Welcome to Spellbinding Stories, a new monthly series from Eerie Missouri highlighting indie bookstores from across the State of Missouri. Each month we’ll be reaching out to purveyors of macabre literature, afficionados of terrifying tomes and curators of eerie tales for their favorite spine-tingling, hair-raising, goosebump-inducing book recommendations.
Our first installment of Spellbinding Stories takes us to Boonville, Missouri, the home of a truly magical (and dare we say slightly witchy) book shop. Located on Main Street, Bloom & Bindings has literally everything you need for a day of cozy reading. Great books. Cats. A fireplace. Cats. Comfy furniture. Cats. An inviting atmosphere. Cats. And did we mention cats? As of the writing of this article, Bloom & Bindings was hosting two of the most precious kittens, Lincoln and Justice, who were both available for adoption.
As if books and cats aren’t enough to lure us in, Bloom & Bindings also hosts an array of cool events, ranging from intuitive readings to a silent book club. So to kick off this new monthly series, we asked Bloom & Bindings Queen/Owner Amanda Penrod for her spooky, eerie, scary, chilling, cozy book recommendations for August. Keep reading for her picks:
For young readers:
“The Skull” by Jon Klassen
Summary: Jon Klassen’s signature wry humor takes a turn for the ghostly in this thrilling retelling of a traditional Tyrolean folktale. “We love this one because while it’s a little spooky, it’s really about courage and friendship,” Penrod said. “The artwork is beautiful as well!”
“The Little Ghost Who Was A Quilt” by Riel Nason
Summary: Ghosts are supposed to be sheets, light as air and able to whirl and twirl and float and soar. But the little ghost who is a quilt can’t whirl or twirl at all, and when he flies, he gets very hot. But one Halloween, everything changes. “We love this book because its theme is acceptance and friendship,” Penrod said. “It tells us it’s okay to be different!”
For adults:
“The Haunted Boonslick” by local author Mary Collins Barile
Summary: There is some uncertainty about the exact borders of the region that bounds the Boonslick trail but little doubt about the palpable and unsettling presence of its history. Stir up Missourians from St. Louis to Jackson County with the mention of ghosts, and after a few minutes of demurring, you will soon have more stories than you can shake a sheet at. Attend to the haunting music of John “Blind” Boone or the otherworldly poetry of Patience Worth. Crouch down in Civil War battlefields, crowded taverns or the uncomfortable saddle of a headless horse. Wend your way through Missouri’s haunted heart: the Boonslick.
“Haunted Columbia, Missouri” by local author Mary Collins Barile
Summary: The specter of Broadway legend Maude Adams checks in on classes at Stephens College, while ragtime pioneer John William Boone returns to trail invisible fingers along his grand piano. From the columns of Mizzou’s quad to the region’s winding country roads, author Mary Collins Barile explores the restless graves of Columbia’s eerie heritage.
“Haunted Ozarks” by Janice Tremeear
Summary: Tourists flock to the Ozarks region every year to dip their paddles in the pure waters of its wilderness or lose themselves in the happy bustle of its theme parks. But the serene hills and hollows often hide something darker. The Civil War and the Trail of Tears have marked the region, as did the James-Younger Gang and the Baldknobbers. Ghosts linger in resorts and penitentiaries, while UFOs and buried treasure rest in uneasy graves.
“Haunted Graveyards Of The Ozarks” by David Harkins
Summary: From the neatly tended urban necropolis to the long-forgotten family plot at the end of a winding gravel road, these “quiet cities” of the Ozarks have the power to send chills up and down the spine of the most hardened skeptic. Be it the restless Civil War soldiers of Greenbrier, the mass murderer who stalks Peace Church or the red eyes that persecute visitors to Robinson, tales of ghostly activity abound in every burial ground carved out of the ancient Ozark hills.
“Haunted Jefferson City” by Janice Tremeear
Summary: Missouri’s state capital groans beneath the burden of its haunted heritage, from the shadow people of Native American folklore to Boogie Man Bill, Missouri’s wild child. The muddy river waters hide the shifting graves of steamboat crews, like the one that went down with the Montana, and the savage scars of the Civil War still linger on the land. Join Janice Tremeear for the fascinating history behind Jefferson City’s most chilling tales, including a visit to the notorious Missouri State Penitentiary, where the vicious festered for 170 years.
“We love all of these books because how fun and spooky is it to hear ghost stories about the places you live & work in every day!?” Penrod said.
Bloom & Bindings is located at 315 Main St., Boonville, MO. For upcoming events and ridiculously cute photos of cats currently available for adoption, be sure to follow Bloom & Bindings on Facebook and Instagram.
Editor’s Note: All photos courtesy Bloom & Bindings.
Kathryn Deters McDonald is a Missouri native, writer, author and lover of all things spooky, ooky and eerie. Salem, Shmalem. It’s all right here in The Spook-Me State.
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