The 25 Creepiest ‘Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark’ Illustrations That Gave Every ’90s Kid Nightmares

For ’90s kids, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark was a defining series of “children’s” books. Alvin Schwartz wrote them, and Stephen Gammell created the illustrations.

While the stories themselves were pretty tame urban legends, the pictures were absolutely terrifying. And we love every single one of them.

But these 25 Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark illustrations are the ones that gave us the very worst nightmares…

25. The White Satin Evening Gown

At first glance, Gammell’s drawing for “The White Satin Evening Gown” isn’t all that terrifying. It’s just a dress on a hanger, right? Wrong.

Aside from the silhouette of an actual upper body and lower left leg, there’s that rotting, root-like right limb that’s legitimate nightmare fuel.

24. The Big Toe

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Who is this child gardener with oversized ears and claw hands? Are they some sort of birth defect, or has no one ever cut his nails? Why does he seem so sad? And why the hell is he gardening feet?

23. The Babysitter

One of the creepiest things that Gammell does throughout his illustrative work has to do with the way in which he draws teenagers or young adults.

They tend to look like emotionless overgrown children, like the babysitter here, who we would never entrust our children to.

22. Sam’s New Pet

The story of “Sam’s New Pet” involves a trip to Mexico, a rabid sewer rat, and a really weird mixup. But this is perhaps the most bizarre image of a rat ever created.

It’s like a deformed turnip with a zombie face and far, far too many toes.