Ghost

June 1, 2019
Readers may not wish to read this chilling collection of stories and poems alone at night. A frame story begins and concludes this collection, with a haunting twist. Two young boys sneak out of their camp cabin late at night to seek out Old Man Blackwood, the keeper of the 13 true ghost stories. Blackwood begins with the story "Reflection," about a haunted mirror that looks back at the viewer, the reflection tapping while the hapless viewer peeks at it from beneath the covers. The short vignettes continue with "The Old Pond," a grief-laden tale of a haunted sibling who becomes the victim of the vengeful dead. The seemingly innocent poem "The Doll" leaves a young girl motherless while "Depth" takes readers to the eerie corridors of a sunken submarine. With further stories such as "Widow in Black" and "The Boy in the Basement," even the titles themselves may cause readers to wonder if they should keep the lights on. Illustrátus is a design collective including authors Blaise Hemingway and Jesse Reffsin and illustrators Chris Sasaki and Jeff Turley. The latter perfectly punctuate this book of horror with wild apparitions, dark woods, and creepy dolls, the chill of the unknown brought to life by their haunting images. The inclusion of characters of multiple races makes these tales shiveringly accessible. Ghastly and imaginative storytelling for the young--and not-so-young. (Horror. 10-14)

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September 2, 2019
The footprints of an inkily indistinct figure trail across the cover of this chilling story collection by design collective Illustrátus. Inside, the 13 tense tales, some told in verse, skew toward horrors that may not be suitable for readers at the younger end of the stated age range. In “The Old Pond,” a guilt-ridden child is dragged to his death by the spirit of his dead sister. In “Point Whitney,” a boy trips and falls—“he spit, seeing his two front teeth and blood spatter in the snow”—then watches helplessly as his friend drowns, trapped under ice. Framed by a stereotypically creepy storyteller (with a “flesh-colored prosthetic arm and hook”) as the only “true ghost stories,” the well-told tales deal in themes of transformation and entrapment. Still, some readers may scratch their heads at the fact that boys seem to take center stage. Grainy, muted illustrations deftly combine texture and shape to conjure truly nightmarish moments. Ages 8–12.

September 9, 2019

Gr 3 Up-In this collection of chills, 13 scary stories with roots in many childhood experiences are brought to life. Classics such as a disturbing doll, what lurks underwater, hungry monsters, mysterious old librarians, delightfully disturbing ghosts, and the unknown are explored. The tales vary as to how scary they can be, but each one draws from childhood fears and urban legends that continue to frighten each new generation. Some stories are in rhyming verse, others are in short prose paragraphs, and some include sound effects. Some of the selections are short, some are longer, and one story acts as an envelope to deliver the delightfully horrible tales straight to readers front step. Wonderful illustrations help to depict the fear within each story and leave readers with a lasting image to haunt them for days. The text is always clear against these illustrations, making it easy to read about what lies in the darkness in certain tales, while highlighting the dangers within. While there are some mentions and illustrations of blood and traumatic injuries, they are not severe and can be easily skipped for those who want horror that is not too real. Overall, this is a delightfully horrific and atmospheric collection to share aloud or under the blankets with a long-lasting flashlight. VERDICT A collection of creepy stories perfect for children who want a good scare!-Margaret Kennelly, iSchool at Urbana-Champaign, IL

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