Thirteen Chairs

Gr 7 Up—In this spine-tingling short-story collection, a young man named Jack finds himself part of a most unusual storytelling circle. When Jack opens a door to find 12 strangers sitting around a table, a lit candle in front of each of them, his natural curiosity gets the best of him and he joins the group, which is presided over by the proper Mr. Osterly, it becomes clear to Jack that whoever they are, the strangers have gathered to exchange tales. The set-up may remind adult readers of Neil Gaiman's short story "October in the Chair"—published in Fragile Things (William Morrow, 2006)—but the execution is wholly unique. Over the course of the evening, each person at the table tells a frightening story, and Jack comes to a gradual realization about his new acquaintances that will strike terror into readers' hearts. The breadth and scope of various stories is impressive—readers are treated to traditional jump tales, malevolent cats, folk tales, and vengeful ghost stories; new spine-chillers are revealed with each turn of the page.