Half-Minute Horrors

August 31, 2009
Featuring a who's who of authors and artists (Margaret Atwood, Avi, Neil Gaiman, Jonathan Lethem, Lauren Myracle, James Patterson, Brian Selznick and many more), this collection of more than 70 chilling snippets is ideal for campfires and car trips. The stories—some a couple sentences, some a few pages—range from darkly humorous (Jerry Spinelli's murderous twist on the age-old “chicken or egg” question) to outright creepy (Josh Greenhut and Brett Helquist's illustrated story about terrifying revelations from a Ouija board). These are inherently quick reads, but with enough plot and detail to encourage further imagining. Ages 10–up.

January 1, 2010
Gr 4-8-This thrilling addition to the shiver-inducing arsenal will appeal to even the most reluctant of readers. The book contains dozens of short (most are one to three pages long) tales that range from silly (Adam Rex's one-page graphic comic) to grotesque (M. T. Anderson's "An Easy Gig") to morbid (Faye Kellerman's "Deep Six"). Unlike many short-story collections, this anthology forms a cohesive unit based on its purposescaring children silly. It possesses that delicious campfire quality of urban legends and lame jokes told late at night when everyone wants to be entertained. Youngsters may choose to read it straight through or to browse the stories, folktales, poems, and illustrations that make up this eclectic yet unified volume. Chock-full of selections by notable contributors such as Lane Smith, Neil Gaiman, Kenneth Oppel, Jack Gantos, James Patterson, and R. L. Stine, "Half-Minute Horrors" is the perfect choice for that smirking child who disdains fiction starring happy puppies or home-run heroes."Caitlin Augusta, Stratford Library Association, CT"

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2009
Grades 5-8 A volume full of mostly one- or two-page horror stories from over 70 authorsit may sound like a gimmick, but it plays like the worst night of sleep youve ever had. Horror is the genre most suited for this stab-and-run format, and the authors seem to revel in the campfire-story quickness. At least four monster-in-my-bedroom tales exploit fears that will cut all too close to the target audience, and several babysitting-gone-wrong stories should notrepeat: notbe read while babysitting. The best are true examplars of narrative economy: Sarah Weeks One of a Kind has the gut punch of a good urban legend; Daniel Ehrenhafts The Rash is as gruesome as it sounds; and Chris Raschkas On a Tuesday during That Time of Year has no apparent point but to upset the readerwell done! Heavyweights Lemony Snicket, Neil Gaiman, M. T. Anderson, and more weigh in, but its Arthur Slades one-paragraph cautionary tale Whats Coming that will haunt the most nightmares. The scattered art-based stories hit a few awkward notes, but this ones a creepy keeper.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)