Review Detail

There is something so wonderfully satisfying about a good scary book in October. Halloween is just around the corner, creepy Jack-O-Lanterns will soon grace porches, and black cats will be indicative of a witch lurking nearby. What could be a better cherry on a spook-tacular sundae than a collection of tales determined to make you sleep with a nightlight or a flashlight under your pillow?

Jon Scieszka rounded up some of the best authors for this installment of GUYS READ: TERRIFYING TALES. With the literary talents of Kelly Barnhill, Michael Buckley, Adam Gidwitz, Adele Griffin and Lisa Brown, Claire Legrand, Nikki Loftin, Daniel Jose Older, Dav Pilkey, Rita Williams-Garcia, and none other than R.L. Stine, you KNOW there is some great stuff here. And there is.

GUYS READ: TERRIFYING TALES is a collection of short stories, and one graphic novel inspired piece, that guarantees to give even a seasoned pro a scare. I grew up with Fright Night, Wes Craven, Rob Zombie, King, and all the horror classics of the 80s and 90s. There were several times while reading GUYS READ that my tummy flipped as scare-drenaline kicked into high gear. Not to mention the other times I had to remind myself these stories are intended for the middle grade crowd! Seriously!

Scieszka picked the best of the best to fill GUYS READ: TERRIFYING TALES with all the essentials. There is a story for every spooky taste. You dig paranormal? Done. What about eccentric? Yep. How about twisted humor that will leave you questioning if it was intended to be funny or just make you THINK it was just funny when it was actually pretty creepy? Got that too. Or are you a classic horror or a slasher flick kind of guy? Jon’s got you hooked up!

Oh, and when I say “guy,” really I mean all readers. Scieszka set out to tell stories that guys would like to see out there, but even girls can enjoy these reads. I do! But if you want a cute love story with a happily ever after, you’re not going to find that here. These tales are for the serious spook crowd. Each story is a quick read, with lots of great imagination and twists on some old favorite stories. I, personally, would have loved to see the artwork the authors wanted to include, but the ARC I received had a lot of “pending” art. I may have to get the finished product to have a more complete scare. If the concept sketches are any indicator, they will rock!

So, in short, if you dig good scary reads that include all the wicked things that go bump in the night, do yourself a favor and read GUYS READ: TERRIFYING TALES. It’s the perfect addition to any creep library. If you’re a fan, or know of a fan, of the cult classic Tales from the Crypt, then this is the perfect book for you! Just be sure to pack lots of batteries for your flashlight.