The Headless Horseman: And Other Goulish Tales

A collection of tales from around the world, including "The bunyip," "Abena and the python," "A bargain is a bargain," and "Vasilissa and Baba Yaga."

From Publishers Weekly

Maggie Pearson retells 14 stories from around the world in The Headless Horseman and Other Ghoulish Tales, illus. by Gavin Rowe, including "The Brave Little Tailor," based on a Celtic ghost story (which also inspired Janice del Negro's recent Lucy Dove, illus. by Leonid Gore); "The Headless Horseman" (an adaptation of Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow); and "Bluebeard," the French legend of the man who killed his wives in a secret room of his home. Oddly, Pearson offers no bibliography to credit the original sources for her tales (Washington Irving's name is mentioned nowhere, for instance). Full-bleed watercolors and spot vignettes play up the haunting nature of the tales. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Gr 3-7-This collection of 14 stories from around the world is just scary enough to appeal to youngsters, without giving them nightmares. Many of the folktales included are available as single volumes, such as the Australian The Bunyip of Berkeley's Creek (Bradbury, 1973) by Jenny Wagner, or the Russian Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave (Morrow, 1994) by Marianna Mayer. There are also numerous collections of scary stories, such as Maria Leach's Whistle in the Graveyard (Viking, 1974; o.p.) and Robert San Souci's A Terrifying Taste of Short and Shivery (Delacorte, 1998). Yet, this book is unique because of its scope, language, and format. As noted in the introduction, several tales sound familiar, but the uncommon cultural setting here opens a new world for readers. "The tale `Abena and the Python' [West African] is not so very different from `Bluebeard' [French]-." The text retains storytelling elements in that the sentences are short, and the language is simple and immediate. The layout and design enhance the presentation; the text is easy for the eye to follow because of the use of white space and point size. Muted watercolor illustrations vary in size from full page for emphasis to spot art at the beginning and end of each tale, helping readers to focus. Overall, a wonderful way to introduce "scary" stories, whether read aloud or alone in bed on a dark, rainy night.-Tina Hudak, St. Bernard's School, Riverdale, MDCopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 4-7. These 14 tales, classic to obscure, introduce an assortment of eerie beings from around the world--from Bluebeard and bunyips to Baba Yaga and Ichabod Crane. Retellings include "A Bargain Is a Bargain," a Romanian outwit-the-devil tale; the African "Abena and the Python," in which a young bride gets a chilling lesson in appearances versus reality; and "The Shadow," a haunting Danish story about a sinister, ambitious shadow. Slightly oversize text and lively, descriptive prose sprinkled with periodic direct address make for fast, engaging reading. Some of the expressive watercolor illustrations may be a bit gruesome for the tenderhearted (lanterns made of human skulls; a bloody skeleton), but they are an apt accompaniment, detailing international landscapes, cultural elements, and human and otherworldly characters in muted, shadowy tones. An introduction sets the mood, briefly touching on tales' similarities and general representation of culture; the table of contents includes each story's country of origin. A well-told collection illustrating that a good spine tingler knows no national boundaries. Shelle RosenfeldCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Reviews

News