Haunted Canada (Graphic Novel, Volume 2): Four More Terrifying Tales

Written by Joel A. Sutherland

Illustrated by Hannah Barrett, Mike Feehan, Maya McKibbin, and Matt Salisbury

Scholastic Canada

978-1-4431-9630-7

144 pp.

Ages 9–12

September 2025 

 

To follow up on Haunted Canada (Graphic Novel, Volume 1): Four Terrifying Tales (2024), Joel A. Sutherland brings us another four Canadian ghost stories that will thrill, shock, scare, and even delight young readers, especially those who can't get enough horror reading.

 

The first story is "The Bog Wraith," which is illustrated by Maya McKibbon (she illustrated The Song That Called Them Home, 2023). At Pelly River Crossing, Yukon Territory, in 1897, a man leaves his wife and daughter to find gold in the riverbeds of Dawson. When Jerry and his dog Max come across three old-timers, he is warned about crossing the Pelly River because of the muskeg and the ghosts. But when Jerry is forced by a bear to cross, he finds both terror and assistance from spirits trapped there.

From "The Bog Wraith" in Haunted Canada (Graphic Novel, Volume 2): Four More Terrifying Tales, written by Joel A. Sutherland, illustrated by Maya McKibbin

St. John's artist Mike Feehan illustrates the second story which is titled, "The Etobicoke Poltergeist." Set in 1968 Etobicoke, a suburb of Toronto, a family of parents, two young daughters and a baby son is plagued by the ghost of an old woman. The menacing ghost warns the oldest daughter of hardship, sickness, and death. When Dad goes on a strike and the baby is hospitalized, the family brings in a minister to perform and exorcism.

From "The Etobicoke Poltergeist" in Haunted Canada (Graphic Novel, Volume 2): Four More Terrifying Tales, written by Joel A. Sutherland, illustrated by Mike Feehan

The third story is called, "The Bloody Neck Man" and apparently took place in 1802 in the village of Myrnam, Alberta. Matt Salisbury illustrates the story of two fathers who cannot get along and refuse to let their two children, the daughter of one and the son of the other, associate. The two kids, however, like to help each other, sharing fish they've caught and more. When their two fathers and other men go off to trade furs, the two young people realize they've both had a dream about a man with a bloody neck. Pierre believes it is a fetch i.e., a supernatural double of someone and a bad omen. Soon, Lizzie realizes that dream, and the pool of blood she discovers on the floor, has more to do with their fathers than might be expected.

From "The Bloody Neck Man" in Haunted Canada (Graphic Novel, Volume 2): Four More Terrifying Tales, written by Joel A. Sutherland, illustrated by Matt Salisbury

"The Doll That Wouldn't Die" is the final story and the most recent, taking place in 1980s Gatineau Hills, Quebec. In this story, illustrated by Hannah Barrett, a family of three moves into their new house, and the very young son Timothy finds a doll. The pregnant mom thinks it's creepy and intends to get rid of it but Timothy, who has been talking to the doll, demands it back. Whether they can destroy the doll or separate the child from it may not be under their control.

From "The Doll That Wouldn't Die" in Haunted Canada (Graphic Novel, Volume 2): Four More Terrifying Tales, written by Joel A. Sutherland, illustrated by Hannah Barrett

Author Joel A. Sutherland knows how to tell a scary story or five. Just check out his numerous Haunted Canada short story collections (e.g., Haunted Canada: The Second Terrifying Collection) or his middle-grade horror (e.g., The House Next Door). I especially appreciate his highlighting of Canadian ghost stories. In this collection, we travel from Alberta to Ontario, from the Yukon to Quebec. And the stories take us from the time of the fur traders to those seeking their fortune in the Klondike Gold Rush, as well as more contemporary stories. Each has their own supernatural element, though all have frightening natures that need to be braved. And the way Joel A. Sutherland tells these stories makes us believe these things could happen to anyone. Shudder.

 

Because each story is different, each illustrator delivers us to a different time and place. Maya McKibbin gives us remote landscape of bogs and forests, while Matt Feehan takes us to the swinging '60s of sideburns, fabric chokers and peasant dresses. Matt Salisbury gives us the remoteness of Alberta when people fished and trapped, and the men travelled far to trade. Finally, Hannah Barrett delivers us to our most contemporary setting and gives us a creepy doll that is an unlucky, cherished moppet and more the kind of nightmares.

 

It doesn't matter that Halloween is just days away. Maybe Halloween will be a great time for sharing these ghost stories, but young readers who appreciate horror will find Haunted Canada (Graphic Novel, Volume 2): Four More Terrifying Tales a fabulous read anytime. I just might recommend not saving them for a bedtime reading, especially with illustrations that might pervade your sleep and emerge in your nocturnal visions. 

 

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Haunted Canada Graphic Novel, Volume 1: Four Terrifying Tales (2024)

Haunted Canada Graphic Novel, Volume 2: Four More Terrifying Tales (2025)