What do you think?
Rate this book
Bruce Coville's Book Of... #1
Bruce Coville's Book of Monsters: Tales to Give You the Creeps
A horribly good anthology from the bestselling author of My Teacher Is an Alien and My Teacher Flunked the Planet. Featured here are 13 monster tales, nine original and four reprinted favorites, by some of the best writers in the genre--Jack Prelutsky, Jane Yolen, Joe R. Lansdale, and others.
My little brother is a monster / Bruce Coville --
Monster in the closet / Jane Yolen --
Merlin's knight school / Michael Markiewicz --
Uncle Joshua and the grooglemen / Debra Doyle and James D. Macdonald --
Friendly persuasion / Bruce Coville --
Kokolimalayas, the bone man / Laura Simms --
The thing that goes burp in the night / Sharon Webb --
Personality problem / Joe R. Lansdale --
Duffy's jacket / Bruce Coville --
The bogeyman / Jack Prelusky --
Bloody Mary / Patrick Bone --
The beast with a thousand teeth / Terry Jones --
Timor and the furnace troll / John Barnes
My little brother is a monster / Bruce Coville --
Monster in the closet / Jane Yolen --
Merlin's knight school / Michael Markiewicz --
Uncle Joshua and the grooglemen / Debra Doyle and James D. Macdonald --
Friendly persuasion / Bruce Coville --
Kokolimalayas, the bone man / Laura Simms --
The thing that goes burp in the night / Sharon Webb --
Personality problem / Joe R. Lansdale --
Duffy's jacket / Bruce Coville --
The bogeyman / Jack Prelusky --
Bloody Mary / Patrick Bone --
The beast with a thousand teeth / Terry Jones --
Timor and the furnace troll / John Barnes
164 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1993
5 people are currently reading
854 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
November 7, 2012
The cover describes my childhood perfectly. Always in bed, under a bunch of blankets reading books that gave me the creeps! Bruce is one of my all-time favorite authors. His stories cut straight through all the seriousness of life and just entertain and tingle straight up and down your spine.
May 18, 2018
Reperti fossili nella biblioteca del paesello
Gradevolissimo divertissement di Coville, abile nel giocare con molti cliché dell'orrore e, da lì, creare un senso di attesa che non sempre risponde alle aspettative del bambino.
Parlo in generale dell'autore perché lui il curatore principale della raccolta; ma, con mio sommo gaudio, vedo apparire nella lista un pezzo da novanta come Joe Lansdale (figuriamoci se si fosse lasciato scappare un'occasioncina come questa).
Da menzionare l'audace "La scuola notturna di Merlino", perché imparare la magia non ti salva dal combattere mostri notturni, con la fanghiglia attorno e la puzza di chiuso; "Persuasione pacifica" per l'intenso messaggio di pace che sconfina in un finale riappacificatore tra le parti (sono ironico, in realtà l'elfetto viene mangiato vivo dal Troll); "Il giubbino di Duffy" perché, si sa, non bisogna dimenticare il proprio giubbino mentre si va camminar nei boschi.
Comunque "Bloody mary" faceva davvero paura da piccoli: il codacons sarebbe dovuto intervenire qui, non certo per il Grande Fratello con quella scimunita della D'Urso.
Gradevolissimo divertissement di Coville, abile nel giocare con molti cliché dell'orrore e, da lì, creare un senso di attesa che non sempre risponde alle aspettative del bambino.
Parlo in generale dell'autore perché lui il curatore principale della raccolta; ma, con mio sommo gaudio, vedo apparire nella lista un pezzo da novanta come Joe Lansdale (figuriamoci se si fosse lasciato scappare un'occasioncina come questa).
Da menzionare l'audace "La scuola notturna di Merlino", perché imparare la magia non ti salva dal combattere mostri notturni, con la fanghiglia attorno e la puzza di chiuso; "Persuasione pacifica" per l'intenso messaggio di pace che sconfina in un finale riappacificatore tra le parti (sono ironico, in realtà l'elfetto viene mangiato vivo dal Troll); "Il giubbino di Duffy" perché, si sa, non bisogna dimenticare il proprio giubbino mentre si va camminar nei boschi.
