Fairy Tale by Stephen King

Charlie Reade looks like a regular high school kid, but he carries a heavy load. His mom was killed in a hit-and-run accident when he was seven, and grief drove his dad to drink. Charlie learned how to take care of himself—and his dad. Then, when Charlie is seventeen, he meets Howard Bowditch, a recluse with a big dog in a big house at the top of a big hill. In the backyard is a locked shed from which strange sounds emerge, as if some creature is trying to escape. When Mr. Bowditch dies, he leaves Charlie a cassette tape telling a story no one would believe—inside the shed is a portal to another world. This is where Stephen King's storytelling is at its finest: a classic tale of good vs. evil, of the underdog against impossible odds, with high stakes, riveting action, and stunning surprises at every turn.