SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK by Alvin Schwartz

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Schwartz, Alvin. 1981. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. New York, NY: HarperCollins Children’s Books. ISBN 0064401707

2. PLOT SUMMARY
This collection of spooky folklore consists of five “chapters” of stories, songs and poems. Each chapter has a theme: things that make you “jump,” ghosts, creepy hodgepodge, contemporary tales and funny stories. The book concludes with notes, sources and bibliography.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This book offers a little bit of everything. The stories in the first chapter are suspenseful with an abrupt ending designed to startle. They lose some of their effect when read rather than when told orally as intended, but they are fun to read nonetheless. The second and third chapters about ghosts and misc. are frightening, chilling or just disgusting. The fourth chapter consisting of modern cautionary tales could also be labeled as urban legends. The humorous last chapter ends the book on a lighthearted note. Stephen Gammell’s black and white drawings interspersed throughout lend well to the eerie overall atmosphere. The tales in this collection are bound to be retold around the campfire or at slumber parties just as they were initially.

For those with an interest in folklore, Schwartz provides excellent background information in the “notes” section. The “sources” chapter is fairly in-depth and includes variants and the names of collectors/informants when available. The bibliography contains pertinent books and articles, with appropriate material for young people marked with an asterisk.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
From Children's Books 1981 (NY Public Library):"A fine collection of short tales to chill the bones of young and old with interesting notes for folktale buffs."

5. CONNECTIONS
*Read other scary stories by Alvin Schwartz:
More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark ISBN 0064401774
Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones (Scary Stories) ISBN 0060217944
*Have a mock fireside storytelling session (in the dark, with flashlights)
*Write/tell a modified version of one of the stories