Haunted Canada Graphic Novel, Volume 3: Four Chilling Tales

Written by Joel A. Sutherland

Illustrated by Sara Harding, Maya McKibbin, Jackie Reynolds, & Josh Rosen

Scholastic Canada

978-1-0397-1126-6 

144 pp.

Ages 9–12

September 2026 

 

There's always a good time for reading all the Haunted Canada series, graphic novel or not, but what better way to herald the Halloween season than with a new Haunted Canada Graphic Novel from Joel A. Sutherland and a quartet of talented illustrators.

 

In this third volume titled Four Chilling Tales, Joel A. Sutherland tells us four haunting stories from the past that move into the present day. The first story is "Rebecca's Concrete Grave" in which a young woman in 1876 Moncton is declared a witch after she helps save her family's farm when drought and fire ravages the rest of the community. After she is hanged and placed in a grave filled with concrete, the area is said to be cursed. When contemporary teens play a prank on a student, Rebecca appears to challenge the betrayal. Illustrator Sara Harding takes us easily from post-Confederation Canada to a contemporary setting, giving us a frightening Rebecca that will be the thing of nightmares.

Illustration by Sara Harding from Haunted Canada Graphic Novel, Volume 3: Four Chilling Tales, written by Joel A. Sutherland

The story of "Nighttime in the Asylum" comes from Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, Quebec (1959) when a building was being used as a boys' home. When three boys sneak to the basement to open a stolen Christmas gift, they hear a voice telling one to use a lighter to burn it all down. Almost sixty years later, after the boys' home had been turned into an asylum and now bought by a couple who see profits in opening it to ghost hunters, the yellow-green ghosts still want those whom they encounter to burn everything down. Illustrator Maya McKibbin gives us wacky ghost hunters, electrifying specters, and shockingly mesmerizing eyes on those stricken by the ghosts.

Illustration by Maya McKibbin from Haunted Canada Graphic Novel, Volume 3: Four Chilling Tales, written by Joel A. Sutherland

"The Swamp Hag" is the third story and is illustrated by Jackie Reynolds. This story from Bell Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, has a miner dealing with the disappearance of his daughter in 1943. The miners believe that mines are haunted, so some aren't surprised when Clancy believes he sees his daughter there. But, the real surprise occurs when two miners, Nate and Walt, go to work their fields, and Walt admits to seeing something that he has been ashamed to reveal. 

Illustration by Jackie Reynolds from Haunted Canada Graphic Novel, Volume 3: Four Chilling Tales, written by Joel A. Sutherland

Joel A. Sutherland's final story, "The Haunted Camp," is inclusive of all the earlier tales as a scout leader at Camp Gilwell, Lebret, Saskatchewan regales his young charges with scary stories. Some don't believe the stories, but when he tells them the one about the creepy old place nearby, they may start to think differently. It's a story of a doctor who opened his home to tuberculosis patients. When his wife becomes ill, she begs him to take care of her beloved dogs Archie and Bailey. After he remarries and then dies, his first wife haunts the home looking for her dogs. Josh Rosen's illustrations are both playful and surprising. The boys are curious, bold, and anxious, and their scout leader is a little goofy, though he does go to check out the haunted house. As for the ghosts of Helena, the doctor's wife, and her dogs, Josh Rosen gives them just the right touch of menacing. They are enough to make a good story without keeping young readers up at night.

Illustration by Josh Rosen from Haunted Canada Graphic Novel, Volume 3: Four Chilling Tales, written by Joel A. Sutherland

Haunted Canada Graphic Novel, Volume 3: Four Chilling Tales will be a colourful diversion until the costumes and trick-or-treating are upon us. Better yet, Joel A. Sutherland makes us believe these stories might all be true, if you trust in his preface.

The following stories are inspired by true events. That's right, true. You can choose to believe...or not. The ghosts don't mind either way. 

 Huh?

 

The Scariest House on the Street

Written by Joel A. Sutherland

Illustrated by Terry Pearson

North Winds Press (Scholastic Canada)

978-1-0397-1917-0

32 pp.

Ages 3–8

July 2026 

Author Joel A. Sutherland is known for scary. He has written the Haunted Canada series, the Haunted Canada Graphic Novel series (e.g., Haunted Canada Graphic Novel: Four More Terrifying Tales, 2025), titles in the Haunted series like Field of Screams (2020), and his standalone stories like Summer's End (2024) and Screamers (2022). He delights middle-grade readers and teens with stories that frighten, twist, and terrorize. Joel A. Sutherland is our Canadian version of R. L. Stine. And now he's ready to amuse our youngest readers with a story of monsters that will entertain without frightening.

From The Scariest House on the Street, written by Joel A. Sutherland, illustrated by Terry Pearson

Monsters Willow and her friends Violet, Harry, and Gill love playing at the abandoned house at the end of Shivers Street. But they are aghast when someone moves in and cleans up the place. There are no spiderweb anymore, or rats, or holes. And it smells lemony fresh. 

It was much scarier than Willow could have imagined. (pg. 9)

From The Scariest House on the Street, written by Joel A. Sutherland, illustrated by Terry Pearson

They imagine who might have moved in. Could it be gnomes, or zombies, or perhaps a sasquatch? When they're invited to a Halloween Party at 13 Shivers Street and compelled to go—parents can be so unrelenting—they dress up in their most terrifying costumes, and head out to meet Bronwen, a bubbly swamp creature, a tiny vampire named Fiona, and a werewolf named Charles. But it is Halloween. And our monsters and their new neighbours may be surprised to learn they are not what the other expected.

From The Scariest House on the Street, written by Joel A. Sutherland, illustrated by Terry Pearson

In a story about the scariest house on the street, Joel A. Sutherland won't scare little ones as much as amuse them with a story about monsters who think dressing as a doctor, astronaut, business person, and fisherman is scary. What will be funny to those readers will be monsters frightened of humans and vice versa, sort of. Without telling kids to accept others who might be different, Joel A. Sutherland twists their perceptions about those who are different—reminds me a lot of Frederic Brown's 1954 short story, Sentry—and shows them finding interest in their differences. Differences give richness to a community, and the new neighbours on Shivers Street definitely give it life. (Pun intended.) 

This is Joel A. Sutherland's first picture book, and he sets the tone perfect for young children. Nothing scary, lots to charm, and a story with an understated message about acceptance of those who are different. That same aspect comes through Terry Pearson's digital illustrations which give us not-so-scary monsters, a Halloween party of epic games and food, and characters that are colourful, a little naive, and sweetly distinct. Kids will definitely want to try to emulate those costumes and that party this Halloween, and, with Terry Pearson's artwork, they'll have all the visuals needed to pull them off.

From The Scariest House on the Street, written by Joel A. Sutherland, illustrated by Terry Pearson

I know it's a little early to be thinking about Halloween but, for many kids, the anticipation is part of the fun. Bring them some hilarity early with ideas for that holiday from The Scariest House on the Street and with a story that will remind them to see past differences and find the authentic, human or monster.

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)