Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is a timeless collection of chillingly scary tales and legends, in which folklorist Alvin Schwartz offers up some of the most alarming tales of horror, dark revenge, and supernatural events of all time.
In this paperback edition, Stephen Gammell’s artwork from the original Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark appears in all its spooky glory. Read if you dare!
And don't miss More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and Scary Stories 3!
New York Public Library
A fine collection of short tales to chill the bones of young and old with interesting notes for folktale buffs.
Children's Literature
Divided into five sections, this collection of American folklore has a little of everything—but not enough of anything. The opening chapter, "'jump stories' to make friends JUMP with fright," is varied but uninspired. In the opening tale, a big toe is discovered, brought home, cooked, and eaten. Are you entertained so far? The allegedly scary bit is when the storyteller accuses a listener of possessing said toe. The best offering is "A Man Who Lived in Leeds," a creepy, catchy rhyme of nonsense . . . or is it? The second section's theme is ghosts. The first selection involves two friends chased by a skeleton; a year later, one of the friends dies . . . and "looked just like the skeleton." The following story, "Cold as Clay," is a strong, spine-tingling one. The rest range from pointless to gruesome: "the flesh was dropping off her face . . . She had no eyeballs . . . and no nose." Chapter three is particularly rife with nightmarish, disturbing images. Chapter four consists of stories that "young people tell about dangers we face in our lives today." The only outstanding entry is "High Beams," in which a teenage girl is stalked by a car. It turns out that the bad guy is already in her car and the "stalker" was trying to warn her! The final chapter is devoted to tales meant to amuse rather than frighten. Only the first two succeed. The black-and-white illustrations by Caldecott winner Gammell are outstanding; next to them, the stories, not the readers, pale. A twenty-fifth anniversary edition. 2006 (orig. 1981), HarperCollins, and Ages 10 to 14.
—Naomi Milliner <%ISBN%>0397319266
Horn Book Magazine
This new edition is handsome and accessible; now young readers have a choice of how scared they want to be—just a little, or a whole lot.
Children's Literature - Elizabeth D. Schafer
Ghosts, monsters, and creepy creatures beckon for readers' attention and stretch their imaginations in this folklore collection that offers a satisfying smorgasbord of stories which will startle, repulse, and bemuse, causing people to squirm, with their spookiness and grotesqueness. Adapted from folktales, some which have been told and revised by generations of storytellers, stories contain familiar horror archetypes, particularly vanishing hitchhikers and hooks clinging to car doors. Illustrations capture ghastly imagery, complementing the text. The introduction emphasizes the importance of sharing eerie tales aloud, referring to advice in William Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale how to lure listeners closer while telling frightening stories. The first chapter, "Aaaaaaaaaaah!," features six jump stories which incorporate sudden exclamatory endings intended to alarm people so much they physically react. "The Big Toe" and "What Do You Come For?" involve malevolent body parts. Ghosts haunt five tales in the second chapter, "He Heard Footsteps Coming up the Cellar Stairs..."Vengeance motivates "The White Wolf" ghost. Another ghost promises to reward a preacher who assures her murderer is punished in "The Haunted House." The third section, "They Eat Your Eyes, They Eat Your Nose," describes supernatural animals scaring people in "Alligators" and "A New Horse." Urban folklore inspires four cautionary stories in the fourth chapter, "Other Dangers," addressing courtship hazards and predators in familiar places, including strangers lurking in cars and homes. The final chapter, also titled "Aaaaaaaaaaah!," presents six darkly humorous items. Provides source notes and bibliography. For papers or projects, readers can identify versions of these stories told in their communities or adapt favorite tales for unique retellings. Reviewer: Elizabeth D. Schafer
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