Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones

Note to people reading this for the first time: Ensure you get the pre-2010 copy of this book. Without the [author: Stephen Gammell] book these volumes lose most of their punch.

This was the book that terrified me when I was younger. Yes, the other volumes were good, but this was the one that really struck me to the bone and left me shaking. In particular, the story "Harold" really got to me. There was something about it that just plain messed me up. Whether it was the cruelty, the slow transformation, or the grisly ending... I don't know, man. That story haunted me. Through nostalgia's eyes I was still a bit shaken, rereading it now didn't really much soften the blow. I'm surprised, but not shocked, that something so grisly made its way show more into a children's collection of folklore.

These books are great. They're a great collection of folklore, a great book for scarring youngsters, and a truly harrowing sort of gift. In my life they marked a passage into... not exactly teenagedom or adulthood or anything so grand as that... but into something more. If you could deal with those stories, it was a badge of respect in the schoolyard. They meant something. I'm not certain what the equivalent is nowadays with the internet running rampant and children's media growing more sophisticated, but I hope these books still have some small spot. There's just something visceral about those stories and Gammell's illustrations that speaks, in my mind, to everyone. show less

What a delightful series!

I have never read books quite like these: they are collections of stories, but they're also celebrations of stories and of storytelling. Some of them include notes on how to tell them, orally, to a group of friends. Some of them include instructions for necessary props. This is folklore at its finest: memorable, spooky, silly, atmospheric. Poems and songs—complete with musical notation—help paint a more complete picture of these folkloric traditions. Creepy illustrations are icing on the cake.

Best of all, Schwartz includes excellent notes on the tales, their histories, and their variants. He cites the books from which he adapted them, and overall, he does a fantastic job of making a potentially dry show more explanation interesting for children.

Please note:
I enjoyed these books as a kid and binge-read the whole trilogy as a grownup. Consequently, I'm not confident in my ability to review the three volumes separately. Schwartz maintained such a high standard of quality throughout the series, and the tone of each book closely matches the others. Please consider this review as covering all three books. show less

Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones, illustrated by Stephen Gammell.

Noted folklorist Alvin Schwartz and Caldecott Medal-winning illustrator Stephen Gammell, who previously collaborated on Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (1981) and More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (1984), joined forces again in this third collection of frightening tales, first published in 1991. Here we have twenty-five tales, culled from traditional folklore and more recent urban legends and presented in six separate sections.

In "When Death Arrives" we encounter stories where Death's arrival is the beginning of the tale, rather than the end. Selections include The Appointment, inspired by an ancient and widespread Middle Eastern story in which show more running away from Death only sends you into his arms. Here too is the Irish tale, Hello Kate, in which a young man encounters the spirit of a young woman he knew, and isn't sure how to greet her.

In "On the Edge" we read of various unlikely and disturbing scenarios, including that of Harold, in which two farm hands create a man-sized doll that they proceed to abuse, only for their creation to turn the tables on them. In another example of the futility of trying to escape death, a man discovers in Bess that although he has sold the horse that is prophesied to cause his demise, through her he still meets his end.

"Running Wild" contains a single story: that of The Wolf Girl, in which an infant girl near Devil's River, Texas is raised by wolves after her parents die. This legend of a feral child was apparently first recorded in 1937 in a publication of the Texas Folklore Society.

Not unexpectedly, "Five Nightmares" contains five selections, among them Sam's New Pet, in which a couple vacationing in Mexico mistake an oversized rat for a hairless dog and bring it home. Folklorists have apparently speculated that this type of urban legend reveals unease, on the part of American citizens, at the influx of immigrants from south of the border, and their effect upon the economy.

"What Is Going On Here?" is another section containing a single tale, in this case, The Trouble, about a family whose home is disturbed by a poltergeist. A contemporary and apparently true tale, it is based upon reports that were published in various newspapers.

Finally, "Whoooooooo? contains six tales concerning ghosts, monsters and corpses. In the brief Strangers, a man remarks to the woman sitting next to him on a train that he doesn't believe in ghosts, only for her to vanish before his eyes. In Is Something Wrong a skeleton pursues a terrified motorist, courteously asking what the matter is, when he finally catches up.

Much as I did with its predecessors, I enjoyed Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones immensely! The stories are spooky and the artwork deliciously creepy. I read these collections when I was younger, and have been meaning to revisit them every Halloween season for the last ten years. I'm glad I finally did! Recommended to young readers who enjoy scary stories, as well as to folklore enthusiasts. show less

Some of us can’t resist the somewhat ghoulish need to be scared, and this book is just what we need for what ails us. Meant for children, adults will certainly appreciate content of this third book in the series. There are some excellent tales, and one, at least, is true. The notes on the background of the tales should not be skipped; they will add to your knowledge and appreciation of the scary tales in the book. And as to be expected by now, the illustrations by Stephen Gammell are scary in their own right, and add much to the stories.

Found this in a box of childhood stuff. Stephen Gammell is a goddamn genius, and if you're reading this without his illustrations, you're missing out big time. Nightmare fuel.

Just as good as the first two.
I loved this series as a kid, and I just went back to reread it because the movie is coming out, and also I was curious if my children are old enough to read it yet. At 6 and 7, I think they will have to wait a couple years. I think the recommendation on the back of the book, ages 9 and up, is accurate. Some of the stories would be fine, like the funny ones, but there are a couple--and the illustrations!--that might be just a little too creepy still. It's still just as fun as I remember, and now I really appreciate that Alvin Schwartz is coming at this from a folklore perspective. I love the notes that go with each story at the end, and that Schwartz included a bibliography where books that would be good show more for children are marked. show less

This series of children's horror stories was a favorite of my oldest son. He presented me with copies of the books as he was leaving to serve in the Navy. Nostalgia from his childhood. What he remembered the most was the creepy-cool artwork by Stephen Gammell. Imagine my horror when I found out (while I was re-reading the series) that when they reprinted the books as a 30th anniversary celebration, they changed the artwork. While Brett Helquist is a talented artist, what made this book series really great was the strange art by Gammell. Luckily, I have older copies of this series with the weird art intact. I investigated online and found examples of Helquists illustrations. They are great...more of a literal interpretation of the show more stories....but....it just isn't Scary Stories without Stephen Gammell. Not sure what the publisher was thinking!

Scary Stories 3 gathers 25 more stories from folklore. There are notes about the stories and a list of sources in the back. As in the prior books, the stories vary, even including a bit of poetry and a song. The artwork perfectly accompanies the creepy tales. All the tales are middle-grade friendly.

An excellent collection of scary stories! I will pass on the 30th Anniversary edition. This series stands out because of the original artwork by Gammell. My son remembers these books 17 years after we first read them because of Gammell's artwork. It isn't the same outstanding series without the original art. I'm glad I have the full collection with the original drawings. These definitely have a permanent home on my keeper shelf! show less