Comunque "Bloody mary" faceva davvero paura da piccoli: il codacons sarebbe dovuto intervenire qui, non certo per il Grande Fratello con quella scimunita della D'Urso.
December 15, 2022
Before we do more Christmas next week, I wanted to do something random that was on the back burner before the year ends. Last year I covered one of Bruce Coville’s Book of __ collections, which have stories from a bunch of authors.
There’s plenty of these and I wanted to finally do another. This time we go back to the start. We’ll see if we started this well, I’m just excited for more Bruce. He has 3 stories this time!
It’s worth noting that while some were made for this book, some were stories from some time ago that Bruce just felt were fitting. I’ll note those when they happen, just putting a thing saying “Legacy” next to them, indicating it’s an older story. That’s the best word I could use.
Anyway…
My Little Brother is a Monster (Bruce): Bruce’s starter is a beefy one at 36 pages. This was actually later expanded into a full book called Always October and it did feel like the start of a larger story. It starts out as basically just Bruce’s Strained Peas, but here it’s a doorstep baby that is a monster. It’s just fine early on as it’s very basic with you gotta believe me stuff but it gets better once we find out what the deal if. We get a bunch of exposition and word building that is interesting.
As well as some details that add some depth, like the boy’s parents being divorced. It builds and works well but it doesn’t have a ton of action and I imagine the full book works better. It feels like the start of a bigger story instead of just a one off. Good start, just a bit weird for the one off it was meant to be at first. (The book was way in 2012)
Monster in the Closet (Jane Yolen): Avery short and cute one. A basic setup and punchline I’ve seen a million times. But for how quick it is, it’s fine.
Merlin’s Knight School (Micheal Markiewicz): This is a fun antics story with two brothers that happens to be in Arthurian times with one of the brothers being Young Arthur himself. It’s paced well and goes in fun direction with a decent ending. A fun take on the setting.
Uncle Joshua and the Grooglemen (Debra Doyle and James McDonald): This was a bit dry due to the sort of old timey adventure setup but I liked well enough with them going out to save someone from these “Grooglemen”. One bit was delightfully gross. Otherwise, it’s fine enough for what it is.
Friendly Persuasion (Bruce): A quick set up and punchline that works due to some amusing expectation subversion. That is all.
Kokolimalayas the Bone Man (Laura Simms): This one’s a retelling of a old Modoc myth and it works well. It’s not too long and has a nice feel to it and a good ending. It’s kind of a better version of the Grogglemen one, even if I still liked that fine.
The Thing that Goes Burp in the Night (Sharon Webb) (Legacy) This has a background element with a baby that is coming but it’s just a pointless way to get the parents out this time. Otherwise, I rather like this one for the suspense as a monster is summoned. It milks that well and the ending is nice in its own way. Slow start but a solid ending.
Personality Problem (Joe R Lansdale) (Legacy): A quick one that is pretty funny when you figure what the joke one. I won’t spoil it but it works and the punchline is good.
Duffy’s Jacket (Bruce) (Legacy); A setup and punchline that happens to wind up a bit more. I like the punchline enough for it to work for me. Set up has kids going on a camping trip with cousin Duffy being a bit absent mended. Again, solid punchline makes it good.
The Bogeyman (Jack Prelutsky) (Legacy): This is just a poem. It’s…fine but not exactly a deep poem. Not punchy enough for me, sorry.
Bloody Mary (Patrick Bone): A fun and unique take on the Bloody Mary idea. There’s a slight side to it but it’s mostly fun. Logic is a bit spotty but the ending still works as a kind of Goosebump-y twist to end on. Also, haven’t heard the word Dearie used this much since Susie Snowflake. And the dad is a dick/
The Beast with a Thousand Teeth (Terry Jones) (Legacy): A quick and cute one with a punchline that worked. It’s drawn out in universe which makes it funnier. Not much to say otherwise.
