Many decades-old children’s horror books have become classics in their own right, from R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps series to Alvin Schwartz’s Scary 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. Most classic children’s books that people are still reading have earned their reputations. However, there are a few underrated kids’ books that deserve bigger legacies — and one ridiculous children’s horror series falls into this category: Bunnicula.
Written by James and Deborah Howe, the first Bunnicula book debuted back in 1979 and was followed by several other novels centered on the titular rabbit. Bunnicula sees 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, Bunnicula isn’t a horror book series that traumatized Millennials nearly as much as Goosebumps and Scary 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
The Bunnicula books are considered modern classics in some circles, but they’ve always flown under the radar compared to series like Goosebumps and Fear 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 that Bunnicula exists. 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, but Bunnicula successfully 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. The Bunnicula books 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
Although Bunnicula hasn’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 to Goosebumps or Fear Street, but those are so often recommended. And it’s somewhat disappointing that Bunnicula hasn’t maintained anything close to that level of excitement, as it’s truly a gem of children’s horror. It’s fun and unique, and it stands the test of time. A new generation of readers would greatly benefit from discovering the series.
