Publishers Weekly
06/28/2021
In this collection of 20 brief offerings that nod affectionately to scary-story tropes, Rissi (Nobody Knows but You) puts an enjoyably spooky spin on mundane and traditionally pleasurable childhood experiences, while occasional art by Godina maintains the eerie atmosphere. Using straightforward prose and employing a mix of narrative forms—letters home, verse, text messages, a dog’s point of view, and a play, among others—Rissi turns such topics as a friendly game of hide-and-seek between siblings (“Hide and Don’t Seek”), a summer camp session (“Truly Delicious”), a long-kept confidence (“The Secret”), and a Christmas gift (“Beatrice”) toward the anxious and uncertain. “The Best Teacher at Pleasant Hill Oak Elementary,” meanwhile, provides a refreshing twist on the “unusual teacher” idea. Though some stories succeed better than others, and several end abruptly, the sheer variety of creepy concepts, unsettling moments interspersed with humor, and gotcha twists will appeal to younger middle grade readers who are ready for a gateway into horror fiction—and a book to read around the campfire. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8–12. Agent: Michael Bourret, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. (Aug.)
From the Publisher
"Like Alvin Schwartz’s Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, this title shows promise of being read and retold again and again by this generation’s thrill-seekers." — School Library Journal (starred review)
"Twenty different entries, with atmospheric illustrations, create new yet classic-feeling tales for younger readers... Ideal for any younger reader looking for bite-sized horror." — Kirkus Reviews
"The sheer variety of creepy concepts, unsettling moments interspersed with humor, and gotcha twists will appeal to younger middle grade readers who are ready for a gateway into horror fiction—and a book to read around the campfire." — Publishers Weekly
"Given the range of stories and formats, this is a strong choice for both horror fiends and those just wanting to dip their toes into scarier waters." — Booklist
"Hide and Don't Seek is a Halloween goody bag full of treats–and not a few tricks–that will appeal to any young reader with an appetite for thrills ‘n chills. Certain to be a gateway drug to Stephen King." — Portland Press Herald
Booklist
"Given the range of stories and formats, this is a strong choice for both horror fiends and those just wanting to dip their toes into scarier waters."
Portland Press Herald
"Hide and Don't Seek is a Halloween goody bag full of treats–and not a few tricks–that will appeal to any young reader with an appetite for thrills ‘n chills. Certain to be a gateway drug to Stephen King."
Booklist
"Given the range of stories and formats, this is a strong choice for both horror fiends and those just wanting to dip their toes into scarier waters."
School Library Journal
★ 08/01/2021
Gr 4–6—When it comes to scary stories, this title delivers. Young readers will find tales of hair-raising animals, monsters, dreams, crows, ghosts, dolls, black cats, a strange summer camp, worms, vampires, things under the bed, murders, superstitions, and disappearances—all the makings of a modern-day classic. Some stories are updated versions of familiar scary tales while others feel quite new altogether. This book also features stories in diverse formats like prose, poetry, letters, a play, and even an eerie text message thread. The variety of text types is likely to appeal to a wide range of readers. Rissi also features diverse characters in these spine-chilling tales, with ethnically diverse names as well as a main character whose father has two mothers. A note to readers at the start of the book reminds us why we read scary stories, and how they can help kids rehearse their own navigation of the scary stuff of real life. VERDICT Like Alvin Schwartz's "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark," this title shows promise of being read and retold again and again by this generation's thrill-seekers.—Lindsay Persohn, Univ. of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee
Kirkus Reviews
2021-06-01
Very short and scary stories.
Twenty different entries, with atmospheric illustrations, create new yet classic-feeling tales for younger readers. Rissi uses a variety of storytelling elements to make a collection that combines a timeless quality with contemporary forms, from a young girl playing an eternal game of hide-and-seek in a cornfield to a deadly chain letter sent via text. While the majority of them are straightforward prose, one story is told through the format of the dialogue of a play pieced together from the memories of audience members after the cast and script disappeared. The attempts at rhyme are less successful. As in any collection, readers will have favorites and ones they skip upon rereading, but the cumulative effect here is successful and consistent. A few (especially one tale about crows and the privileges one gets from being part of a murder) seem to have more allegorical meanings. These are all a scare level appropriate for an upper-elementary audience, and the blunt writing means that the creepy factor is present more in the concepts themselves, which linger in the mind, than the actual telling, which is more matter-of-fact than spine-chilling. The full-page charcoal-style illustrations do provide a sense of ominous eeriness, however. There is a small amount of surface-level diversity among the cast.
Ideal for any younger reader looking for bite-sized horror. (Horror. 7-11)
