But it's not until he serves a special dessert that the fun really begins!

    All pages are intact, and the cover is intact (including dust cover, if applicable). The spine may show signs of wear. Pages can include limited notes and highlighting, and the copy can include "From the library of" labels.Some of our books may have slightly worn corners, and minor creases to the covers. Please note the cover may sometimes be different to the one shown.

    By refusing to back down or cower in fear, Birdie brings about a most satisfying and unexpected turn of events. Based on an old English tale, the story is retold here with humor and grace.

    Selections include favorite frights from Florence Parry Heide, Bobbi Katz, and Ogden Nash as well as some original shivers specially cooked up for this volume by Marc Brown. Guaranteed to make even the most wide-eyed, white-knuckled youngster let loose with a giggle, Scared Silly! is sure to cast a warm glow at Halloween and all year long.

    But why dicker when you could do both? The fresher ones were blue. That was important if you wanted to avoid cramps, salmonella. Eat a green one and you'd be yodeling down the big porcelain megaphone in no time." Those are the opening lines of "Jerry's Kids Meet Wormboy," a justifiably (in)famous Romero-world zombie tale presented here in a collection for the first time. That gives you just a taste (heh heh) of the bold horror imagery and witty metaphors (or shall we call them tropes?) that are David J. Schow's trademark. Black Leather Required is a knockout collection: 12 superb stories (some new, some reprinted), one short play in the Grand Guignol style, an introduction by John Farris, and an afterword by Schow himself. It's all beautifully produced by Mark V. Ziesing. (Click on the cover for a larger view of the dramatic cover painting.) The stories include a remarkably sharp tale about dinosaurs ("Sedalia"), a delightfully manic number about roadside violence in the Arizona desert ("Bad Guy Hats"), the tale of a loathsome near-death ("Scoop Makes a Swirly"), and varied sagas of the recently dead or the undead having a good ol' time. As Farris writes in the intro, Schow is "like a Gothic Absurdist, an urbanized Cormac McCarthy, but with a hip, mean sense of fun.... He punishes you, then he winks and punishes you some more. Friends, I do this for a living, and I'm not easily impressed, but the can-you-top-this operatic exuberance David conjures with mere words is a cause for, not censorship, but celebration." --Fiona Webster

    Noted author James Haskins has gathered more than 20 of the most spine-tingling tales in this haunting collection. Chilling personal accounts of ghostly encounters are also included. Rounding out the book are extensive source notes and historical background.

    From old favorites like "The Worms Crawl In" to lesser-known gems from the Sioux, African-American, and Tirolean folk traditions, these selections will send a shiver down the spine of every reader who loves a little scary, silly fun. Dramatic illustrations by Caldecott Honor medalist Diane Goode capture the spirit of these unforgettable tales and verses. "Consistently entertaining." -- "Booklist

    She also has something else in common with her ancestors. When she is kidnapped by Ralph the chauffeur, little does he know that he's in for quite a surprise!

    -- Step-by-step instructions outline simple things to make and do-- All projects require minimal supervision-- Shopping lists show what is needed for each project

    A curious boy named Bottle uses his computer to help Amy Settle find her way home after a magical ring transports her to the home of an evil witch.