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rjdenney's review against another edition
3.0
Pretty spooky, a little cheesy but fun.
I'll be talking more about it in my November wrap-up. :)
I'll be talking more about it in my November wrap-up. :)
winternamja's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
I read this in Indonesian version and the translation was not very smooth. The story itself is pretty engaging for a quick read. It's a retelling of a famous urban legend. But even without it, still haunting. The illustrations are impeccable.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent
saidtheraina's review against another edition
1.0
Read 72/97 pages, and loved the [b: Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark|1325218|Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (Scary Stories, #1)|Alvin Schwartz|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1440189576s/1325218.jpg|145600] creepiness of the illustrations and the general look of the book.
But then, I was reading along, and a new character was introduced, on page 68, who was described as "heavyset." There was a few pages of dialog, and then, in the last two sentences of the chapter, the character leaves the scene as follows:
I'm not promoting a book to children with sizeist crap like that inside.
But then, I was reading along, and a new character was introduced, on page 68, who was described as "heavyset." There was a few pages of dialog, and then, in the last two sentences of the chapter, the character leaves the scene as follows:
He saluted them with a grin, pushed off with one foot, rose up stylishly on a pedal, and was gone. Pretty smooth for a big guy.Pretty smooth for a big guy?!? SRSLY?
I'm not promoting a book to children with sizeist crap like that inside.
rennegade's review against another edition
4.0
I love this book! The reason I requested a copy was that it reminded me of my beloved Goosebumps from childhood. Even though I don't read many books in this age range anymore, I really enjoyed it.
The story is set up quickly and packs a punch. Part of what makes this novel so effective are the beautifully creepy illustrations. I absolutely love the drawings, and it is great that the pages without full-page illustrations have the dark, slightly creepy background shading and little things like spiders hanging down the side of the page.
For being such a short book, the author does a good job of getting into the action and wrapping it up at the end. Though, like any good horror book, it leaves you with a chill going down your spine.
This book also contains a preview of the next book in the Scary Stories series, I Scream You Scream!, which looks just as interesting as this one.
Overall, this is a great book for the intended audience (ages 7-10), as well as anyone looking to relive the glory days of Goosebumps and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.
Disclaimer: I received an Advanced Reader's Edition of this book from the publisher.
The story is set up quickly and packs a punch. Part of what makes this novel so effective are the beautifully creepy illustrations. I absolutely love the drawings, and it is great that the pages without full-page illustrations have the dark, slightly creepy background shading and little things like spiders hanging down the side of the page.
For being such a short book, the author does a good job of getting into the action and wrapping it up at the end. Though, like any good horror book, it leaves you with a chill going down your spine.
This book also contains a preview of the next book in the Scary Stories series, I Scream You Scream!, which looks just as interesting as this one.
Overall, this is a great book for the intended audience (ages 7-10), as well as anyone looking to relive the glory days of Goosebumps and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.
Disclaimer: I received an Advanced Reader's Edition of this book from the publisher.
shighley's review against another edition
3.0
I always have students requesting horror books, although this was probably a little low for most of the students at my school. However, there are probably some 5-6 students reading at this level. I liked the illustrations and typography. Still, even I had some unanswered questions at the end. Would be good for a read-aloud.
kellerm's review against another edition
2.0
Nothing "bad" but I can see how this might actually scare younger readers. Not sure that it is worth being a state wide book. There are better things.
kkondrick's review against another edition
4.0
Ghostly Tales at their best. James Preller does an excellent job of keeping children on the edge of their seats, crying for more. The book is a nice legnth giving children a chance to get into a book without feeling overwhelmed. My students are fighting over this book.
mckenzierichardson's review against another edition
3.0
For more reviews, check out my blog: Craft-Cycle
A spooky tale for young horror fans. The story follows the Finn family. Having recently lost their mother, Liam and Kelly aren't thrilled about moving to Upstate New York. Then odd things start happening around their new home and they quickly learn its more than just a fixer upper.
Some great lines and general spookiness. The book combines a lot of eerie elements of haunted house horror (Bloody Mary, mirrors, noises in the night, unexplained happenings, creepy warnings, etc.) along with trademarks of children's adventures (absentminded parent). Not all that unique of a story but nice for young readers looking for a quick scare. Kind of wanted the elements to connect more or at least for them to be more fleshed out. There are bits and pieces but I needed it to go a bit deeper for a more haunting experience.
Interesting start to the series. Enjoyed the creepy illustrations and eerie aesthetic. Nothing too graphic or gory. Nice fit for those who enjoy dark reads, ghost stories, and general oddities.
A spooky tale for young horror fans. The story follows the Finn family. Having recently lost their mother, Liam and Kelly aren't thrilled about moving to Upstate New York. Then odd things start happening around their new home and they quickly learn its more than just a fixer upper.
Some great lines and general spookiness. The book combines a lot of eerie elements of haunted house horror (Bloody Mary, mirrors, noises in the night, unexplained happenings, creepy warnings, etc.) along with trademarks of children's adventures (absentminded parent). Not all that unique of a story but nice for young readers looking for a quick scare. Kind of wanted the elements to connect more or at least for them to be more fleshed out. There are bits and pieces but I needed it to go a bit deeper for a more haunting experience.
Interesting start to the series. Enjoyed the creepy illustrations and eerie aesthetic. Nothing too graphic or gory. Nice fit for those who enjoy dark reads, ghost stories, and general oddities.
abigailbat's review against another edition
3.0
To use a reference that would not work at all with kids, but might work with some librarians, this series reminds me most of the TV show Are You Afraid of the Dark? Each book in the series is completely episodic, featuring different characters and scenarios. The book design pairs very well with the text, adding additional atmosphere and scariness. Spiders crawl across the page, the edges of the pages are mottled gray.
The creep factor is high for the reading level, so this is one that will please your young fans of truly scary stories and it also might be good for older scary story fans who have lower reading levels. The ages of the characters varies; in the first book of the series the protagonist is 8 years old, in the second book the protagonist is 11.
This is definitely a good series to have on your radar for scary story fans!
The creep factor is high for the reading level, so this is one that will please your young fans of truly scary stories and it also might be good for older scary story fans who have lower reading levels. The ages of the characters varies; in the first book of the series the protagonist is 8 years old, in the second book the protagonist is 11.
This is definitely a good series to have on your radar for scary story fans!