Dark Harvest

A parent would reach for this book when their teenager expresses a deep sense of restlessness or frustration with the 'status quo' of their community. It is a haunting, high stakes exploration of how tradition can be used as a cage and how peer pressure can drive young men toward violence. Set on Halloween night in 1963, the story follows Pete McCormick as he participates in a deadly ritual to hunt a legendary monster for the chance to win a better life. This is a visceral horror novel that functions as a dark allegory for the transition from childhood to adulthood. It is best suited for older teens who can handle intense imagery and are beginning to question the underlying systems of the world around them. Parents might choose it to spark serious conversations about individual agency and the ethics of tradition.