More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

More Scary Stories To Tell In the Dark, illustrated by Stephen Gammell

Author and folklorist Alvin Schwartz and illustrator Stephen Gammell, who in 1981 teamed up to create the contemporary American classic, Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark, joined forces again for this second collection, published in 1984. Here we have twenty-eight spooky stories, culled from various folk traditions and divided into four sections.

"When She Saw Him, She Screamed and Ran" is a collection of eight ghost stories, ranging from Something Was Wrong, in which a ghost doesn't know he is a ghost, to A Weird Blue Light, in which a Confederate blockade runner during the American Civil War encounters a ghostly pirate ship sunk some forty years before. My favorite show more tale from this section was the Ozark story of The Little Black Dog, in which a ghostly canine revenges himself upon the man that killed him and his human master.

"She Was Spittin' and Yowlin' Just Like a Cat contains seven strange tales, from the Anglo-American The Bride, in which a newly married woman is accidentally killed during the course of her own wedding, to The Window, in which a vampiric creature crawls out of the cemetery at night in order to attack a young woman in a nearby house. I was struck in this section by The Cat's Paw, a widespread witch tale in which a farmer shoots at a large cat that has been raiding his smokehouse, only to find that the paw he has blown off is actually a woman's foot. This selection put me strongly in mind of similar stories concerning witches who are injured while in animal form, including The New Horse, from Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.

"When I Wake Up, Everything Will Be All Right" presents a further seven scary stories, from the urban legend concerning The Man in the Middle, in which a woman subway rider witnesses a dead man being left propped up in the seat across from her, to A Ghost in the Mirror, which details a game that people like to play, using a mirror to summon spirits. I was particularly struck here by The Bed by the Window, in which an elderly man kills his roommate at a nursing home, thinking he will get the view provided by the window, only to discover that the wonderful things described to him were all in his roommate's imagination.

"The Last Laugh" includes six stories meant to be both scary and funny, from The Church, in which a stranded motorist seeks refuge for the night in an abandoned church, and encounters what he at first thinks are ghosts; to the New York State tale of Thumpity-Thump, in which a family moves out of their new home almost as soon as they move in, due to a poltergeist. This section also includes the folk song Ba-Rooom!, played to the tune of "The Irish Washerwoman," with musical notation included.

Like its predecessor, I first read More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark when I was younger, and am picking it up again now for the first time in many years. I found the stories themselves delightfully spooky, and Stephen Gammell's artwork deliciously creepy. Although not as incensed as some readers by the newer editions with artwork from Brett Helquist - I think it quite a good thing, if children who might be put off reading these stories by the artwork can approach it because of these newer, less scary illustrations - I do prefer the originals, and think Gammell's work in them is a masterpiece of eerie horror. Leaving that aside, as an adult reader I was far more interested in the source material here, than I was as a young girl, and found quite a few new titles in the source notes to add to my folklore shelves. All in all, an entertaining read, especially at this time of year! Recommended to young readers who enjoy scary stories, as well as to folklore enthusiasts. 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

A note to anyone looking to read this for the first time: MAKE CERTAIN YOU ARE READING THE PRE-2010 EDITION OF THIS BOOK. ANYTHING AFTER 2010 DOES NOT HAVE GAMMELL'S ILLUSTRATIONS.

These books were a staple of my childhood. They spooked me good, and their nightmare-inducing artwork is something that I only appreciate more and more as the years go on. The stories are all entertaining, and this second edition contains far more original material than did the first. There are few Jump-Scare stories, more straight-up old folklore, well-sourced and entertainingly retold. There are also, noticeably, less songs and poetry in this entry as well. Perhaps it's to his credit that [a: Alvin Schwartz|13728|Alvin show more Schwartz|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_50x66-82093808bca726cb3249a493fbd3bd0f.png] listened to the recommendations from the children.

