Ghosts, specters, the dead, and the undead fill the pages of this spectacular gift book by master storyteller Jane Yolen. From the ghostly goadings of an insistent - and recently deceased - choir teacher to the most frightening prom date you never want to have, this riveting collection of poems and stories is sure to leave even the most skeptical of readers all shivers and gooseflesh. Lavishly illustrated by David Wilgus's haunting pencil drawings, each tale is prefaced by a note from the author in which she discusses the writer's craft and why it is that storytellers - and their listeners - are drawn to spooky yarns.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
Grade 5 Up-Ghosts, lost souls, and demented prom dates roam the pages in this collection of new and previously published short stories and poems by the prolific author. Each entry is prefaced by a note by Yolen discussing the origin of the piece and her thoughts about it. These comments will be useful when introducing poetry and stories, providing background information, and aiding in interpretation. However, the insights offered often give away essential information and would be best read after completing the selection. Soft pencil drawings illustrate this addition to the author's "Here There Be..." series (Harcourt). Readers will do some serious thinking about topics such as God, souls, and the supernatural while devouring these creepy tales.
Kimberlie Baker, Lucius Beebe Memorial Library, Wakefield, MA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Kimberlie Baker, Lucius Beebe Memorial Library, Wakefield, MA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Gr. 6^-9 . The fifth book in this ghoulish series from Yolen follows the same pattern as the other titles--short stories (some only a few pages long) interspersed with poems and David Wilgus' wonderful pencil illustrations. None of the stories is especially frightening . In fact, these ghosts are frequently likable, with personalities and endearing flaws. The stories are well written and vary in style. Some will strike a chord with their contemporary, conversational tone and real-life accessibility, while others, such as "The Moon Ribbon," convey a feeling of being very old stories with a strong folklore influence. Wilgus provides at least one full-page illustration for each story or poem, and often the smoky artwork is more eerie than the words on the page. Yolen's short introduction before each entry explaining the background and the writing of the piece adds interest. Good for reluctant readers, too. Elizabeth Drennan
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More About the Author
Born and raised in New York City, Jane Yolen now lives in Hatfield, Massachusetts. She attended Smith College and received her master's degree in education from the University of Massachusetts. The distinguished author of more than 170 books, Jane Yolen is a person of many talents. When she is not writing, Yolen composes songs, is a professional storyteller on the stage, and is the busy wife of a university professor, the mother of three grown children, and a grandmother. Active in several organizations, Yolen has been on the Board of Directors of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, was president of the Science Fiction Writers of America from 1986 to 1988, is on the editorial board of several magazines, and was a founding member of the Western New England Storytellers Guild, the Western Massachusetts Illustrators Guild, and the Bay State Writers Guild. For twenty years, she ran a monthly writer's workshop for new children's book authors. In 1980, when Yolen was awarded an honorary Doctor of Law degree by Our Lady of the Elms College in Chicopee, Massachusetts, the citation recognized that "throughout her writing career she has remained true to her primary source of inspiration--folk culture." Folklore is the "perfect second skin," writes Yolen. "From under its hide, we can see all the shimmering, shadowy uncertainties of the world." Folklore, she believes, is the universal human language, a language that children instinctively feel in their hearts. All of Yolen's stories and poems are somehow rooted in her sense of family and self. The Emperor and the Kite, which was a Caldecott Honor Book in 1983 for its intricate papercut illustrations by Ed Young, was based on Yolen's relationship with her late father, who was an international kite-flying champion. Owl Moon, winner of the 1988 Caldecott Medal for John Schoenherr's exquisite watercolors, was inspired by her husband's interest in birding. Yolen's graceful rhythms and outrageous rhymes have been gathered in numerous collections. She has earned many awards over the years: the Regina Medal, the Kerlan Award, the World Fantasy Award, the Society of Children's Book Writers Award, the Mythopoetic Society's Aslan Award, the Christopher Medal, the Boy's Club Jr. Book Award, the Garden State Children's Book Award, the Daedalus Award, a number of Parents' Choice Magazine Awards, and many more. Her books and stories have been translated into Japanese, French, Spanish, Chinese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Afrikaans, !Xhosa, Portuguese, and Braille. With a versatility that has led her to be called "America's Hans Christian Andersen," Yolen, the child of two writers, is a gifted and natural storyteller. Perhaps the best explanation for her outstanding accomplishments comes from Jane Yolen herself: "I don't care whether the story is real or fantastical. I tell the story that needs to be told."
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
AN AUTHENTIC SHIVER OR TWO,
This review is from: Here There Be Ghosts (Hardcover)
Middle readers who are looking for a shiver or two will find them in Jane Yolen's Here There Be Ghosts.This spectacularly spine-tingling volume presents a choir teacher who has recently gone to join the heavenly choir. There's also a prom date that never should have happened plus a host of other tales. Jane Yolen knows how to throw scares into us, and she does so with gusto in this collection.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Smart ghost stories,
This review is from: Here There Be Ghosts (Hardcover)
Too often, ghost stories either degenerate into sappy emotional dramas or into gruesome near-parodies. Jane Yolen deftly avoids those traps in a collection of poems and stories that is never gruesome, never sappy, and never really scary."It Was the Hour" is a poem about the brief appearance of a ghost. "Ghost Boy" is a highly entertaining story about a pair of kids who get a glimpse of a ghost boy -- but exactly who is the ghost? "Tombmates" is a highly amusing poem about an Odd Couple pair of ghosts -- a tidy one and a messy one. "Police Report" is the account of a kid explaining how a ghost appeared to him, and ending with an amusing twist. "White Lady" is a poetic account about the White Lady ghost who haunts a cathedral. "The Boy Who Sang For Death" is a two-ended story about a young man who pursues Lady Death in an effort to get her to resurrect his mother. "Seance for Eight" is an amusing poem about a seance -- is it fake or not? "Mrs. Ambroseworthy" is an amusing-spooky story about a choir director who keeps coming back. "Night Wolves," about a kid and a ghost who "wore my mother's face, my mother's wedding dress" is poignant and sweet. "The Singer of Seeds" is a little weaker than the others, about the lingering effects of a young man killed by murderous farmers. "In the Silvered Night" is a pretty poem about nothing much, aside from ghosts. "Mandy" is the perfect story for dog-lovers, in which the ghost of a deceased pooch comes to visit her owner. "Haunt" asks the question "When I am gone/Who will I haunt?" "Green Ghosts" has a young girl dealing with strange green creatures who are flittering around like bats in her new home. "Souls" is an exceptional short story, starkly written and simple in its storyline, in which a boy grows up killing things that he decrees have no souls. "The Moon-Ribbon" is a beautifully-written story, somewhat like a fairy tale, in which an apparition helps a young girl named Sylva, whose only possession is a silver ribbon. "Prom Ghost" is when a girl finds out how her brother and the girl he was with died on their prom night. And "My Own Ghosts" is a charming little finale to the collection. There isn't really a weak spot in this collection; Yolen's style ranges from charming fairy-tale-like stories to charming poems to eerie tales with a wry twist. As always, David Wilgus's soft-edged black-and-white drawings add extra dimension to the material collected in it. For fans of things that go bump in the night, this is good entertainment. One of the best of this too-short series.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
good,
By a reader (Geogia, U.S.) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Here There Be Ghosts (Hardcover)
I like that these ghost stories are not the usual horrifying, scare-your-pants-off stories that I often come across. The ghosts in these stories don't go around trying to kill people, they are just unusual which for some reason makes them seem more real. It's not they aren't scary, they are just spooky. Good for someone looking for non- bloody ghost stories.
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