Spirits Dark and Light: Supernatural Tales from the Five...

Features

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Cover Type: Hard Cover with 160 pages
• Published by: August House September 25, 2006
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0874837782
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0874837780
• Book Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.7 x 0.9 inches
• Weighs: 13.6 ounces

From School Library Journal
Grade 5 Up—At once eerie and compelling, sometimes gruesome and always satisfying, this highly readable collection effectively conveys the connection between the natural world and the world of the spirit common in Native American lore. Drawing on stories from the Cherokees, Chickasaws, Choctaws, Creeks, and Seminoles, an expert storyteller entrances readers with vivid language that conjures up all manner of supernatural creatures, from shape-shifters and tricksters to talking animals and witches. A brief introduction to each tribe prefaces their stories, providing both a historical and spiritual context for the tales, which are rich in imagery as well as emotion. The authenticity of the storyteller's voice makes this collection distinctive and a wonderful choice for reading aloud or savoring by a campfire.—Teri Markson, Los Angeles Public Library
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From Booklist
"Maybe it looks like a pile of leaves lying on the ground. Better not step on it; it might have fangs." Choctaw storyteller Tingle tells 25 deliciously scary tales collected from the five major Native American tribes of the southeastern U.S.--the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole. The stories tell of frightful shape-shifting spirits, witches, slithering snakes, and owls as messengers and bringers of death. There are tales about healers, too, as well as stories of love and grief, but the monsters steal the show, as in the Seminole story "Hungry for Meat," in which disturbing a gravesite awakens the dead. For each tribe, Tingle begins with background on history, culture, and folklore. The language is clear and informal, and the dialogue is immediate. Give this to readers who enjoyed Joan Aiken's A Fit of Shivers: Tales for Late at Night (1992) and Vivian Vande Velde's All Hallows' Eve (2006). This will be great for sharing, especially at Halloween. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Reader Reviews
If you like ghost stories and folklore you will like this collection. The author focuses on five Southeastern tribes. He gives a brief introductory history of each. While most of the stories were suspenseful some of the themes got a bit redundant. Also some of the stereotypically Indian sounding names started becoming cliché. It's an easy read and doesn't delve into a lot of anthropology or dry explanations. Comment | | (Report this)