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Bulletin for the Center... - 10/01/2002 From Ray Bradbury’s “Black Ferris” (the basis for his later novel Something Wicked This Way Comes) to Robert Service’s “The Cremation of Sam McGee,” from Patricia McKissack’s “The Conjure Brother” to Gahan Wilson’s “Mr. Ice Cold,” Stine’s collection of fifteen stories and four poems ranges from spookily gross to creepily chilling. Unfortunately, the quality of writing often sags, and the authorial selection is old-fashioned (and all authors except for one are white and male). There are useful possibilities here, however, whether readers are seeking a quick, funny bit with supernatural overtones (Stine’s own “Joe Is Not a Monster”), more subtle chills (Daniel Wynn Barber’s “Tiger in the Snow”), or some visual commentary (Jack Kamen’s Vault of Horror comic book tale, “A Sock for Christmas”). Each story is illustrated by a different artist, with most art reproduced from the originally published text. Shadowy spot art consisting of spider webs cornering each spread and full-page webs behind opening titles adds a consistent visual motif that carries throughout the work. Stine’s introductions to each tale sometimes overstate his case, but it’s possible that his effusive recommendations may lead middle-grade readers to more sophisticated fare. With its creepy cover featuring a foil demon clawing a tombstone, this is one collection that will wear out its binding by next Halloween. - Copyright 2002 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

School Library Journal - 10/01/2002 Gr 4-6-This collection of 23 stories and poems includes selections by Ray Bradbury, Patricia McKissack, Edward Gorey, Bram Stoker, William Sleator, Alvin Schwartz, Jack Prelutsky, Shel Silverstein, and others. Among the illustrators represented are Brian Pinkney, Quentin Blake, Gahan Wilson, and Peter Horvath. While all of the stories are available elsewhere, some of the best are found in more obscure sources. Having them in one volume, with each tale introduced by Stine, makes this a good choice for most collections. The selections read aloud well and are short enough to read in several minutes. The more terrifying selections are juxtaposed with those that are funny, providing some comic relief. Children who enjoyed Alvin Schwartz's Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (1981) and More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (1984, both HarperCollins) will want to add this title to their reading lists. The pen-and-ink and charcoal illustrations visually clue readers as to how each tale ranks on the "scary barometer." The grizzly selections have very dark pictures while the more lighthearted ones have clean, clear strokes and more white space on the page. This is an obvious choice for children who love a good scare from time to time.-Molly S. Kinney, Office of Public Library Services, Atlanta, GA Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information. - Copyright 2002 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 08/01/2002 Supplying a tempting preface for each selection, the Guru of Gruesome brings together 19 brief stories, folktales, poems, and cartoons from the likes of Ray Bradbury, William Sleator, Robert W. Service (The Cremation of Sam McGee), Gahan Wilson, and Alvin Schwartz. Fans of classic horror will relish Stine's retelling of a rat-rich Bram Stoker tale, and a ghoulishly jocular Jack Kamen comic-book episode from the 1950s; modern contributions include verses from Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky, a deliciously horrific episode from Roald Dahl's Witches , and a sampling of Stine's own stories and his retelling of the Golem legend. There's something in this diverse literary buffet for every taste--including enough genuine eeriness to make it a discomfiting choice for under-the-covers reading. - Copyright 2002 Booklist.

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