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A review by endotheline
Double Dare to be Scared: Another Thirteen Chilling Tales by Robert D. San Souci
I wanted to read spooky stories now that it's the spooky season, but I couldn't decide on a book to read so I ended up reading this book I read as a child. I'm not sure why I have the second book in this series and not the first, but I guess it was the only book available when I got it or when it was given to me. Anyway, it's difficult to say whether or not this book is good because I'm not the target audience anymore, but it must've been somewhat good if some of the stories in this book stuck with me since I was a child.
Now that I've read this as an adult, I will say that these stories aren't amazingly written but they seem written well enough for a child. The illustrations certainly helped with making the stories more memorable and a bit scarier. I will also say that these stories aren't necessarily scary but are actually kind of sad. Every child in every story gets in a horrible situation that they have no control over and end up with an overwhelming sense of helplessness. I guess that helplessness works in a horror book for children because I'm sure every child has felt it at some point in their lives. What's scarier than being a helpless child who can't help themselves and can't even get help from the adults who are supposed to protect them?
Before I rank the short stories in this book, like I do with every book of short stories, I want to give a special shout out to the short story "Mountain Childers." That story really fed into my childhood fear and fascination with cannibals and has haunted me ever since.
Stories Ranked
1. Mountain Childers
2. Best Friends
3. Circus Dreams
4. Gulp!
5. Daddy Boogey
6. Half-Past Midnight
7. The Quilt
8. Rosalie
9. Class Cootie
10. Click Clack
11. Laughter
12. Campfire Tale
13. Grey
(Ranking is subject to change)
Now that I've read this as an adult, I will say that these stories aren't amazingly written but they seem written well enough for a child. The illustrations certainly helped with making the stories more memorable and a bit scarier. I will also say that these stories aren't necessarily scary but are actually kind of sad. Every child in every story gets in a horrible situation that they have no control over and end up with an overwhelming sense of helplessness. I guess that helplessness works in a horror book for children because I'm sure every child has felt it at some point in their lives. What's scarier than being a helpless child who can't help themselves and can't even get help from the adults who are supposed to protect them?
Before I rank the short stories in this book, like I do with every book of short stories, I want to give a special shout out to the short story "Mountain Childers." That story really fed into my childhood fear and fascination with cannibals and has haunted me ever since.
Stories Ranked
1. Mountain Childers
2. Best Friends
3. Circus Dreams
4. Gulp!
5. Daddy Boogey
6. Half-Past Midnight
7. The Quilt
8. Rosalie
9. Class Cootie
10. Click Clack
11. Laughter
12. Campfire Tale
13. Grey
(Ranking is subject to change)