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Overview
Fans of Bruce Coville’s wonderfully weird storytelling will be thrilled to know that the expert of odd is back with a new collection of nine curious and thought-provoking tales. From stories about a girl who learns the horrifying secrets about what’s really at the bottom of a murky, desolate pond, a strange chemical factory causing mutations in frogs, and a Halloween mask that becomes a gruesome clue in the disappearance of a child, the odd adventures in this new collection are filled with terrifying and ghoulish details. In the eerie, surreal tradition of Edgar Allan Poe, these reveries are sure to linger in the minds of readers.
Synopsis
A new short story collection from the brilliantly bizarre Bruce Coville
Children's Literature
From stories ranging from weird to heartbreaking to thrilling, Coville has offered up a fantastic book depicting the fantastic. Every tale has its own magic that engulfs the reader and leaves him in a state of wonder. Both boys and girls are shown as the protagonists, overcoming their own fears and uncertainties to face unusual circumstances. In the tale of "The Mask of Eamonn Tiyado," a boy named Harley wore a Halloween mask to finally try on a new persona. In "The Ghost Let Go," two girls use their abilities to see spirits to help reconnect a family. A touch of science fiction brings an ultimatum to the human race in "In Our Own Hands," and a boy discovers an interesting branch of his family tree in "In the Frog King's Court." Some stories are rewritten and reprinted here from other collaborations, while three are making their debut. There is no excessive blood or gore to initiate the eerie adrenaline rush felt from reading these stories, just well-written suspense. Reviewer: Renee Farrah
Editorials
VOYA -
Coville personally collects some of his "oddest" short fiction, many rewritten for this collection, and includes three previously unpublished stories. These theme-driven horror, science fiction, and fantasy stories are perfect reads for a chilly fall night with a group wishing for a scare or the reader alone on a balmy summer afternoon sitting on a porch swing. Many tales would be wonderful for use in a classroom to stimulate fascinating discussion. Coville's stories will make the reader think and grow. Very meaty themes will engender questions such as, "Just how much freedom and choice would you be willing to surrender for a supposedly disease-free world with plenty of money and food?"; "How do you recognize and accept death?"; "What kind of embarrassment are you willing to endure for love?"; "How do you reconcile restless ghostly spirits with the living?"; "What is beauty and are you willing to give up who you are inside to get it?"; "Are there second chances after death to get into heaven and will you accept them?o The variety of fiction subgenres, brilliant use of themes, the stories' brief lengths, strong character viewpoints, and fast-paced action and resolution of story line make this collection a must-have. Reviewer: Karen SykenyChildren's Literature -
From stories ranging from weird to heartbreaking to thrilling, Coville has offered up a fantastic book depicting the fantastic. Every tale has its own magic that engulfs the reader and leaves him in a state of wonder. Both boys and girls are shown as the protagonists, overcoming their own fears and uncertainties to face unusual circumstances. In the tale of "The Mask of Eamonn Tiyado," a boy named Harley wore a Halloween mask to finally try on a new persona. In "The Ghost Let Go," two girls use their abilities to see spirits to help reconnect a family. A touch of science fiction brings an ultimatum to the human race in "In Our Own Hands," and a boy discovers an interesting branch of his family tree in "In the Frog King's Court." Some stories are rewritten and reprinted here from other collaborations, while three are making their debut. There is no excessive blood or gore to initiate the eerie adrenaline rush felt from reading these stories, just well-written suspense. Reviewer: Renee FarrahSchool Library Journal
Gr 6-8
A delicious collection of nine funny, frightening, and thoughtful short stories. Coville has a true gift for creating characters and setting, such as the creepy pond at her Auntie Alma's that Margaret is mysteriously drawn to, or the haunted mansion where young ghost communicators Nine and Chris find themselves stranded on a stormy evening. There is something for most readers-a bit of fantasy, a smattering of humorous reality, a dose of science fiction, and a dash of mystery. An author's note explains the origins of the stories. Teens are sure to find the author's insights entertaining and will certainly gobble up these eerie tales.-Shari Fesko, Southfield Public Library, MI