Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark collected by Alvin Schwartz

Yes, they’re corny, and no, they’re not that scary. But, they are short and slightly spooky, and perfect for students who just want to read a little story at a time. Better yet, they’re a good fit for students who like to tell scary stories and need more material. This book, along with More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and Scary Stories 3, also has a lot of potential for ELA teachers currently working on short stories with their classes. With the accompanying CDs (sold separately, but available in some of our libraries) that include stories from all three volumes of Schwartz’s scary story collections, teachers will certainly be able to find at least a few to entertain, all while demonstrating the traditional elements of short stories. Note that the illustrations by Brett Helquist are far lighter than the original publications’ drawings by Stephen Gammell; the original books would certainly be scarier, and probably more appealing to teens.--Anja Kennedy

Schwartz, Alvin. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. New York: Harper Collins, 2010.