Tell Me a Scary Story...But Not Too Scary! (Byron Preiss Book) (Paperback)
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Amazon.com Review For all those kids who love to be scared on Halloween--but not too scared, award-winning director and comedy writer Carl Reiner produces a real spine chiller. He also offers plenty of outs for the faint of heart:...
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Amazon.com Review For all those kids who love to be scared on Halloween--but not too scared, award-winning director and comedy writer Carl Reiner produces a real spine chiller. He also offers plenty of outs for the faint of heart: "Is it getting too scary for you? Should I keep going? Okay, if you say so." No red-blooded young reader will be able to resist this tantalizing tale of monsters and mystery. The narrator (depicted by Jerry Seinfeld's Halloween illustrator, James Bennett, to look exactly like Carl Reiner) cozies up with his granddaughter to tell her all about the man he met when he was a child: Mr. Neewollah. Mr. Neewollah has a crooked smile (we have several creepy child's-eye views) and some very strange hobbies. Young Carl is lured into his basement workshop only to be scared out of his wits by fake eyeballs, creaking doors, and creepy things covered with cloth--not to mention hideous monsters. But is Mr. Neewollah truly as sinister as he seems? In his first book for children, Reiner gets that kids love to be spooked--and to know that all is well, too. Bennett's exaggerated illustrations, featuring weird angles and vivid, in-your-face close-ups, are a good match for Reiners Halloween tale. Too busy in your own evil workshop to read aloud to the kids? Fear not! The book includes a CD featuring Reiner reading the story accompanied by eerie sound effects. (Ages 6 to 9) --Emilie Coulter --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. From School Library Journal PreSchool-Grade 2-As this book opens, the author is preparing to tell his tale to a young listener, gently assuring her that he'll stop if it gets too scary. He then proceeds with his story, supposedly a recollection from his own childhood, during which a mysterious man named Mr. Neewollah moved into the house next door. As he watched him unload boxes, something fell out, and when he picked it up, the boy discovered that it was a marble that looked just like an eyeball. He decided to return it at midnight, saw a light in the basement, and fell through the window. This inevitably led to a meeting with his neighbor and the spooky costumes he created. This tale has the makings of a shivery treat, but the surprises are rather predictable and the chills fail to materialize. Reiner continually interrupts his narrative with questions: "This isn't too scary for you, is it?" and "Should I keep going?" and the tale unfolds at a glacial pace. Bennett's cartoon characters with their oversized heads and exaggerated facial features are appropriately grotesque but seem better suited for comedy or parody. The trouble is that readers simply aren't drawn into the young protagonist's story. Stick with old favorites like Bill Martin, Jr.'s The Ghost-Eye Tree (Holt, 1995) or one of Alvin Schwartz's fine collections, such as In a Dark, Dark Room and Other Scary Stories (HarperCollins, 1984). Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. See all Editorial Reviews
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