Oddly Enough

December 1, 1994
Gr 4-6-All but two of these short stories ("Clean as a Whistle" and "The Language of Blood") have been previously published. The best of the show is "Duffy's Jacket," in which the tension of waiting for a monster to catch Andrew, Marie, and their ever forgetful cousin Duffy is deliciously chilling, while the climax will make readers laugh out loud with relief and pleasure. As a whole, the collection will be a boon to those who are ready to cross the bridge from the "Goosebumps" series (Scholastic) into horror fiction with a few more levels of meaning. The stories are well written, although the tone in a few is so distant it may put some readers off. The plots, though, are always clear and characterizations deftly drawn. In "The Box," Michael (who could have taught Pandora a thing or two) is made keeper of a box by an angel and treasures it his entire life, without once ever opening it. "Homeward Bound" revolves around orphaned Jamie, who finally realizes that he is a unicorn and will only be free and able to return home when he names himself. A worthwhile purchase, particularly for classroom discussions.-Patricia A. Dollisch, DeKalb County Public Library, Decatur, GA

October 1, 1994
Gr. 6-9. In a concluding note, Coville explains that he never thought of himself as a short story writer. Thank goodness writer-editor Jane Yolen persisted in "thumping him on the head (metaphorically speaking)" so that he would keep writing short fiction. Only three of the nine stories in this collection are first-time publications, but if they are any indication, Coville is really becoming proficient in the genre: "The Language of Blood" is an eerie tale about a ritual of drinking blood; the hilarious "Clean as a Whistle" features a messy girl who inherits a family brownie with a penchant for neatness; and "A Blaze of Glory" concerns a boy's learning about elves and promises from his dying grandmother. An angel, unicorns, ghosts, werewolves, and executioners populate the other equally satisfying and unsettling stories. The volume will be illustrated by Michael Hussar, whose striking jacket painting will capture readers' attention. ((Reviewed October 1, 1994))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1994, American Library Association.)