School Zone, Vol. 1

The Queen of Horror Manga, Kanako Inuki, brings you School Zone, a series about ordinary children who encounter the strange and terrifying at their very own school, and discover that many ghost stories, urban legends and superstitions are truly and horribly real.

From School Library Journal

Grade 9 Up–This seemingly promising volume tells ghostly tales of a haunted school. There are 13 short stories and urban legends; some are laughable, others are downright spooky. All of them weave together to form one seriously spooky book. Like a sick and twisted Goosebumps for older readers, Inukis writing incorporates components of a good horror story: evil dolls, wicked ghosts, and malevolent children. In sharp contrast, the illustrations are disappointing. While the art is fluid and customary to the manga style, all of the characters have a permanently shocked expression–characterized by round widened eyes and a mouth frozen in a perpetual O–whether they are frightened or not. A device meant to make the story seem more terrifying ends up making it unconvincing and repetitive. Libraries looking for more horror manga might find a readership for this volume, but overall it is a secondary purchase.–Jennifer Feigelman, Goshen Public Library and Historical Society, NY Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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