Marie Malloy and the
Haunted House ..
.
Story and Illustrations by
Andrew Howell
Foreword As far as anyone knows, neither Marie Malloy nor the house in this tale ever existed except in the mind of Andrew Howell — who was keen to keep stories like this one nearby all the time, especially around Halloween.
Andrew Howell 7th Grade School Picture
This book represents an assignment he received when he was in the 7th grade at Alexander Graham Middle School in Charlotte (using the resources supplied by a printing company in Kansas).
A page was included in the template for a dedication, which prompted Andrew to remember his sister, Clara — who was also nearby in his heart all the time. The handwritten presentation of the story and its hastily rendered illustrations indicate that it was a quick “one-off” against a deadline. But its lighthearted rhymes (à la Dr. Seuss) couple nicely with the funny images and reveal the whimsical (if not slightly “off-center and quirky”) side of Andrew that so many people knew and loved.
Andrew’s writing and illustrations indicate he was working quickly.
Earlier this year, I was delighted to rediscover the book and be reminded again of Andrew’s delightful imagination. I also observed that the original production of the book featured an unfortunate layout separating the illustrations from the story. Therefore, I have scanned the images and typeset his poem, and have reconstructed the book in a format that makes it more easy to enjoy and share. Warren Howell, October 1, 2013
Marie Malloy and the
Haunted House ..
.
Story and Illustrations by
Andrew Howell (Dedicated to Clara Howell)
2002
Edited and redesigned by Warren Howell Š 2013
T
he story of Marie Malloy was passed around
from girl to boy. When she put her house on sale, a message soon came by mail.
I
t welcomed her to the big
empty house, which was home to a dead man and his dead spouse.
o Marie Malloy
quickly moved in,
and went to bed
at a quarter to ten.
ut . . .
hen the clock struck twelve at night, Marie Malloy was given a fright!
or from the wardrobe zombies came, and in the ballroom
vampires sang.
Witches flying through the halls, moving pictures on the walls.
lobs were hatching in the tub,
and skeletons
digging
in the grubs.
W
erewolves howling in the shed.
Ghouls and goblins under the bed.
G
hosts were
throwing pots and pans, and Mr. Mummy was trying to dance.
ere comes Frankenstein
(what a mess!),
with his wife
in bridal dress.
hen Marie Malloy ran out of the house, the spooks inside
went quiet . . .
. . . as a mouse.
nd when the sun came up, nothing was there
except for an ant
crawling up the stair!
Andrew Howell (1990 - 2010)
We love you Andrew.