Give yourself a fright

From School Library Journal Grade 7 Up-- A magic duck, ghosts, the devil, a confused muse, and human evil haunt these 13 unusual stories that hover between fantasy and reality; humor and psychological terror. The styles vary, giving an interesting texture to the collection, as do the contrasts between grim reality and magic, but what unites the stories is the strength of characterization and setting, and the unabashed enjoyment of language. Sometimes the humor is black, as in "The End of Silence," in which two children plot to kill their father's owl, who has usurped them. Other times, humor is abandoned altogether in favor of pure dread, for example "The Erl-King's Daughter," a story of psychological victimization with, like many of these tales, an ironic end. Aiken is clever at the gradual revelation that makes a story fall into place, as in "The Lame King," in which a middle-aged couple transports his parents to a destination that becomes chillingly apparent as the story progresses. Not all of the stories have young protagonists, but they should be of interest to young readers who are willing to put some effort into their reading. This collection is up to Aiken's usual high standards, and her fans will love it. --Annette Curtis Klause, Montgomery County Department of Public Libraries, Md. Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.