Customer Reviews

The August House Book of Scary Stories: Spooky Tales for Telling Out Loud

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

All cultures have stories designed to scare, and most importantly educate children. "The August House Book of Scary Stories: Spooky Tales for Telling Out Loud" is a collection of scary stories for young people, drawn from a wide range of sources, ranging from folk tales from traditions around the world to urban legends. Also including the origins of each of its stories, "The August House Book of Scary Stories" is a good source for either those looking for stories or those who want a bit more of the history of the scary story. "The August House Book of Scary Stories" is a top pick.

As a middle school language arts teacher, I know "The August House Book of Scary Stories" will be a useful addition to my classroom's shelves. Each story brings something new and unique to the entire collection, leaving the reader wanting more. From an educational viewpoint, I find the language to be appropriate for upper elementary school children. It does not speak down or above their current level(s) of reading.

One of my favorite stories is "Simon and the Magic Catfish". In this story, I could "hear" the beckoning call of the catfish ringing loudly in my ears. Written poetically, I imagine my students would be eager to act it out - from pantomiming catching the fish to subsequently cooking and eating the fish. Also, they would be invited to join in the chorus when it came to the paragraph that begins "Siiiiiiiiiiiimon! Siiiiiiiiiimon!...". I believe this would be a fun (and simple) story to read, even as a novice storyteller.

I enjoyed the story "One Lace Glove" for its eeriness and historical context. Most upper elementary students have heard about the Battle of Gettysburg. If they haven't, this story would make an excellent complement to a history lesson. Many students would perk up to hear about the battleground being haunted to this day. In fact, if I were to read this to the class, I would make sure they heard about the haunted grounds first - just to engage their interest. Then, I would reinforce the eeriness by reading the story.

The plots/themes are eye catching and engaging. The blend of religious ("St Peter and the Devil") and pagan symbolism (All Hallow's Eve) in "Mean John and the Jack O-Lantern" is a clever way to broach the subject of religious differences and beliefs. This could be beneficial in a classroom diverse in tradition and cultural differences.

Especially useful are the summaries at the end of each story. As a novice story teller, I appreciate the authors' "mini lesson plan" as to how to actually read the story to the audience. I feel without that added skill, my read alouds would not be nearly as exciting. Knowing where to place emphasis, or add to the story, is an effective tool for anyone still learning how to fully engage students and hold their interests.

Finally, I appreciate the lessons taught (and learned) from these stories: being nice, not being conceited, the importance of going to school, etc., without being too "preachy" sounding. Working for a Catholic diocese, the kids are bombarded daily with messages to "be good" and "be godly". While I agree wholeheartedly in these teachings, sometimes all they really want to hear is a good, old-fashioned spooky story. This book accomplishes both.

Carolyn B
Language Arts Teacher

This title is worth purchasing for classroom, family, library, and camp director collections. The physical size of the book and the short length of each tale make it an easy take-along for sleepovers and camping trips. The format is user-friendly--four stories in each of five categories--among them, Ghostly Guardians, Dark Humor, and Just Deserts. Tom Wrenn's artwork on the cover and at the start of each section is engagingly creepy, although the portrayal of a woman would have made more sense at the start of the Fearless Females section. (Happily, there are fearless woman characters in other sections of the book as well, such as Margaret Read MacDonald's "Dauntless Girl") The tales are shivery and often humorous but not gory or truly disturbing. In Kevin Cordi's "Aaron Kelly's Bones," for example, the title character returns from the grave to prevent his girl from finding a new beau, but she recognizes his skeleton only from the wristwatch the old skinflint wore in life. Aaron Kelly's bones end up flying all over the house, but one hits the cat box and sends kitty skittering. Kids will shake--first with fear and then with laughter. There is a justice in these stories that keeps young readers emotionally safe. The collection includes a variety of classic and original tales from an assortment of cultures and time periods. Stories include plenty of dialogue, helping to make these tales engaging to the listener. At my house we passed the book around and read to each other. My son worked on his presentation of Judy Sima's "The Boy Who Drew Cats" until he found just the right combination of voice and gesture. Another favorite was "The Gingerbread Boy," by Mary Hamilton, which began like Cinderella, progressed to a Hansel and Gretel, and ended up a twisted version of the title tale. Story Notes are included after each selection, prompting retelling and practice for oral storytelling. Information about the authors provide multiple additional resources including books, websites, and festivals. As a teacher, I will use this terrific collection to encourage multiple readings and oral presentations. I expect this book to be in high demand in my classroom.