Halloween Tales for Catholic Teens

Katie Fitzgerald reviews Shadows: Visible and Invisible, the new Hallowtide story collection from Catholic Teen Books. 

Shadows: Visible and Invisible

by Catholic Teen Books authors Leslea Wahl, Carolyn Astfalk, Corinna Turner, Antony Barone Kolenc, Theresa Linden, Marie Keiser, and T.M. Gaouette
Published by CatholicTeenBooks.com

Another great collection from a talented team 

The talented writers of Catholic Teen Books have published a number of short story collections for young readers, including Ashes: Visible & Invisible, in observance of Lent, and Gifts: Visible & Invisible, celebrating Christmas. Their latest volume, Shadows: Visible & Invisible, focuses on Hallowtide, the triduum that includes Halloween, All Souls Day, and All Saints Day. Reading this book is the perfect way for teenagers and their families to learn the Catholic roots of Halloween and to discover new authors to enjoy.  

Something for every reader  

This anthology includes seven stories across a variety of genres. Leslea Wahl and Theresa Linden contributed contemporary stories, while Antony Barone Kolenc and Carolyn Astfalk wrote in historical settings (1185 and the 1800s respectively.) The other stories are a dystopian tale involving dinosaurs by Corinna Turner, a science-fiction story by Marie Keiser set on a spaceship, and a speculative story by T.M. Gaouette told through the eyes of a soul in Purgatory. Each of these stories emphasizes the universality of the Catholic Church by portraying the same observances of Hallowtide in a variety of times and places.  

Spooky stories the Catholic way 

This collection does include some spooky elements similar to what readers might expect to find in mainstream Halloween books, but instead of telling typical, secular ghost stories, these authors root their fiction in the teachings of the church. Soul cakes, prayers in cemeteries, and liturgies in memory of the dead appear in nearly every story (along with the dead themselves sometimes), rooting the collection in our faith’s beliefs about the afterlife. The characters also model praying for the dead in an inviting way that encourages readers to do the same. There is even a page at the back of the book with suggested prayers for the souls in Purgatory.  

Great authors for teens and adults 

Not only is Shadows: Visible & Invisible a great book for teens, it is enjoyable for adults as well, and a great reminder about the true meaning of Halloween for those of us who may not have grown up with that understanding. It’s also a wonderful way to get to know the work of these excellent writers whose books are infused with a Catholic worldview. Several of the stories in this book are connected to novels by their authors, making them natural stepping-stones toward even more great Catholic literature for teenagers. Don’t miss the list at the back of the book showing all of the authors’ previous works. 

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Copyright 2024 Katie Fitzgerald
Images: (top) courtesy of CatholicTeenBooks.com, all rights reserved.