Are there any Stephen King Stories that are not scary? I have a pre teen I want to introduce to his.

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Maddie

Maddie

Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.
Jul 10, 2006
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that dollhouse at the end of the street
staropeace said:
Muskrat ....didja niver read fairy tales? Lol. We have a witch who was going to fatten up two children to eat. Their parents dropped them off in the deep woods. We have a wolf who ate Grandma after he got up to the dickens with three little pigs. We have that chick from Kansas who passed out in a poppy field, I would too lol. People were whipping their children left and right. That lady in the shoe was committing child abuse. :heart:
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Thats so true. Fairy tales were like the epitome of child abuse and even psychologically disturbing the children with them at bedtime. :laugh:
 
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Kingunlucky

Kingunlucky

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Aug 20, 2016
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Hmmm, hard question to answer because every kid is different with such things. The first one I read at thirteen was The Gunslinger followed by the next four DT books and then 11/22/63 and so on. But you said they are preteen and aren't the most into more horror or violent aspects.

Eyes of the Dragon and The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon are the best suggestions so far.

Still, if the things King writes about might be too heavy for them atm you may want to consider some alternatives before they read him. You can never go wrong with Harry Potter for a lot of younger readers (never was my thing but its well-loved for a reason), Watership Down is a wonderful 10/10 novel that's violent to a degree but also very whimsical and imaginative, most certainly the Tiffany Aching Discworld novels starting with The Wee Free Men, a gal I know was super addicted to Anne of Green Gables in her preteen years, Narnia obviously is another big one and so many others.

David Lubar writes some hilarious/creepy children's fiction

Redwall is another great fantasy series that can be both great for children and also dark.

You've got a great many options that are just as imagination and character filled if they aren't prepared for King. :D
 
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Kingunlucky

Kingunlucky

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Oooooooooooooh!

If you want to spook them a tiny bit - or a lot depending on how old they are or what they can handle is. You gotta find Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark with the original illustrations! Those things are wild. Goosebumps and Animporhs are always still around.

Wizard of Oz books are great and kids I think will always enjoy those.

Neil Gaiman writes some great children's fiction with Coraline and The Graveyard Book.

The list goes on and on.

I know you asked for King and I'm sure they'll read him eventually simply by seeing you read him, but in the meantime, you can't go wrong really. So many great reading options!
 
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Nomik

Nomik

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Austin777 said:
This is going to sound weird here but Im fairly new to reading Stephen Kings books and I have a pre teen daughter and son who I feel would benefit from his vivid, intense way of writing but they both frighten easily and have had real life trauma from the type of real life characters that King writes about so I dont think will want their heads filled with macabre tales.

Id like them to "get a taste" for his writing style without all the "blood and guts"

Can anyone tell me if Mr.King has any short stories that are more "clean" and suitable for my daughter and son?

Thanks
Austin
PS: Dont be a smart ass and tell me to have them read "Twilight"
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The suggestions made so far (Eyes of the Dragon, Joyland, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon) are about as close as you'll get to clean. If your kids have been encountered real life drama, they might enjoy a different kinder escape. Have they read the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling?
 
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SHEEMIEE

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from a Buick 8 , or maybe hand pick a couple of short stories from his many collections, something with few pages to turn. Lucky Quarter?

hell, why not start with an introduction by the big guy himself - on writing? too deep?

maybe training wheels first - plenty Dean Koontz stories to begin with before going for her yellow belt. before you know it, they'll be onto James Herbert's The Dark ( my first horror read at 12) and then SKs black belt reads.
 
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A

Austin777

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Nov 2, 2016
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I appreciate everyone replying so far. I have looked on line at a few of the titles that some of you recommended and I think that some of you are "pulling my leg"

Also when I asked about "stories that are clean" by "clean" I dont mean that Im bothered by my kids reading swearing or sex. I just want some stories that are perhaps less violent and scary. Im aware that King wrote under the name " bachman" and I read " Running man" and felt that it was fairly tame. So I figured that he may have written other stories that are just not gory and very scary. Also Im well aware of Harry potter etc. I just want to introduce them to the vivid style of King. - Thanks Kids
 
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