Seven Strange and Ghostly Tales [Hardcover]

Brian Jacques (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up

A collection of seven creepy stories.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Ghost story aficionados may add yet another title to their increasingly crowded reading lists. This collection features seven original stories about the requisite apparitions, vampires and satanic incarnations, all spun with a distinctly English flair. Jacques's ( Redwall ; Mattimeo ) ethereal creations are tame when compared with the violence and gore often found in the genre. Despite a lack of blood, mysterious deaths and hauntings abound: Gilly Bodkin's soul will not rest until he gets some sweets; Thomas P. Kanne is embalmed and mummified while still alive. Chills and thrills are fewer than the book's title might suggest, and the author has infused his own brand of humor into tales about a vampire with a nagging mother and a compulsive liar who dares to tell a whopper to the devil. A few lengthy descriptive passages slow the pace, and a story focusing on an older woman's experience during WW II may be too sophisticated for younger readers, but this is still a good choice for flashlight reading under the covers. Ages 8-up.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8-- A collection of seven competently told tales set in modern-day Britain, ranging from a funny "pact with the Devil" story to more traditional vampire and ghostly fare. There is a satisfying amount of spookiness in each, even though the conclusions are telegraphed ahead of time. Each story is preceded by an original poem that is intended to pique interest in the tale that follows; as poetry, these selections are mediocre, but they do add a nice balance of humor to what is otherwise the same old stuff. The subject will be popular with a wide audience, although the lack of illustrations and the fairly dense blocks of text may intimidate some readers. Leach's Thing at the Foot of the Bed (Philomel, 1987) and Schwartz's Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (Lippincott, 1981), to name only two, will not be eclipsed by this newcomer. --JoAnn Rees, Sunnyvale Public Library, CA
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 137 pages
• Publisher: Philomel (September 18, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399221034
• ISBN-13: 978-0399221033
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,345,643 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

A well-known radio personality in his native Liverpool--as well as an actor, stand-up comic, and playwright--Brian Jacques (1939-2011) was the host of "Jakestown" on BBC Radio Merseyside. Ever the performer, Jacques was well-known for applying his acting and entertainment background to his lively presentations to legions of young fans at schools across the United States and England. Brian Jacques was born in Liverpool, England on June 15th, 1939. Along with forty percent of the population of Liverpool, his ancestral roots are in Ireland, County Cork to be exact. He grew up in the area around the Liverpool docks. His interest in adventure stories began at an early age with reading the books of: Daniel Defoe, Sir Henry Rider Haggard, Arthur Conan Doyle, Sir Thomas Malory, Robert Michael Ballantyne, Robert Louis Stevenson, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and Kenneth Grahame. He attended St. John's School, an inner city school that had its playground on the roof. On his first day at St. John's, at the age of ten, he had an experience that marked his potential as a writer. When given an assignment of writing a story about animals, he wrote about the bird that cleaned a crocodile's teeth. The teacher could not, and would not, believe that a ten year old could write that well. When young Brian refused to falsely say that he had copied the story, he was caned as "a liar". He had always loved to write, but it was only then, that he realized that he had a talent for writing. "My favourite teacher was Mr. Austin Thomas. He looked like Lee Marvin. Big Man. A Captain in World War II. He came to school on a big bush bike with the haversack on back. He was a man's man. Always fair. I was fourteen at the time when Mr. Thomas introduced the class to poetry and Greek literature. (Because of him, I saved seven shillings and sixpence to buy The Iliad and The Odyssey at this dusty used book shop.)" This interest in poetry extended to Wordsworth, Tennyson, and Goldsmith. It was also at St. John's that Brian met a teacher, Alan Durband (who also taught two Beatles, Paul McCartney and George Harrison), who, more than thirty years later would bring about a major change in his life. After Brian finished school at fifteen, he set out to find adventure as a merchant seaman. He travelled to many far away ports, including New York, Valparaiso, San Francisco, and Yokohama. Tiring of the lonely life of a sailor, he returned to Liverpool where he worked as a railway fireman, a longshoreman, a long-distance truck driver, a bus driver, a boxer, a bobby (Police Constable 216D), a postmaster, and a stand-up comic. Jacques passed away in February of 2011 at the age of 71.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars B.J.'s Ghost stories are a hidden gem, February 6, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Seven Strange and Ghostly Tales (Paperback)

Brian Jacques is best known for his Redwall series, but surprisingly enough, Seven Strange and Ghostly Tales is an undescovered gem. This book is intended for kids 9-14, but unlike Goosebumps or other stories for the age range, this book has rich writing bursting with original ideas. Take, for example, a story where a boy fools the Devil himself. Read this book, you won't be dissapointed

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More interesting than scary, September 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Seven Strange & Ghostly Tales (Paperback)

If you're looking for something to keep you awake all night in fright, look elsewhere. This is not a shock and scream book. However, if you're looking for suspenseful stories that are well-written, thought provoking, and can double as cautionary tales, this is the collection for you. The poetry before each story and the word play within in are good enough to merit special note. This is a book people of any age can enjoy.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great stories!, June 8, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Seven Strange & Ghostly Tales (Paperback)

Brian Jacques is a great author, he can make stories that have been told several times before seem new and original. This collection of stories is quite interesting, funny and descriptive, and hey, a little eerie. You can see how they are similar to Redwall books, also written by him, with sort of the same type of diolouge, and the poetry is QUITE similar. This is a good book for reading while on a vacation away from home.