I got into Stephen King in elementary school, while I was perusing the public library (remember those?). The first book I ever read was Cycle of the Werewolf (it was short, and it had an amazing selection of paintings of werewolves (which were my favorite monster at the time) by the inimitable Bernie Wrightson). The second was "The Shining." I was hooked.

And then I read "It," and I knew that this was my favorite book of all. As a Professional Monster Maker (tm), reading a Stephen King book about a being that could assume the shape of countless other monsters officially took the cake. Pennywise the Dancing Clown will always have a soft spot in my heart, and I was so happy to see the recent remake. It was surprisingly good! Not as existentially terrifying as I expected it would be, but surprisingly endearing - like Stranger Things with more gore and a heap of genuine laughs.