SCARING AND DARING

A collection of horror-tinged short stories inspired by works of classic literature.

The Horror Writers Association’s latest collection provides a supernatural makeover to well-known works of fiction. Huck and Jim have an otherworldly encounter in Joe R. Lansdale’s “The Shadows in the Rock,” Nancy Holder imagines Pollyanna into the Beast’s enchanted castle in “Out on a Limb,” and Mary, Colin, and Dickon dig up more than they bargained for in Delilah S. Dawson’s “The Secret (Thing in the) Garden.” Some of the standout stories include “What We Found Beneath Mount Etna” by Lisa Morton, which is a riff on Jules Verne’s Journey to the Center of the Earth, “Wolf in the Mirror” by Sarwat Chadda, which reimagines Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, “A Lucky Find” by Kristi Petersen Schoonover, inspired by Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick, and “Prince Badi az-Zaman and the Ogress Fattan” by Tanvir Ahmed, an homage to One Thousand and One Nights. With supernatural creatures including dangerous fae, a werewolf, witches, and a ghost horse, there’s something here for any young reader inclined to the fantastical. Familiarity with the source material will likely enhance readers’ experiences but isn’t necessary to enjoy these gently spooky tales. The collection includes a variety of settings and a diverse cast of characters.

Uncanny fun!