School Library Journal Review

Gr 5-9‘Three tales of the supernatural, each prefaced with biographical information about the author, provide an entertaining venue for Jim Weiss's considerable storytelling talents. In Wilde's The Canterville Ghost, Weiss uses his skills at characterization to poke fun at the English aristocracy when it comes up against the ingenuity of a typical American family. "Dr. Heidegger's Experiment" by Hawthorne is a classic tale of the frustrating search for everlasting youth. "The Sending of Dana Da," one of Kipling's lesser-known short stories, focuses on the ingenuity of a poor Indian wizard who relies on human nature (and a bit of feline help!) to vanquish the enemy of a friend. These satiric stories are best shared with upper elementary and junior high school students who can appreciate their irony. For parents and teachers looking for an alternative to the standard Halloween or ghost story fare, Weiss fills the bill admirably.‘Cindy Lombardo, Ashland Public Library, OH (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.