I love the idea of these stories continuing to be passed down through the years. The same stories that spooked children in the 1800s now spooking millennials, etc. It's a romantic notion, and one that these books ensure is a reality. What scares us changes only in locale and technology, really. Just look at the subway story and the college roommate ones... how many times have they evolved to stay current? They'll just continue evolving, really. The heart of the matter, the unnerving realization of our own mortality, will always remain the same. show less

My honest opinion is that the illustrations are the scariest part of the book. I suppose sense I’m 36 and I love horror (having read a great deal of books and seen even more movies and TV shows which involve scary stories, folklore and urban legend. What Schwartz offers up here seems to be pretty traditional (or standard) urban legend/scary story fare. I think that this series (Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, More Scary Stories…, and Scary Stories 3) make a fine introduction to the campfire tales (those stories that have a “jump” at the end), urban legends (the hitchhiker type), and other similar fare for young readers from about age 9-14 or so. Older readers might not be at all scared by simply reading the book, but my show more understanding is that the audio book (voiced by George S. Irving) is quite good. I intend to give it a listen when it comes in from the library (for all three in this series). Overall, good introduction but I don’t get what all the fuss is about and I certainly don’t see why anyone would be trying to ban or censor this…there’s more graphic and violent/scary stuff on TV. This is definitely worth a read for the “memory lane” feel one might get (I certainly did, there are a number of classics here) and for the illustrations as Gammell certainly has a style that manages to really make one’s flesh crawl! I give it four stars…good but not great. show less

"Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" by Alvin Schwartz is a spooky addition to his renowned collection of American folklore. Filled with tales of eerie horror and dark revenge, it promises to make readers jump with fright. However, as I delved into this anthology, I found myself torn between nostalgia and disappointment.

The book offers a diverse range of stories, from restless skeletons with torn and tangled flesh to vengeful ghosts seeking retribution and haunted houses with gruesome nightly surprises. This assortment promises something for everyone, catering to different tastes in horror. Yet, while the potential for spine-tingling tales is apparent, the actual execution leaves much to be desired.

One of the highlights of "Scary Stories show more to Tell in the Dark" is Stephen Gammell's artwork. His creepy illustrations perfectly encapsulate the eerie mood of the stories, adding a layer of chilling visual detail to the narratives. The nightmarish quality of Gammell's drawings is undeniable, and they do contribute significantly to the book's unsettling atmosphere.

However, the storytelling itself falls short of expectations. The tales presented in this collection often feel disjointed, resembling the kind of stories young children might concoct with no clear ending or logical sense. While this may evoke nostalgia for some readers, it can also be frustrating for those seeking well-crafted narratives. The absence of cohesive storytelling in some of these tales detracts from the overall impact of the book.

As a reader, I couldn't help but feel that "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" may have held greater appeal for a younger audience. The stories, with their simple, almost childlike structures, may indeed have been better suited for kids. However, this disconnect between storytelling style and the implied audience can leave adult readers feeling somewhat unsatisfied.

"Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" offers a mixed experience. Stephen Gammell's nightmarish illustrations provide genuine nightmare fuel, but they can't fully compensate for the book's shortcomings in storytelling. While it may evoke a sense of nostalgia for those who remember their childhood tales, it might leave adult readers yearning for more substantial and well-crafted narratives. This book has its moments of eerie delight, but it falls short of the spine-tingling masterpiece it could have been. show less

T.S. Elliot called them "hoo-ha's". I'd call these, "meh".

I basically have the same thing to say about this book, as I did about volume three, so here goes-

Well, the stories herein are not very scary at all. One or two are a little gross, but that's it. Kind of what I would expect for a book "only available for distribution through the school market".

However, the illustrations are the stuff of nightmares! There are some super spooky/scary pictures in here! Gross too! Definitely not what I would expect from a book "only available for distribution through the school market"! I'm sure young me would have bought all 3 volumes in this series, but I'm not sure my parents would have let me!

I did enjoy the "Notes" and "Sources" sections at the show more end. Interesting to see the origin of some of these stories! show less

When I was a child, I used to love reading Alvin Schwartz's scary story books! There was nothing more fun than going to the library during the summer and getting my fix of creepy stories and macabre artwork by Stephen Gammell. I recently picked up a copy of this book as a testament to my childhood nostalgia to see if the stories held up to the test of time. I'm glad to say that they did! While written for children, the stories definitely gave me a few chills as an adult. The artwork is still just as creepy, although I'm not quite as scared to look at it now. The tales are based on folklore and legends, so you or your children may have already heard many of them before. Yet, there is nothing quite like the way that Alvin Schwartz tells show more them.

This is definitely a book I'd recommend picking up for children who love scary stories, or for those of us who loved these stories as a child! Don't forget to read them when the sun is out and the lights are on, though. Otherwise, you might start seeing things in every corner or hearing things in every room! show less