Timor and the Furnace Troll (John Barnes): Our finale is set in some Elf world as an elf kid has to do a report on trolls, and he has a history of being bad at school projects. This was good as I liked this kid and the whole idea. There’s some weird and interesting troll prejudice going on here. I thought I knew where the ending was going but not quite. What happens is rather dark so of course I liked that. The expectation subversion and what happens may be a bit much for some but I found it satisfying in a darkly humorous kind of way. Not a bad way to end things.
Overall, this was good but I liked it less than Book of Spinetinglers. These all being monster stories does make it a bit limiting so they can feel a bit same-y. Still, more with decent with enough twists and turns here and there. I don’t think there’s a clear big standout but my favorites would include Merlin’s Knight Scool, Bloody Mary and Timor and the Furnace Troll. That first one is up there too/
Weakest is that poem, but it mostly just wasn’t my thing. The rest I’d call all fine, some just stood out more or were better done than others. It’s consistent enough, just didn’t all light my world on fire. For a first entry, it makes sense but I am interested in ones with a vague idea than with one theme, as there’s only so many ghost or alien stories one book can have.
Still, not bad for a start. This was always planned as at least four books as he states at the start, it went on for more because they were that popular. Neat. There’s an ad at the end for a story contest they had, where the winner’s story gets to be in Book of Nightmares, so that’s something to be hyped for when I get there.
For not, a decent return to Bruce Coville. Next week, the winner of the Christmas poll. See ya then.
There’s plenty of these and I wanted to finally do another. This time we go back to the start. We’ll see if we started this well, I’m just excited for more Bruce. He has 3 stories this time!
It’s worth noting that while some were made for this book, some were stories from some time ago that Bruce just felt were fitting. I’ll note those when they happen, just putting a thing saying “Legacy” next to them, indicating it’s an older story. That’s the best word I could use.
Anyway…
My Little Brother is a Monster (Bruce): Bruce’s starter is a beefy one at 36 pages. This was actually later expanded into a full book called Always October and it did feel like the start of a larger story. It starts out as basically just Bruce’s Strained Peas, but here it’s a doorstep baby that is a monster. It’s just fine early on as it’s very basic with you gotta believe me stuff but it gets better once we find out what the deal if. We get a bunch of exposition and word building that is interesting.
As well as some details that add some depth, like the boy’s parents being divorced. It builds and works well but it doesn’t have a ton of action and I imagine the full book works better. It feels like the start of a bigger story instead of just a one off. Good start, just a bit weird for the one off it was meant to be at first. (The book was way in 2012)
Monster in the Closet (Jane Yolen): Avery short and cute one. A basic setup and punchline I’ve seen a million times. But for how quick it is, it’s fine.
Merlin’s Knight School (Micheal Markiewicz): This is a fun antics story with two brothers that happens to be in Arthurian times with one of the brothers being Young Arthur himself. It’s paced well and goes in fun direction with a decent ending. A fun take on the setting.
Uncle Joshua and the Grooglemen (Debra Doyle and James McDonald): This was a bit dry due to the sort of old timey adventure setup but I liked well enough with them going out to save someone from these “Grooglemen”. One bit was delightfully gross. Otherwise, it’s fine enough for what it is.
Friendly Persuasion (Bruce): A quick set up and punchline that works due to some amusing expectation subversion. That is all.
Kokolimalayas the Bone Man (Laura Simms): This one’s a retelling of a old Modoc myth and it works well. It’s not too long and has a nice feel to it and a good ending. It’s kind of a better version of the Grogglemen one, even if I still liked that fine.
The Thing that Goes Burp in the Night (Sharon Webb) (Legacy) This has a background element with a baby that is coming but it’s just a pointless way to get the parents out this time. Otherwise, I rather like this one for the suspense as a monster is summoned. It milks that well and the ending is nice in its own way. Slow start but a solid ending.
Personality Problem (Joe R Lansdale) (Legacy): A quick one that is pretty funny when you figure what the joke one. I won’t spoil it but it works and the punchline is good.
