Grade 4-6-All but two of these short stories ("Clean as a Whistle" and "The Language of Blood") have been previously published. The best of the show is "Duffy's Jacket," in which the tension of waiting for a monster to catch Andrew, Marie, and their ever forgetful cousin Duffy is deliciously chilling, while the climax will make readers laugh out loud with relief and pleasure. As a whole, the collection will be a boon to those who are ready to cross the bridge from the "Goosebumps" series (Scholastic) into horror fiction with a few more levels of meaning. The stories are well written, although the tone in a few is so distant it may put some readers off. The plots, though, are always clear and characterizations deftly drawn. In "The Box," Michael (who could have taught Pandora a thing or two) is made keeper of a box by an angel and treasures it his entire life, without once ever opening it. "Homeward Bound" revolves around orphaned Jamie, who finally realizes that he is a unicorn and will only be free and able to return home when he names himself. A worthwhile purchase, particularly for classroom discussions.
Patricia A. Dollisch, DeKalb County Public Library, Decatur, GA
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