Vampire Bugs: Stories Conjured From the Past (Super Hoops)

Beware of conjurers and voodoo queens!  In their wake, strange things happen.  Witches shrink to the size of peas, and children are transformed into bugs or birds.  But if fear hides in the folds of the voodoo queen's cloak, so does power.  Conjure women and conjure men--versed in spells and potions to cure any ill--were once familiar figures in America.  The occupation has dwindled, but the fascination remains.  Their feats live on in folktales and history.Vampire Bugs presents an assortment of funny and frightening magicians and an array of young heroes and heroines.  Both provocative and entertaining, these stories will give readers the opportunity to reflect on their fears and on their own power.

From the Inside Flap

njurers and voodoo queens! In their wake, strange things happen. Witches shrink to the size of peas, and children are transformed into bugs or birds. But if fear hides in the folds of the voodoo queen's cloak, so does power. Conjure women and conjure men--versed in spells and potions to cure any ill--were once familiar figures in America. The occupation has dwindled, but the fascination remains. Their feats live on in folktales and history.Vampire Bugs presents an assortment of funny and frightening magicians and an array of young heroes and heroines. Both provocative and entertaining, these stories will give readers the opportunity to reflect on their fears and on their own power.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

An Excerpt from Vampire Bugs      Akiba Yaeger was eleven years old when she met one of the spirits of Singing       Creek. All her life she'd been standing on the back porch listening. Listening       to the twisting water below.      "What are you doing, child?" asked Grandfather.      "Oh, nothing," said Akiba, "just listening."      Grandfather was quiet a minute. Sunlight bounced on the water. "Well, I'm       listening, too," he said, "but I don't hear anything."      "Don't you hear it?" Akiba said, closing her eyes. "Don't you hear the song       in the water?"      Grandfather shoved Akiba's schoolbooks into her hands. "I don't hear nothing,"       he said, "because there's nothing to hear. That song in the creek business       is just an old tale."      "But I can hear it in my ear," argued Akiba.      Grandfather lifted an eyebrow. "Well, since you're so smart, just what is       the song the creek is singing?"      Akiba shrugged. "I can't make out the words. All that I hear is burble,       burble. But I know folks are singing in there."      ---------from "Akiba's Singing Water"

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