Duffy’s Jacket (Bruce) (Legacy); A setup and punchline that happens to wind up a bit more. I like the punchline enough for it to work for me. Set up has kids going on a camping trip with cousin Duffy being a bit absent mended. Again, solid punchline makes it good.
The Bogeyman (Jack Prelutsky) (Legacy): This is just a poem. It’s…fine but not exactly a deep poem. Not punchy enough for me, sorry.
Bloody Mary (Patrick Bone): A fun and unique take on the Bloody Mary idea. There’s a slight side to it but it’s mostly fun. Logic is a bit spotty but the ending still works as a kind of Goosebump-y twist to end on. Also, haven’t heard the word Dearie used this much since Susie Snowflake. And the dad is a dick/
The Beast with a Thousand Teeth (Terry Jones) (Legacy): A quick and cute one with a punchline that worked. It’s drawn out in universe which makes it funnier. Not much to say otherwise.
Timor and the Furnace Troll (John Barnes): Our finale is set in some Elf world as an elf kid has to do a report on trolls, and he has a history of being bad at school projects. This was good as I liked this kid and the whole idea. There’s some weird and interesting troll prejudice going on here. I thought I knew where the ending was going but not quite. What happens is rather dark so of course I liked that. The expectation subversion and what happens may be a bit much for some but I found it satisfying in a darkly humorous kind of way. Not a bad way to end things.
Overall, this was good but I liked it less than Book of Spinetinglers. These all being monster stories does make it a bit limiting so they can feel a bit same-y. Still, more with decent with enough twists and turns here and there. I don’t think there’s a clear big standout but my favorites would include Merlin’s Knight Scool, Bloody Mary and Timor and the Furnace Troll. That first one is up there too/
Weakest is that poem, but it mostly just wasn’t my thing. The rest I’d call all fine, some just stood out more or were better done than others. It’s consistent enough, just didn’t all light my world on fire. For a first entry, it makes sense but I am interested in ones with a vague idea than with one theme, as there’s only so many ghost or alien stories one book can have.
Still, not bad for a start. This was always planned as at least four books as he states at the start, it went on for more because they were that popular. Neat. There’s an ad at the end for a story contest they had, where the winner’s story gets to be in Book of Nightmares, so that’s something to be hyped for when I get there.
For not, a decent return to Bruce Coville. Next week, the winner of the Christmas poll. See ya then.
December 30, 2021
I re-read these anthologies every other yeah, just about, and they never stop making me smile. I can quote the first page of "Duffy's Jacket" verbatim, and "Uncle Joshua and the Grooglemen" blew my mind when I was 9. I love these so muuuuuuuch.
May 25, 2015
I loved this book as a kid!
June 13, 2014
Another of Mr. Coville's books that was checked out from the library too many times as a kid.
October 16, 2025
Bruce Coville’s Book of [Insert Plural Spooky Thing] series begins with a rather all over the place start. This book as a whole was hard for me to get into, as a lot of these stories lean into fantasy as much as they do horror, which isn’t my genre of expertise. However, I enjoyed most of them to some extent—but I’d say most of them fall really, really flat. I think there’s about 3 stories in here I genuinely thought were great, whilst every other story was either mediocre or a big nothing burger. I’ll rate the stories individually here:
My Little Brother is a Monster (by Bruce Coville) - 6.5/10.
This one has some good family theming and world-building, and whilst I liked the back-half of it, the first half felt like it was gonna be Strained Peas from Goosebumps. It’s okay, but nothing awe-inspiring.
Monster in the Closet (by Jane Yolen) - 5.5/10.
It’s so short there’s really not much to take away here. It tries at a big twist, which made me have to reread this story thrice, and it still just felt extremely tacked on; the twist just didn’t do anything for me, as did the entirety of this mediocre piece.
Merlin’s Knight School (by Michael Markiewicz) - 7.5/10.
