THE DARK-THIRTY: Southern Tales of the Supernatural

by Patricia C. McKissack ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 1992

McKissack invites readers to gather in the ""dark-thirty""--the eerie haft hour when dusk darkens to night--for ten shivery tales inspired by African-American folklore and history. The historical links are especially potent: in the ""The Legend of Pin Oak,"" a free mulatto and his family escape re-enslavement by leaping from a cliff; in ""We Organized""--written in free verse and based on an actual narrative--a cruel owner is forced by magic to free his slaves. An African-American lynched by the KKK, and another left by a white bus-driver to freeze to death, return to haunt their tormentors; when a dying Pullman porter hears ""The 11:59,"" he knows it's time to go. Each tale is told in a simple, lucid style, embellished by a few deftly inserted macabre details and by one of Pinkney's dramatic, swirling scratchboard illustrations. A fine collection that teaches as it entertains.

Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1992

ISBN: 0307770230

Page Count: 122

Publisher: Knopf

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1992

Categories: CHILDREN'S