The Dark-Thirty: Southern Tales of the Supernatural [Paperback]

Patricia McKissack (Author), J. Brian Pinkney (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

In that special half-hour of twilight—the dark-thirty—there are stories to be told. Mesmerizing, suspenseful, and breathtakingly original, these tales make up a heart-stopping collection of lasting value, a book not quickly forgotten.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

These 10 spine-tinglers range from straight-up ghost stories to eerie narratives. The tales in this winner of the 1993 Coretta Scott King Award depict racism, haunting and vengeance in a manner that can be read out loud around a campfire or savored privately, offering middle readers (fourth through eighth graders) thoughtful exposure to important, though frightening, historical themes. One tale, set in the segregated South of the 1940s, tells of a black man's ghost avenging his murder by a white klansman. McKissack's prose is smooth and understated, and its sense of foreboding is powerfully enhanced by Brian Pinkney's black-and-white scratch board illustrations. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Publishers Weekly

In these stories?"haunting in both senses of the word," said PW's starred review?ghosts exact vengeance for lynchings, and slaves use ancient magic to ensure their freedom; historical backdrops run from the Underground Railroad to 1960s activism. Ages 8-up.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Yearling (January 9, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679890068
• ISBN-13: 978-0679890065
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.5 x 7.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #324,652 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must-Have Book for Secondary Teachers, August 12, 2001

By 

Debbi (Texas, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Dark-Thirty: Southern Tales of the Supernatural (Paperback)

I am a middle school reading teacher who was given a copy of this book when it was first released. I fell in love with the stories as did my students! Each school year I start by reading "The Chicken Coop Monster" with every emotional fiber in my body. I require my students to write down the 10 rules randomly disclosed in the through out the story. This school year the book is completely worn out and I purchased another! No story will disappoint you in this book. This book leaves my students in awe as I read the stories each year! Equally pleasing is the art work by Brian Pinkney.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read book!, November 16, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Dark-Thirty: Southern Tales of the Supernatural (Paperback)

I read this book when I was in middle school, and I haven't forgotten it since! I remember sitting in my living room and being very frightened when I read that book. The most harrowing tale (and the one that kept me up at night) was the one about the gingi from the Nigerian legend. McKissack's uses wonderful imagery and diction to convey stories not soon to be forgotten!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Deserved the Awards, September 21, 2000

By 

"reviewer1" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Dark-Thirty: Southern Tales of the Supernatural (Paperback)

This book received lots of awards and well-deserved them. The stories are simply told in a very straight-forward narrative. They are not spine-tingling, but more likely to make the reader look over his or her shoulder or jump at a sudden sound. Each story is prefaced with a note placing it in historical context. These brief notes contribute greatly to the richness of the tales. Great for Summer evenings, wonderful for Halloween, perfect for long winter nights--these stories open up world of fascination and questioning of the real. Recommended for kids in older grades (middle school and up).