Frightlopedia

August 1, 2016

Gr 3-5-This A to Z guide to terrifying topics, ghost stories, and frightening historical events and occurrences contains all the standard scary stuff, plus more. Along with spiders, haunted houses, and zombies, readers will encounter flesh-eating plants, the Paris catacombs, and xylophobia (fear of forests). Most entries are two to three pages in length (the ghost and monster sections are considerably longer), with a large, readable font; a header for the type of entry ("Petrifying Plants," "Creepy Creatures," "Ghost Story," or "Horrifying How-To"); and accompanying illustrations and photography. Images range from realistic to exaggerated to cartoonish. Several of the items reference mythological monsters or creatures (e.g., Vetala from Hindu myth and Tikoloshe from Zulu legend). These appear without source information or adequate cultural background. Each record is rated on a three-point "Fright Meter" to help readers decide if it is the right amount of scary for them. This is a unique text feature, but the metric seems subjective. The "Horrifying How-To" sections provide tutorials on how to torment others, including how to make fake spiders on toilets, create faux bat bites, and host a seance (adult supervision recommended). VERDICT An intriguing assortment of creepy stuff with the added bonus of hands-on activities to terrorize family and friends; consider just in time for Halloween.-Ernie Cox, Prairie Creek Intermediate School, Cedar Rapids, IA

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2016
Grades 4-6 At last! A single-volume, go-to compilation of everything scary under the sunand the full moon. In convenient alphabetical order, topics range from arachnids and flesh-eating plants to eerie locales, like the Island of the Dolls near Mexico City, to zombies in folklore, film, and naturethe last with guidelines for applying zombie makeup appended. Winterbottom doesn't just offer a mix of anthropology, natural history, and legend but also stirs in short jump and ghost stories, as well as pranks (notably the ever-effective Spider in Toilet ) and craft projects for such standards as fake blood and brains. In the spirit of fair play, many of the animal profiles include a Reasons to Love side feature that adds a positive spin. Tambellini adds drawings of ghosts and monsters (not seen in finished form) to the array of photos that accompany most entries. A prime source of thrills and chills, equally suitable for casual browsing or quick reference.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)