Not even a horror story, but the first story I genuinely thought was worth the brisk read. It’s got an interesting idea, with a youthful King Arthur as a central character, and a nice monster battle. However, it feels out of place here, nor was it that good.
Uncle Joshua and the Grooglemen (by Debra D. and James M.) - 6/10.
It tries something interesting here at the very end but the story felt drug on as it was. Okay message—however you interpret it—but the story was underwhelming and one of the weaker-written entries; it felt a bit dull.
Friendly Persuasion (by Bruce Coville) - 4/10.
Legit forgot about this one. Hey, I at least agree with the message; it’s like a reverse The Tale of the Hunted from AYAOTD, where it embraces hunting (which we should, it’s literally how we’re still alive). But it’s so brisk and whatever I found little enjoyment out of it.
Kokolimalayas, the Bone Man (by Laura Simms) - 7/10.
I liked the cultural theming and the idea itself, but not much else. It’s just pretty good.
The Thing That Goes Burp in the Night - (by Sharon Webb) - 5/10.
Characters suck, story is fine, and I already want to forget that horrendous title.
Personality Problem (by Joe R. Lansdale) - 8/10.
Brief therapy session with Frankenstein’s Monster. It’s goofy, short and sweet, and I wish it were longer.
Duffy’s Jacket (by Bruce Coville) - 8/10.
Straightforward and pretty much what I wanted from this book as a whole. Ending is peak comedy. More stuff like this, please, Mr. Coville.
The Bogeyman (by Jack Prelutsky) - 6/10.
It’s a fucking poem. Zero comment, it’s fine.
Bloody Mary (by Patrick Bone) - 5/10.
A bland nothing burger. I wish I had more to say on this one but it fell flat in execution; it’s just an ambiguous monster story that lacked anything more.
The Beast with a Thousand Teeth (by Terry Jones) - 4.5/10.
It’s a bit more akin to what I wanted but wasn’t enough to garner much interest from me. Feels pretty predictable and bland as well.
Timor and the Furnace Troll (by John Barnes) - 9/10.
THIS is the story to read this book for. It’s not gonna blow your mind, but it left an impression. It’s got some light racism theming (yes, I know, bizarre) but also ideas like corruption, manipulation, and a genuinely disturbing ending. It’s really sweet—and still is by the end, in a fucked up sort of way. Seriously, Bruce actively gate keeper sharing this story till the end, and it’s clear why. Banger.
Now as for the entire book… overall, 5.5/10. I want to rate it higher but I legit can’t. It’s got so much mediocrity strewn about and jarring genre shifting that it was hard to enjoy a lot of this book. However, where it cooked—Duffy’s Jacket, Furnace Troll, and Personality Problem—were some A-Tier kids horror, aimed at a semi-younger audience. I don’t know if I’ll return to this series, but rest assured, I’ll be delving into more of Coville’s works.
My Little Brother is a Monster (by Bruce Coville) - 6.5/10.
This one has some good family theming and world-building, and whilst I liked the back-half of it, the first half felt like it was gonna be Strained Peas from Goosebumps. It’s okay, but nothing awe-inspiring.
Monster in the Closet (by Jane Yolen) - 5.5/10.
It’s so short there’s really not much to take away here. It tries at a big twist, which made me have to reread this story thrice, and it still just felt extremely tacked on; the twist just didn’t do anything for me, as did the entirety of this mediocre piece.
Merlin’s Knight School (by Michael Markiewicz) - 7.5/10.
Not even a horror story, but the first story I genuinely thought was worth the brisk read. It’s got an interesting idea, with a youthful King Arthur as a central character, and a nice monster battle. However, it feels out of place here, nor was it that good.
Uncle Joshua and the Grooglemen (by Debra D. and James M.) - 6/10.
It tries something interesting here at the very end but the story felt drug on as it was. Okay message—however you interpret it—but the story was underwhelming and one of the weaker-written entries; it felt a bit dull.
Friendly Persuasion (by Bruce Coville) - 4/10.
