Back-Pocket Tales: Small Towns, Strange Things

By Anthony Mays

Back-Pocket Tales: Volume One - Small Towns, Strange Things is a collection of seven spooky, folklore-inspired short stories for middle grade readers ages 11-15.

Each story takes place in an ordinary small town where something unsettling hides just out of sight. A magician reaches too far into the spirit world. A junkyard whispers with voices that won't stay buried. A desert prospector guards a dangerous secret, while a hidden river valley shelters magical creatures whose disguises are beginning to fail. Other tales follow a bride bound to a love that won't die, a gravedigger who hears whispers he should never answer, and a frozen northern lake that keeps a chilling record of the living and the dead.

Designed for readers who enjoy creepy stories without graphic horror, these short tales deliver atmosphere, mystery, and suspense-perfect for independent reading, reluctant readers, or sharing aloud. Back-Pocket Tales offers gentle chills, strange discoveries, and unforgettable twists, making it an ideal choice for fans of spooky fiction, folklore, and eerie small-town mysteries.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0GDSKMN4P
• ISBN13: 9798277114230
• Release Date: January 2026
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 66 Pages
• Weight: 0.16 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 5.0" x 8.0"