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Synopsis
Including masterpieces such as Edgar Allan Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart" and Agatha Christie's "The Lamp," this eerie anthology of fifteen stories is not for the faint of heart.
Heather Robertson - Children's Literature
Ghost stories have fascinated readers for centuries. English teachers know how hard it is to pry a student away from a "Goosebumps" book to read some good literature. This new anthology tries to blend the teacher's need for quality with the student's desire for horror. The stories selected are by some of the most well-known horror and mystery writers including Edgar Allan Poe, Agatha Christie and, believe it or not, Mark Twain. The stories themselves range from simply creepy to downright scary. One of the most intriguing selections, "The Haunting of Chas McGill," tells the story of a boy who discovers a mysterious soldier who lives in a boarded-up closet. All of the stories are interesting, but all will not appeal to all readers. Those readers that are outgrowing R.L. Stine will find this a good introduction to more adult literature. Despite the black and white illustrations, the book is not visually pleasing, however. Good readers will not mind it, but poor readers will probably be turned off. It is an excellent anthology, but one that teachers or parents will have to convince kids to read. 2002, Kingfisher, Ages 11 to 16.