ALA Booklist (Sun Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 1991)

There was a big old house where nobody lived . . . The simplicity of the easy-reading text and the comically sinister pictures are perfect for these old stories that draw you right into the suspense without spelling everything out. As a wary brother and sister go through an empty, dusty, haunted house, we see the ghastly hand on the door before they do. The story ends with the boy whispering to his stricken sister the scariest words of all: But what is that behind you? Chess can draw kids as horrible as your worst fantasy: in one story, the bully Victoria suddenly got sick and died, but she returns as a ghost to haunt her victim everywhere, at his school desk, in the night shadows, in the kitchen appliances. Some ghosts are slobs, like the three eating buttered toast (They had butter on their fists / Running down their wrists / Butter on their sheets / Running down their feet). From graveyards to bedrooms, there's a sense of the world as a deliciously scary place, where you can get control--maybe. In the best folklore tradition, the stories encourage participation with lots of repetition (I want my teeth. Give me back my teeth) and good-naturedly gruesome joy. (Reviewed Sept. 15, 1991)

Horn Book (Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 CST 1991)

Young readers will delight in Schwartz's newest collection of frightening folk tales; his choice of stories reflects his gift for recognizing what will motivate children to read. The illustrations balance the scary stories by introducing many humorous touches. Source notes included.

Kirkus Reviews

From its foreword to its notes on Where the Stories Come From,'' thisI Can Read'' collection of seven appealing, mildly scary stories is a model of authenticity: the simplified but effective retellings honor both their sources and their intended audience. Chess's tongue-in-cheek illustrations add a perfect gruesome touch. (Folklore/Easy reader. 5-8)"

School Library Journal

K-Gr 2-- Those familiar with Schwartz's ability to produce the best of scary tales for young readers will find this newest addition to be a hit. The sentences are short with a manageable vocabulary, even for those kindergarteners who can tackle the challenge of an early reader. The text is complemented with primitive watercolor illustrations executed in attractive pastels; while the facial expressions are given a semblance of ghoulishness, the total effect is one of enticement (and even humor) rather than of horror. While these stories are not as heart-thumping as those in Schwartz's In A Dark, Dark Room (HarperCollins, 1985), this will nevertheless provide a fun introduction to the ghostly'' genre, and give children a chance to check out ascary'' book. Appended is a page on the origins of the tales and legends. --Mary Lou Budd, Milford South Elementary School, OH