It's Not about the Crumbs!

November 1, 2010

Gr 1-3-While Jake and his two friends are visiting Uncle Mike in an unfamiliar town, they decide to take a walk to the park. On their way, Jake drops popcorn on the sidewalk to help them find their way back. This reminds his friends of the "Hansel and Gretel" story, and each shares a similar tale in which children outsmart an evil creature. Jake tells "The Children in the Woods," an American-English folktale. Then Lily tells "Zahra and Binti," an African tale of two sisters trying to escape from a gigantic woman who chases them with an ax. Ben's story, "The Ogre," is from Japan; three brothers hide from an ogre and then steal his magical boots to escape. The book concludes with brief source notes. Although the modern-day frame with Jake and his friends feels somewhat awkward, the stories are well told. Give this book to kids who like their stories truly scary; it is not for the faint of heart. Children are abandoned and nasty creatures plot to kill them, but in the end, the youngsters prevail. The black-and-white cartoon illustrations are equally frightening. Fans of Alvin Schwartz's In a Dark, Dark Room and Other Scary Stories (HarperCollins, 1984) might be ready for this title, or suggest it to older, reluctant readers.-Jackie Partch, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR

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