Schwartz, Howard and Arielle North Olson

Schwartz, Howard and Arielle North Olson. Ask the Bones: Scary Stories from Around the World. New York: Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers, 1999. 145 p. $15.99 (ISBN: 0-670-87581-3).

Howard Schwartz, well-known storyteller and compiler of folktales, has collaborated with Arielle North Olson to produce a book of twenty-two horror stories for children. Although only three of the stories are overtly Jewish in content, it was intriguing to read them in the context of stories from other cultures, such as Japan, Spain, Russia, and the United States.

These two master storytellers tell the stories in a clear and effective manner. They are full of suspense and often contain gruesome details – people buried alive or trapped in bottles or with their heads severed – details that will horrify and delight their young readers.

Typical elements of folktales are found in these stories: the characters are usually ordinary folk – merchants, sailors, rabbinical students, and so on. They live in an unspecified country or city or village or farm. Of course, evil is present in its varied forms -- demons, witches, wizards, snakes, giants, and so on. Sometimes, good overcomes evil, especially in a Jewish story where a rabbi has special knowledge or a boy has wit and cunning. Other times, however, the hero does not come out of his experiences unscathed – the hero has nightmares for the rest of his life or, even worse, the story leaves you in suspense as to the outcome. Will the pious and righteous character win? We’re not at all sure, in the stories “The Night of Terror” from Eastern Europe or “The Bridal Gown” from Germany.

The design of the book adds to the effectiveness of the stories. The clear font and generous margins help make the stories readable. The black and white illustrations by David Linn effectively capture the frightening atmosphere of the stories. Of further interest is the bibliographic information at the end of the book.

Ask the Bones might attract reluctant readers to your synagogue library or introduce a few Jewish folktales to your students in the context of world folktales. Be sure to warn the children to leave all the lights on when they’re reading the stories! Recommended with reservations since the few Jewish stories might not warrant the expense.

Age level: 8 – 12

Originally published in AJL Newsletter, Sept/Oct. 1999.