Sierra, Sergio. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.

Sierra, Sergio.  Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.  Enslow      96p   $25.26  978-0-7660-4084-7   ms/hs   Series: Dark Graphic Novels (Enslow)  VG-BN  Graphic novel

Frankenstein, Mary Shelley’s classic novel, has been beautifully illustrated and rewritten as a graphic novel.  The flow and balance of the various page structures help create the tone of the story.  Lastly the use of scratch board illustrations effectively provides a dramatic tone to the book.  This book is one in the Dark Graphic Novels series, which consists of three books at this time.  This is a very well-written book that will resonate well with many young readers.  It is recommended as an essential book for any middle- or high-school library, and it would make an excellent selection for a basic books list for school libraries.   

Graphic novels, Classic literature, Horror                          -- Linda McNeil          

Rodriguez, Pedro. Chilling Tales of Horror.

Rodriguez, Pedro.  Chilling Tales of Horror.    Enslow  96p  $25.26     978-0-7660-4085-4 ms/hs   Series: Dark Graphic Novels (Enslow)   VG-BN Graphic novel

Chilling Tales of Horror is a blend of graphic novel and a collection of classic 19th-century horror stories.  The anthology includes seven stories from the early days of modern horror tales, with authors ranging from the readily recognizable Poe and DeMaupassant, to obscure Catherine Crowe.  Each story leads with a quotation from the original manuscript, then segues into the graphic novel adaptation.  The wordier style of 19th-century writers results in more narrative than dialogue, which slows the plot’s action in graphic format.

Contemporary readers like horror stories.  They also like graphic novels.  The book is sure to be signed out often.  However, the dated tales will not deliver the slasher gore content common to modern horror fiction, although murder, rage, and twisted characters abound.  Each story delivers the expected thrill, but much of this can be credited to the illustrations.  The pictures convey the moody atmosphere of eerie stories told in an ill-lit, cavernous room.  The muted palate adds to the impact, as do the emotion-filled faces that distinguish each character concisely from the others.  

Although tales of black cats, ghosts, and disembodied limbs are a cliche today, the interpretation of Poe’s “The Black Cat” will linger in the readers’ minds.   “The Vampire” by Polidori was the first story to introduce vampires to the genre. “The Body Snatcher” by Stevenson is a cautionary tale about evil that is prompted by a desire to do good, a theme still relevant today. Middle-school and high-school readers, maybe even some adults, will find this a solid addition to the horror and graphic novel collections of any public or  school library.
                                                            -- Hilary Welliver     

Despeyroux, Denise. Dark Graphic Tales by Edgar Allen Poe.

Despeyroux, Denise.     Dark Graphic Tales by Edgar Allen Poe.    Enslow      96p $25.26  978-0-7660-4086-1       ms/hs Series: Dark Graphic Novels (Enslow)  VG-BN           Graphic novel    

The essential elements of the creepy nature of Poe’s tales are retained in text and darkly illustrated with attention to background detail.  The tales include “The Gold Bug”, “The Fall of the House of Usher” and “The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether”.      This is an English translation of a book originally published in Spanish in 2009.  The illustrations are indeed dark in color as well as tone, and there is great attention to detail regarding the interiors of houses and things found in the countryside.  The inmates of an asylum in the lesser-known tale of “Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether” are deftly drawn.  The collection is suitable for students in upper-elementary school as well as older students, who will be drawn into telling of these early horror stories.  This is a perfect book to share on a camping trip under the stars or read by flashlight at home on a night when the electric power fails.  It is just spooky enough to thrill but not enough to give younger readers nightmares.  Some American readers may bristle at the use of words such as “idiot” and “moron” in the “Gold Bug”.  The author keeps the text faithful to the broad context of the original tale, thus bringing the stories into contemporary times and a new generation of readers.   

The series Dark Graphic Novels contains three books, featuring stories by Poe, stories by Shelley, and a collection of many horror stories by various authors.  The graphic-novel format features text that is faithful to the original stories and illustrations that are dark in color and mood, increasing the sense of impending dread.   It is strongly recommended for school libraries to introduce students to classic horror stories and novels in an easy-to-read graphic-novel format.   --  Lois McNicol

Macabre – Fiction, Ghost stories, Short stories