From School Library Journal
Grade 5-7?An uneven collection of horror tales more or less related to a baby-sitting theme. The stories vary widely in style and quality, and several have definite folklore roots. In "Three Brothers," the youngest child defeats a demon tiger to save his siblings. Others owe a perceptible debt to the anonymous shocker tales that have been told around Scout campfires for generations. "Doglicks," a gory version of the old maniac-on-the-loose tale, is a particularly horrific example. There are also some highly original chillers here. "Double Pay" is a scary yet tender story of a young baby-sitter called to comfort a frightened infant ghost on the anniversary of the fire that killed it. Unfortunately, even in the best of these selections, the writing style is often stilted and unnatural. Run-on sentences of almost Dickensian length are common, and there are many cliche expressions. The topic may attract readers, but the total package is ultimately disappointing.?Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Gr. 6^-12. Teenagers looking for macabre stories that have a slight touch of humor may find what they want in this rather uneven collection of 15 tales. The common theme is baby-sitting, and the stories depict bizarre and bloody happenings that occur when someone is responsible for children, pets, or houses. Some of the tales are truly terrifying, but others are totally unbelievable, despite the author's note insisting that they are true.
Mary Romano Marks
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.