Legit forgot about this one. Hey, I at least agree with the message; it’s like a reverse The Tale of the Hunted from AYAOTD, where it embraces hunting (which we should, it’s literally how we’re still alive). But it’s so brisk and whatever I found little enjoyment out of it.
Kokolimalayas, the Bone Man (by Laura Simms) - 7/10.
I liked the cultural theming and the idea itself, but not much else. It’s just pretty good.
The Thing That Goes Burp in the Night - (by Sharon Webb) - 5/10.
Characters suck, story is fine, and I already want to forget that horrendous title.
Personality Problem (by Joe R. Lansdale) - 8/10.
Brief therapy session with Frankenstein’s Monster. It’s goofy, short and sweet, and I wish it were longer.
Duffy’s Jacket (by Bruce Coville) - 8/10.
Straightforward and pretty much what I wanted from this book as a whole. Ending is peak comedy. More stuff like this, please, Mr. Coville.
The Bogeyman (by Jack Prelutsky) - 6/10.
It’s a fucking poem. Zero comment, it’s fine.
Bloody Mary (by Patrick Bone) - 5/10.
A bland nothing burger. I wish I had more to say on this one but it fell flat in execution; it’s just an ambiguous monster story that lacked anything more.
The Beast with a Thousand Teeth (by Terry Jones) - 4.5/10.
It’s a bit more akin to what I wanted but wasn’t enough to garner much interest from me. Feels pretty predictable and bland as well.
Timor and the Furnace Troll (by John Barnes) - 9/10.
THIS is the story to read this book for. It’s not gonna blow your mind, but it left an impression. It’s got some light racism theming (yes, I know, bizarre) but also ideas like corruption, manipulation, and a genuinely disturbing ending. It’s really sweet—and still is by the end, in a fucked up sort of way. Seriously, Bruce actively gate keeper sharing this story till the end, and it’s clear why. Banger.
Now as for the entire book… overall, 5.5/10. I want to rate it higher but I legit can’t. It’s got so much mediocrity strewn about and jarring genre shifting that it was hard to enjoy a lot of this book. However, where it cooked—Duffy’s Jacket, Furnace Troll, and Personality Problem—were some A-Tier kids horror, aimed at a semi-younger audience. I don’t know if I’ll return to this series, but rest assured, I’ll be delving into more of Coville’s works.
Read
November 18, 2016 Bruce Coville was a huge influence on me growing up. Even today I can still vividly remember his strange worlds and unusual characters. And I’m pleased to find that rereading his stories as an adult does not diminish my love for them, as sometimes happens when I read other writers without the nostalgia glasses on.
I first got into Coville through My Teacher is An Alien, and its three sequels. The series started off as a simple plot about a girl finding out that, as you might possibly have guessed, her jerkass teacher is actually an extraterrestrial leading an invasion of Earth. The sequels revealed a deeper complexity as the scope of the plot expanded into a space opera about the potential danger of humanity to the wider universe, and what the other alien races were going do about it. A fairly common plotline in adult sci-fi, but this was my first introduction to it.
Around the same time as My Teacher is an Alien, Coville also came out with a series of anthologies themed around various fantasy/horror tropes. The collection started with the Book of Monsters, which featured corporeal, Earth-bound boogeymen. The next two in the series were the Book of Aliens and Book of Ghosts. You can probably guess what their subjects were. The fourth volume was a Book of Magic which featured fantasy-oriented stories. Book of Nightmares, the fifth in the series, showcased more surreal and, well, nightmarish horrors that didn’t really fit into any of the other books. A sixth collection, the Book of Spine Tinglers, is a bit harder to pin down thematically. The stories are similar to the Creepypasta feel of the Book of Nightmares, but Coville’s Introduction indicates the book is specifically about fear- about that sense of creeping fright that overcomes you as you read a story. He even admits that this sensation is entirely objective; a story can fill one person with crawling dread and have absolutely no effect on another person.
This review focuses on the first work in the series Bruce Coville’s Book of Monsters. I may eventually review the other books too, perhaps as a Halloween theme next year.
