The Fresh Grave: And Other Ghostly Stories by Raymond Bial | Jan 1, 1997

In this collection of short humorous ghost stories, Hand and his 'fraidy-cat sidekick, Clifford, venture forth to explore the deserted barns, ramshackle hotels, creaking gristmills, and overgrown cemeteries around the mythical small town of Myrtleville, somewhere in rural Indiana. The delightful espacades gleefully combine regional history, humor, and ghosts galore. For readers 8 and up.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-7. Teenagers Hank Cantrell and his friend Cliff meet a ghostly cast of characters in this collection of stories set in a small Midwestern town. The motifs of the 10 tales are familiar? being buried alive, sacred Indian burial grounds, inability to give up a child, etc. Bial tells these stories in a straightforward manner and often with a touch of humor. In each selection, Hank becomes aware of cultural and moral values surrounding the ghosts and periods of history. Cliff, on the other hand, provides the comic relief while defending his cowardly attitude. The dialogue is a strength of this book and moves the plots forward; description is used to embellish the scenes and the two elements combine well for silent reading. The amount of conversation, however, does make reading aloud a bit more difficult. A worthy purchase for those who have read Alvin Schwartz's and Daniel Cohen's books and are ready to move on to something else.? Molly S. Kinney, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Raymond Bial is a noted author of numerous highly praised books for children, including the award-winning Amish Home. Other recent books include A Handful of Dirt and Where Lincoln Walked. He lives in Urbana, Illinois.

Product details

• Publisher‏: ‎ Midwest Traditions; 1st edition (January 1, 1997)
• Language‏: ‎ English
• Hardcover‏: ‎ 147 pages
• ISBN-10‏: ‎ 1883953235
• ISBN-13‏: ‎ 978-1883953232
• Item Weight‏: ‎ 1 pounds
• Dimensions‏: ‎ 0.75 x 6.25 x 9.75 inches

About the author

 Raymond Bial (pronounced beal) has been creating acclaimed books for children and adults for more than thirty years. His books have been published by Houghton Mifflin, Scholastic, Walker & Company, Marshall Cavendish, Crickhollow Books, and other fine publishers and university presses. Raymond also makes images on assignment, and his stock photographs have been used by book publishers such as National Geographic, advertising agencies such as Leo Burnett, and media such as PBS.

Raymond’s most recent books are Ellis Island: Coming to the Land of Liberty, which is an excellent companion volume to Tenement: Immigrant Life on the Lower East Side; The Shaker Village, a lovely collection of color photographs depicting the simplicity and grace of this remarkable utopian community; a lovely paperback edition of Where Lincoln Walked published in honor of the bicentennial of the birth of this great president; Dripping Blood Cave and Other Ghostly Stories, the third volume in a popular series of ghost stories for young readers; and Rescuing Rover: Saving America’s Dogs, which has been selected for the Junior Literary Guild Book Club. Rescuing Rover is currently receiving high praise across the country.

Chigger, his most recent novel, is receiving fine reviews from readers, young and old alike. Anyone who likes to root for the underdog will love this sweet story of an unforgettable girl.