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8 must-read books for fans of Stranger Things

Vancouver Public Library and V.I.A. have teamed up to help you discover new reads, hidden book gems and surprising literary finds. Check back every couple of weeks for the latest reading recommendations from the experts at Vancouver’s library.

Vancouver Public Library and V.I.A. have teamed up to help you discover new reads, hidden book gems and surprising literary finds. Check back every couple of weeks for the latest reading recommendations from the experts at Vancouver’s library.

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Things are sure to get a little stranger with the much-anticipated return of the Stranger Things series this Friday. For fans looking for more '80s nostalgia, horror and coming-of-age stories, check out this list of top picks from VPL's reading experts:

Meddling KidsMeddling Kids by Edgar Cantero

Four kids once solved mysteries in the small Oregon mining town of Blyton Hills – that is, until something terrible happened to them in the haunted mansion. Years later, the gang reunites as grown-ups (and one ghost) to solve the mystery of the haunted house once and for all.

The OutliersThe Outliers by Kimberly McCreight

Wylie is used to getting her best friend Cassie out of trouble, so she wasn't surprised to receive a text message from Cassie asking for help. But, this time is different. Looking for Cassie starts to get dangerous, and Cassie's messages are becoming more cryptic.

ItIt by Stephen King

It's no secret that Stephen King’s It played a big role in inspiring the creators of Stranger Things – the references and influences of '80s pop culture are loud, and fans are loving it. You’ll find all the familiar elements: boys on bikes, small town creepiness, a demon and the lone girl.

Paper GirlsPaper Girls by Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated by Cliff Chiang

The creators of this comic series describe it as Stand by Me meets War of the Worlds. The story follows four paper-route girls on bikes, who band together Halloween morning to deal with creeps. What they don't count on is a supernatural invasion of time travellers.

The Owl ServiceThe Owl Service by Alan Garner

There are sounds coming from the attic. Teenagers Alison, Roger and Gwyn investigate and discover dusty plates, decorated with a strange pattern. The teens are then drawn into a replay of a tragic Welsh legend – a generations-old, fated love story.

The New Annotated HP LovecraftThe New Annotated H.P. Lovecraft by H.P. Lovecraft and edited by Leslie S. Klinger

Howard Phillips (H.P.) Lovecraft was an unknown horror writer who died in 1937, only to have his work discovered and brought to critical acclaim years later. Discover the depths of Lovecraft’s twisted mind in this newly annotated anthology of 22 horror stories.

The Atrocity ArchivesThe Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross

H.P. Lovecraft meets The Office in The Atrocity Archives. The story follows Bob – a junior tech employee at a secret British agency – who finds himself pulled from his typical day at the office to battle otherworldly demons and supernatural forces.

20th Century Boys20th Century Boys by Naoki Urasawa

In this manga series, four young boys create an elaborate fantasy – fighting villains and saving the world. Decades later, they realize recent apocalyptic events bear an eerie resemblance to those childhood fantasies, and now it’s really up to them to save the world.

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