FICTION

Literally Disturbed: Tales to Keep You Up at Night

by Ben H. WINTERS
illus. by Adam F. Watkins. 64p. Price Stern Sloan. 2013. RTE $9.99. ISBN 9780843171945.
COPY ISBN
Gr 3–6—Subtle humor and forthright horror are laced throughout this collection of Poe-like poems. For those who enjoy being terrified while having their senses tickled, the verses are full of dark, creepy imagery enhanced with ghostly pen-and-ink drawings confirming the mind's wildest imaginings. For example, "There's only one problem—/it's a big one, I won't lie./If you're gonna be a ghost,/well, then first you've got to DIE." Winters's verses cover typical scary topics, such as black cats, witches, and monsters, but also focus on subjects like a child whose cold might be more serious than it seems and a strange monkey statue with "glowing green eyes." A suitable compilation for late October, though some students might prefer lighter fare.—Magdaline Henderson-Diman, formerly at Bass Harbor Memorial Library, Bernard, ME
A collection of thirty scary poems is accompanied by truly spooky, atmospheric illustrations that, when combined, make for an unusual horror collection. The poems edge toward humor on occasion but mostly stick to frightening topics. The sameness of the format (poem on verso, illustration on recto) makes this a better choice for dipping into rather than reading through.
Reviewed by Magdaline Henderson-Diman , Feb 01, 2014

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