A WALK IN THE DARK AND OTHER SCARY STORIES

New readers should prepare themselves for five tales of terror (and giggles).

What do you do with the child who’s ready to start reading on their own, loves scary stuff, but may not be emotionally ready for anthologies of true terror? You appease their need for ghosts and ghouls with this illustrated collection that might make them jump but won’t keep them up into the wee hours. As in other books in the series, this installment begins with a grisly introduction via a letter from Mister Shivers, who tells readers that he was sent a notebook of tales (with a warning to share them, or else) and a box of strange items. With topics ranging from a bizarre hotel to a magical pen, the tales are reminiscent of scary stories told around a campfire: They begin suddenly, providing a few details about the setup, ramp up the suspense quickly, and end with a scare (and sometimes a laugh). Readers won’t be emotionally invested in the characters, but they’re not supposed to be; the characters exist for the startling surprise that follows. The illustrations provide an added level of suspense, mixing dark shadows and spooky characters to keep the excitement going. Readers may take a hint from Mister Shivers’ letter and share these stories (or ones of their own making) at future campfires or during sleepovers; if they do, they’ll be the hit of the night. Characters are racially diverse.

Spooky fun!