Summary
Many decades-old children’shorrorbooks have become classics in their own right, fromR.L. Stine’sGoosebumpsseriesto Alvin Schwartz’sScary Stories to Tell in the Dark.These unnerving tales left strong impressions on those who grew up with them, so it’s little wonder that they still spark feelings of nostalgia and excitement today. Mostclassic children’s books that people are still readinghave earned their reputations. However, there are a few underrated kids' books that deserve bigger legacies — andone ridiculous children’s horror series falls into this category:Bunnicula.
Written by James and Deborah Howe,the firstBunniculabook debuted back in 1979 and was followed by several other novelscentered on the titular rabbit.Bunniculasees the pets of the Monroe household dealing with a sinister new addition to their family: a vampire rabbit they believe sucks the life out of vegetables. Given its hilarious premise,Bunniculaisn’t a horrorbook series that traumatized Millennialsnearly as much asGoosebumpsandScary Stories to Tell in the Dark.However, it should have a much greater legacy than it currently does.
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The Bunnicula Series Is A Hilarious & Underrated Entry Point Into Children’s Horror
The Books Have Charm, Humor, & A Few Solid Scares
TheBunniculabooks are considered modern classics in some circles, but they’ve always flown under the radar compared to series likeGoosebumpsandFear Street.You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who doesn’t know about R.L. Stine’s horror books, but there are plenty of kids and adults unaware thatBunniculaexists. This is a shame, as the series is an underrated entry point into children’s horror. It’s not as scary as other offerings in the genre, butBunniculasuccessfully delivers a suspenseful story full of eerie moments and compelling mysteries.
Bunnicula’s animal characters make the books easy to get invested in, as everyone from Chester the standoffish cat to Howie the naive Dacshund proves extremely lovable. Even Bunnicula himself is hardly a true villain, and readers will simultaneously root for the other Monroe pets and feel for the vampire rabbit.TheBunniculabooks do an impressive job of balancing charm, humor, and scares— all while remaining appropriate for the kids they’re aimed at. Given how unique the series is, it’s surprising it doesn’t have a bigger legacy in 2024.
The Bunnicula Books Deserve A Much Bigger Legacy
It’s Surprising They Aren’t As Hyped As Other Kids' Horror Books
AlthoughBunniculahasn’t disappeared in the present day — many readers are nostalgic for the books and even pass them on to their own children — it’s much less prominent than other kids' horror series. It’s difficult to compare anything toGoosebumpsorFear Street, but those are so often recommended. And it’s somewhat disappointing thatBunniculahasn’t maintained anything close to that level of excitement, as it’s truly a gem of children’shorror. It’s fun and unique, and it stands the test of time. A new generation of readers would greatly benefit from discovering the series.
