If the fare on TV isn't cutting it in the "spooky Halloween department," then I have great news: Stephen King has written a children's book and it's deeply unsettling. Out on November 22 from Simon & Schuster, Charlie The Choo-Choo will be published under the pseudonym Beryl Evans, which, okay, let me explain. This goes several layers deep, but Stephen King super fans (especially fans of The Dark Tower series) probably already know what's going on here.
Beryl Evans is a fictional character within Stephen King's The Dark Tower fantasy series. Beryl, in the book, is the author of none other than Charlie The Choo-Choo, which is described as thus: “On the bright green cover was an anthropomorphic locomotive puffing its way up a hill ... its headlight was a cheerful eye which seemed to invite Jake Chambers to come inside and read all about it,” writes King.
“As he looked down at the cover, Jake found that he did not trust the smile on Charlie the Choo-Choo’s face. You look happy, but I think that’s just the mask you wear, he thought. I don’t think you’re happy at all. And I don’t think Charlie’s your real name, either.”
UH, GOOD INSTINCTS CHARLIE. THIS IS DEFINITELY THE SPOOKIEST TRAIN I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE. HIGHLY UNTRUSTWORTHY.
Illustrated by Ned Dameron, who has previously provided artwork for the Dark Tower series, "Charlie The Choo-Choo" also features a cover blurb from none other than Stephen King himself, which says, "If I were ever to write a children's book, it would be just like this!" Ha ha, Stephen. Very clever.
The book follows Engineer Bob and his train, which is not only alive, but is also his BFF. Based exclusively on the facial expressions of Charlie The Choo-Choo, I feel this won't end well.
Charlie The Choo-Choo though intended for children, kind of, will be coming out four months ahead of the film adaptation of The Gunslinger, the first in the Dark Tower series.
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