Even those who don't object to abridgments on principle can reasonably expect to learn on the title page that the stories are "abridged and adapted," rather than finding the information on the back cover. Still, these simplified stories read smoothly, and children will find this collection of 21 horror tales quite engaging. The roster of writers, all active during the nineteenth century, includes notables such as Dickens, Lovecraft, Poe, and Stevenson. Even Eugene Field, best remembered as the author of "Wynken, Blynken, and Nod," had a dark side, revealed here in his short story "The Werewolf." Unusually well designed for a collection of scary stories, this large-format volume features dramatically composed illustrations using unusual but effective color combinations and a fine sense of the macabre.
