10-12. "Scary Stories" by Alvin Schwartz

Alvin Schwartz's collections Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, and Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones fuse folklore, humor, urban legend, and campfire tales. The entries range from chilling to nonsensical to stupid to funny. Some of these tales don't translate well from oral to written transmission; Schwartz includes instructions about how to tell the stories most effectively, but this necessarily keeps readers from experiencing those stories in the way they were meant to be experienced. Still, these are fun collections, with stories that will be familiar to anyone who's attended a sleepover as well as some quirky ditties. Schwartz includes notes about sources at the end of each collection, for aspiring folklorists, and he also provides comprehensive bibliographies.


Stephan Gammell's spooky illustrations are a highlight of all three books. His gargoyle figures are especially grotesque, original, and creepy!