Starting off, I have to say I’m impressed that the cover illustrator, Steve Fastener, was able to replicate the cover design, text and all, on the book the kid with the flashlight is reading. I’m guessing Fastener must have left the cover of the little book in the illustration blank and painted it in after he saw a proof of the finished design with the titles laid out. And yes, that tiny cover is painted in, not just a pasted-in photograph.
I also love John Pierard’s interior illustrations done entirely in pencil. It’s not a style you see very often, and gives each drawing a very lively feel.
On to the stories themselves.
My Little Brother is a Monster by Bruce Coville
As I said before, I love Coville’s world-building. Just the very name of the monster world: the Land of Always October. Immediately I get visions of a misty, swampy world lit by hovering will ’o wisps and smelling of autumn leaves.
The story itself is a classic tale of a kid from the mundane world entering the Otherworld that parallels our own, a world created from our dreams and nightmares, populated by monsters who are the inverse of beings in our world. The set-up feels like it could be the start of an entire YA novel, though as far as I know this was Coville’s only foray into the Land of Always October.
Momster in the Closet by Jane Yolen
A short, simple story about a kid afraid of the bogeyman in his closet. Has one of those out-of-nowhere Goosebumps-style twists (and if you’re reading this review, you hopefully remember the Goosebumps series), but the brevity of this story makes it work.
Merlin’s Knight School by Michael Markiewicz
The first in a series of short stories about young King Arthur and his adopted older brother Cai- probably known best by most modern readers from Disney’s The Sword in the Stone, where he’s a jerk and a bully. This Cai’s a little nicer, at least.
I like that the monster in this tale was specifically summoned by Merlin (Merlyn in this tale) to serve a beneficial purpose.
Uncle Joshua and the Grooglemen by Debra Doyle and James D. Macdonald
A strange story with more going on than a young reader may realize. The story’s narrator isn’t so much unreliable as he is unfamiliar with what he is actually seeing.
This is the only story in the anthology that isn’t illustrated, since an actual depiction of the Grooglemen would immediately give away what they are, as well as the truth about what’s really going on in the story.
Friendly Persuasion by Bruce Coville
A short, goofy story about a sprite trying to explain to the horrible Ba-Grumpus all the reasons that it shouldn’t eat her.
Kokolimalayas, the Bone Man by Laura Simms
A retelling of a traditional story of the Madoc people of Oregon and Northern California. It's neat seeing a "classic monster" story from a non-European culture.
The Thing That Goes Burp in the Night by Sharon Webb
This is one of those stories where you could easily say that everything is taking place inside the main character’s head. But I like to think the kid really DID summon a chocolate-eating basement monster by reading random medical words out of the Merck Manual, Thirteenth Edition.
Personality Problem by Joe R. Landsdale
Poor Frankenstein’s monster can’t ever catch a break. Not even from his therapist.
Duffy’s Jacket by Bruce Coville
A story with a kind “campfire tale” vibe. Lots of slow build-up to a surprise ending, though this one is more goofy than “it’s right behind you!” jump-scare.
The Bogeyman by Jack Prelutsky
I’ll admit I’m not really big on poetry. But I like the “folksong” feel of this one.
Bloody Mary by Patrick Bone
No, no no! Repeating “Bloody Mary” into the mirror makes her ghost jump out at you. It does not turn you into a hairy, clawed monster! Geez!
The Beast With A Thousand Teeth by Terry Jones
Written by THE Terry Jones of Monty Python fame (and writer for one of my favorite books, the Golbin Companion). According to the biography at the end, this story came from a collection of fairy tales Jones wrote for his young daughter and it definitely shows through the young baker protagonist who figures out a clever way to defeat the titular beast with way too many pointy- and cavity-prone- teeth.
Timor and the Furnace Troll by John Barnes
My favorite story in the bunch. I might even like it more than Coville’s own tales. Poor Timor is terrible at being an elf and constantly gets bullied because of it. When he gets a class assignment to do a report on trolls, he goes to meet the one who lives in the (continent-sized) school’s furnace room and finally finds someone who understands him. Someone who is admittedly an elf-eating 12-foot tall troll.
