Crimson Peak director Guillermo del Toro is starting work on an adaptation of the popular children’s horror books Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.

The film-maker tweeted the news, writing: “I start development on a film based on a favorite book of youth.”

Scary Stories comprises a trilogy of story collections by Alvin Schwartz, published between 1981 and 1991. The books have proved controversial, topping the American Library Association’s list of “most frequently challenged” publications between 1990 and 1999. “Violence” and “unsuited for age group” were cited as reasons.

At present, del Toro is listed as one of the project’s producers, but according to the Hollywood Reporter he “may potentially direct” the film, which has been picked up by CBS Films. If so, it is unlikely to be his next directorial effort, which looks to be the sequel to his 2013 giant-robot thriller Pacific Rim.