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Only If You Dare: 13 Stories of Darkness and Doom

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Only If You Dare: 13 Stories of Darkness and Doom

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Hardcover
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Overview

Thirteen chilling short stories to keep you up at night—but only if you dare.

You never know what's out to get you. Though you might think you're safe from monsters and menaces, everyday objects can turn against you, too. A mysterious microwave. A threatening board game. A snowman that refuses to melt. Even your own heartbeat has its secrets. Thu-thump. Thu-thump. When you stop to listen, each beat sounds more menacing than the last.

Master storyteller Josh Allen brings thirteen nightmare scenarios to life in this page-turning collection that's perfect for budding horror junkies. In his wondrous world, danger waits behind every doorway . . . even in the most ordinary places. Kids eager for age-appropriate horror will relish every thrill and chill.

Eerie illustrations by award-winning artist Sarah Coleman accompany the stories, packaged in a stunning hardcover edition complete with glow-in-the-dark jacket. Readers will sleep with one eye open!

Don't miss the author and illustrator's other creepy collections: Out to Get You and Once They See You.

Product Details
About the Author

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780823449064
Publisher:	Holiday House
Publication date:	08/31/2021
Pages:	208
Sales rank:	504,030
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Josh Allen checks under his bed before switching off the light each night. During the day, he teaches creative writing and literature at Brigham Young University-Idaho. His debut book for young readers, Out to Get You, received two starred reviews and was a Junior Library Guild selection. He lives in Idaho with his family.

Sarah Coleman was an early pioneer of hand lettering and has illustrated covers for many renowned books, including the 50th anniversary edition of To Kill a Mockingbird and Newbery Honor-winner Wolf Hollow. Her design clients range from Coca Cola and Starbucks to The New York Times. She lives in the UK.

From the B&N Reads Blog

Page 1 of

Editorial Reviews

08/09/2021
From creepy dolls to self-aware smartphones, cursed ice cream to prophetic board games, tween protagonists are plagued by speculative terrors beyond their control in Allen’s (Out to Get You) unnerving collection. Thirteen tales of existential dread, everyday nightmares, and disquieting fates offer fare ready to thrill, nauseate, and disturb younger readers. Happy endings are few and far between, as characters—mostly implied white, though casts feature an inclusive range of names—find themselves unable to escape consequences both accidental and deserved, such as in “Lumpy, Lumpy,” in which the protagonist, after refusing to eat a bowl of oatmeal, confronts the increasingly disgusting leftovers every night, or in “My Hand, Right There,” which presents an unwelcome surprise for a boy determined to leave his mark in wet cement. Attempting to assert individuality proves impossible in “One of a Kind,” while a dismissive substitute teacher gets a rude awakening in “The Substitute.” Realistically sketched b&w full-page illustrations by Coleman, augmented by hand-lettering and washes of ink, lend additional ambiance to each well-paced tale. Though horror fans will enjoy this spine-tingling selection, readers with more delicate sensibilities may wish to approach with caution. Ages 8–12. Agent: Rick Margolis, Rising Bear Literary. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

"With the help of Sarah J. Coleman’s macabre black-ink illustrations, Mr. Allen gets the balance just right for children ages 9-12 with stories that are scary but not scarring."—Wall Street Journal

★ "Allen has cemented himself as the heir-apparent of Alvin Schwartz; this is the new quick pick for patrons who want more after reading all the classic ‘Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.’. . .A chilling anthology of memorable scares that will leave even the biggest horror buffs sleeping with the light on."—School Library Journal, Starred Review

"Thirteen illustrated short stories range from eerie to totally terrifying. Each tale stands completely alone, but a strong sense of foreboding, unease, and utterly chilling twists runs through the collection. . . . intrepid tweens and teens who enjoy a thrill will be thoroughly sucked in."—The Horn Book

"Twisty, terrifying, and oh-so fun! Just when you think you’re safe, Josh Allen brings on the scares. From monstrous microwaves to carnivorous pillows, you’ll never look at life the same way again."—Kim Ventrella, author of The Secret Life of Sam

"Horror fans will enjoy this spine-tingling selection. . . ."—Publishers Weekly

"This delightfully dark and spine-tingling anthology will keep young readers and horror lovers on the edge of their seats."—Booklist

"An excellent offering for young people looking for real scares that don’t condescend to them or pander to adult anxieties about what might be ‘too scary.’ This book will fly off the shelves."—Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

★ 08/01/2021
Gr 3–8—Allen (Out to Get You: 13 Tales of Weirdness and Woe) has done it again in his second volume of scary stories. This collection of 13 atmospheric scares centers characters (monster and human alike) that are rooted just enough in reality to make an impact. In "The Substitute," a middle school class sits down to a teacher who is strange and refusing to stay on topic, instead talking about "Them"—a race of monsters that don't even have a name or if they did, it's been forgotten. Like the best stories in the genre, there is a twist. Adept at crafting effective horror for youngsters, Allen has cemented himself as the heir-apparent of Alvin Schwartz; this is the new quick pick for patrons who want more after reading all the classic "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark." Put this book into reluctant readers' hands, and they will beg for more. VERDICT This is a must-buy for middle grade collections; a chilling anthology of memorable scares that will leave even the biggest horror buffs sleeping with the light on.—Patrick Tierney, Barrington P.L., RI

School Library Journal

2021-06-16
Contemporary creeps.
This collection features recognizably realistic kids in a variety of horrific situations. The first entry involves a substitute teacher regaling his class with tales about Them, a supernatural race of vampires feeding on youth. It ends with a shocking twist that sets the stage for the rest of the stories that follow. In “The Perfect Girl,” a boy invents a fake girlfriend and discovers the dangers of projection when she arrives at his school. In “Crazy Playz,” a 13-year-old employee who looks older than his years is excited to get a summer job but gets more than he bargained for, as he’s paid to take on the physical pains of his customers. “One More Piece” uses the figure of the creepy doll to great effect, and “Lumpy, Lumpy” is a picky eater’s nightmare. Atmospheric illustrations are scattered throughout, and each tale is just the right length—short but satisfying, with consistently taut suspense that keeps readers turning pages. Ethnic diversity is signaled through names. From the standpoint of reader engagement and enjoyment, this is an excellent offering for young people looking for real scares that don’t condescend to them or pander to adult anxieties about what might be “too scary.”
This book will fly off the shelves. (Fiction. 8-13)

Kirkus Reviews

Only If You Dare: 13 Stories of Darkness and Doom

Only If You Dare: 13 Stories of Darkness and Doom

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