Dark Graphic Tales by Edgar Allan Poe

Gr 6 Up—Dark Graphic Tales includes "The Gold Bug," "The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether," and "The Fall of the House of Usher." Poe is a master of the grotesque, a purveyor of insanity, and elements of his work are well suited for visual depiction. Serratosa's emotive, eerily colored line drawings, cryptography, bugs, buried treasure, pirates, insane asylums, and crypts make for a creepy crawly delight. Chilling Tales contains Guy de Maupassant's "The Hand," Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu's "Sir Dominick's Bargain," Edward Lucas White's "The House of Nightmare," John William Polidori's "The Vampire," Catherine Crowe's "House B… on Camden Hill," Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Body Snatcher," and Edgar Allan Poe's "The Black Cat." Rodríguez precedes each story with a brief biography of the writer, which is beneficial to horror fans who otherwise might not have encountered these 18th - and 19th- century authors. One possible drawback to this work is Rodríguez's cartoon portrayals, which can defuse highly emotional moments and distract readers from otherwise good horror fiction. Most exceptional is his treatment of "The House of Nightmare." His rendering of the ghost boy will haunt readers long after the final scene. Horror and sci-fi fans alike will enjoy Sierra's interpretation of Frankenstein. This adaptation holds true to Mary Shelley's classic story and, with it, her desire to "speak to the mysterious fears of our nature." Readers witness young Frankenstein's perilous desire to make "miracles realities" and his efforts to unlock the secrets of death. Ribas's black-and-white illustrations work well to drive the story and create an overwhelming sense of alienation and loss.—Lisa Gieskes, Richland County Public Library, Columbia, SC