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Book Review: Favorite Scary Stories of American Children by Richard and Judy Dockrey Young

Favorite Scary Stories of American Children by Richard and Judy Dockrey Young

August House, 1999

ISBN: 0874835631

Availability: New and Used

Favorite Scary Stories of American Children is a collection of 23 short and scary stories told in the oral tradition, ranging from the truly creepy and frightening to pun-filled groaners. the authors, who are professional storytellers, chose the stories based on the enthusiastic demands of their young audiences. The age-appropriateness of each story is indicated using a code of pictorial symbols (for ages 5-6, 7-8, and 9-10), with the key to the code on the page opposite the title page. All the stories are intended to be readable by nine and ten year olds, but the authors note that stories aimed at younger children may not hold the interest of independent readers. Because of its attempt to cover a wide range of ages, cultures, and interest levels, the book is a mixed bag, including versions of classic scary stories like “The Red Velvet Ribbon” and folktales like “The Bloodsucker”, as well as some that feel like story flotsam, such as “Stop the Coffin.” This book would be a great resource for storytimes or for teaching storytelling to children, and has a variety of possible interdisciplinary connections for elementary classrooms.

An afterword for parents, librarians, and teachers addresses the value of scary stories for children as well as some of the concerns and issues that may come up in the telling and reading of scary stories. Origins of the stories and a pronunciation guide for regional terms are also included in the back of the book.

Favorite Scary Stories of American Children will appeal to children who have worn out Alvin Schwartz’s Scary Stories books, as well as to parents, teachers, and librarians looking for a way to give their kids the shivers. Recommended for elementary school libraries, public libraries, and families. Contains: violence

Posted on December 10, 2018 by , Reply

Halloween “Chapter Books” for Children and Tweens

In setting out to put together some lists of suggested Halloween chapter books, I discovered I’d already done it. These are a few years old, but classics remain classics. Check these out if you’re looking for Halloween reading for your school-aged independent reader. And if you have suggestions for an update, let me know!

“It Happened At Halloween”” is a list of chapter books with pivotal scenes that take place at Halloween. When I wrote it, I recommended these for ages 10-14, but at this point I’ve read The Egypt Game with my daughter, who is 9, and I think the age range for these books is more like ages 9-12. Your mileage may vary.

“Halloween Scares for Beginning Series Readers” lists mildly scary series books written for independent readers in the early grades and individual titles in a children’s book series that take place at Halloween.

“Halloween Book List for Kids”: This list is sort of a mess, because our “kids” section is for ages 0-12, and obviously there is a huge difference between what a baby and a 12 year old want (at least as far as reading material is concerned). There are lots of titles listed, and these include picture books, chapter books, and nonfiction. Some have been reviewed and some haven’t been. There are plenty of Halloween-related titles here, but there are also books that aren’t specifically Halloween themed that might be fun to read at this time of year. This is actually a different list than our “Scary Books for Kids” page, although some titles can be found in both places.

And a little encouragement here to read with your kid (or any kid) this month, from Spook House Dave and Monster Librarian.

Enjoy!

 

 

 

Posted on October 16, 2016 by , Reply

Book Review: Scary School #3: The Northern Frights by Derek the Ghost, illustrated by Scott M. Fisher

Scary School #3: The Northern Frights by Derek the Ghost, illustrated by Scott M. Fischer

HarperCollins Children’s Books, 2013

ISBN-13: 978-0061960987

Available: Hardcover, Kindle edition

There are several books in the Scary School series, and Monster Librarian has reviewed others, but this is the first one I have read myself, and it is a gem. The books are set in a school for children who are a little out of the ordinary: zombies, vampires, werewolves, and other creatures. Jason Boorhees wears a hockey mask and carries a chainsaw; Fred Kroger seems to think he is always in a dream. The teachers are pretty scary, too: King Khufu spends his lunch hour in a sarcophagus, a hydra monitors the hallways, and Mr. Acidbath creates frightening concoctions in the classroom.  Scary School also has its fair share of ordinary humans, like Charles Nukid, the main character of this book. In The Northern Frights, six human students from Scary School, including Jason, Fred, and Charles, are chosen as exchange students at the even scarier Scream Academy, located in the freezing north. Can they survive and succeed where so many other humans have failed?

The Northern Frights is not great literature. It’s sketchy in its world-building and, with a few exceptions, characters are pretty one-dimensional. It’s narrated by Derek the Ghost, a student who died during a disastrous science experiment and now haunts the school. However, I frequently forgot that the book was supposed to be written in first person, because except for occasional asides it reads like it’s written in third person. None of that really matters, though, because it’s funny, punny, fast-paced, and smart.  This is a book that parents and kids can both enjoy, reading independently or together (I hope most kids in the target age group don’t watch slasher films, but the Jason and Fred characters’ behaviors give those of us who do know the movies that something extra to appreciate).  It’s also extensively illustrated, with both full-page and in-text illustrations that complement the story. If you have a reluctant reader on your hands, or are looking for a fun read-aloud with your middle-grader, this is a perfect choice. Highly recommended for children’s collections and elementary school library media centers.

Reviewed by Kirsten Kowalewski

Previously reviewed:

 Scary School #1 by Derek the Ghost

 Scary School #2 : Monsters on the March by Derek the Ghost

 

Posted on June 5, 2016 by , Reply
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