious animal. The cat, who spends his days reading horror novels, immediately begins to associate Bunnicula’s habits with languishing vegetables. Will the duo of self-proclaimed detectives manage to save the rest of the family from danger?
No longer a vampire, but a killer
The next part of the series is called Inn under a dog . The author, this time one, gave up paranormal motifs here. Instead, we get a novel very much inspired by the master stories of Agatha Christie. The owners of Harold and Czesław go on vacation, and leave their four-legged friends at the guesthouse, Zamek Hau-Hau. The initially peaceful stay quickly turns into a real horror. The night is interrupted by a ghostly howl, mishaps repeat themselves, and more guests of the pet hotel mysteriously disappear. There is even a suspicion of murder… Czesław and Harold have to solve the mystery again. This time, however, they are in grave danger.
Illustrative horror
The beautiful edition of both of these books deserves recognition. Hard covers hide not only great stories, but also beautiful, atmospheric illustrations. Black and white drawings maintain a subtle atmosphere of horror. The covers were also kept in black and red colors. However, one should not be discouraged by the fearsome graphics, because the interior of the books is as friendly as possible to younger readers. There is also nothing here that could really scare them. Well, maybe a little…
Inspiration for the young
The interesting thing is that it is the second part of the Bunnicula series that is much better than its predecessor. Despite the undeniable charm of both of them, Zajazd poddog makes it hard to stop reading. However, I recommend getting to know both, because it’s a lot of fun. It’s a true classic of young adult literature with an added benefit. Clear references to the texts of Bram Stoker or Agatha Christie can make the youngest reach for their masterpieces more willingly. And that’s what we want, right?