I like the setting of this story. The way elfland seems like a distorted mirror of contemporary (at least early 90s) society. A sort of “suburban fantasy” taking place among the fresh-mown lawns and flat-roofed, sprawling elementary schools of a middle-class fantasy world. It reminds me of a less dark version of Michael Swanwick’s “The Iron Dragon’s Daughter”.
Anthologies are usually very uneven in quality. Some stories shine. Some fall flat. Some can even be painful to read. Coville’s Book of Monsters maintains pretty high quality overall, though. Even the weakest story- which for me was the very “meh” Bloody Mary- isn’t terrible. It’s quite clear Coville put a lot of careful thought into selecting the tales for his book.
I first got into Coville through My Teacher is An Alien, and its three sequels. The series started off as a simple plot about a girl finding out that, as you might possibly have guessed, her jerkass teacher is actually an extraterrestrial leading an invasion of Earth. The sequels revealed a deeper complexity as the scope of the plot expanded into a space opera about the potential danger of humanity to the wider universe, and what the other alien races were going do about it. A fairly common plotline in adult sci-fi, but this was my first introduction to it.
Around the same time as My Teacher is an Alien, Coville also came out with a series of anthologies themed around various fantasy/horror tropes. The collection started with the Book of Monsters, which featured corporeal, Earth-bound boogeymen. The next two in the series were the Book of Aliens and Book of Ghosts. You can probably guess what their subjects were. The fourth volume was a Book of Magic which featured fantasy-oriented stories. Book of Nightmares, the fifth in the series, showcased more surreal and, well, nightmarish horrors that didn’t really fit into any of the other books. A sixth collection, the Book of Spine Tinglers, is a bit harder to pin down thematically. The stories are similar to the Creepypasta feel of the Book of Nightmares, but Coville’s Introduction indicates the book is specifically about fear- about that sense of creeping fright that overcomes you as you read a story. He even admits that this sensation is entirely objective; a story can fill one person with crawling dread and have absolutely no effect on another person.
This review focuses on the first work in the series Bruce Coville’s Book of Monsters. I may eventually review the other books too, perhaps as a Halloween theme next year.
Starting off, I have to say I’m impressed that the cover illustrator, Steve Fastener, was able to replicate the cover design, text and all, on the book the kid with the flashlight is reading. I’m guessing Fastener must have left the cover of the little book in the illustration blank and painted it in after he saw a proof of the finished design with the titles laid out. And yes, that tiny cover is painted in, not just a pasted-in photograph.
I also love John Pierard’s interior illustrations done entirely in pencil. It’s not a style you see very often, and gives each drawing a very lively feel.
On to the stories themselves.
My Little Brother is a Monster by Bruce Coville
As I said before, I love Coville’s world-building. Just the very name of the monster world: the Land of Always October. Immediately I get visions of a misty, swampy world lit by hovering will ’o wisps and smelling of autumn leaves.
The story itself is a classic tale of a kid from the mundane world entering the Otherworld that parallels our own, a world created from our dreams and nightmares, populated by monsters who are the inverse of beings in our world. The set-up feels like it could be the start of an entire YA novel, though as far as I know this was Coville’s only foray into the Land of Always October.
Momster in the Closet by Jane Yolen
A short, simple story about a kid afraid of the bogeyman in his closet. Has one of those out-of-nowhere Goosebumps-style twists (and if you’re reading this review, you hopefully remember the Goosebumps series), but the brevity of this story makes it work.
Merlin’s Knight School by Michael Markiewicz
The first in a series of short stories about young King Arthur and his adopted older brother Cai- probably known best by most modern readers from Disney’s The Sword in the Stone, where he’s a jerk and a bully. This Cai’s a little nicer, at least.
I like that the monster in this tale was specifically summoned by Merlin (Merlyn in this tale) to serve a beneficial purpose.
Uncle Joshua and the Grooglemen by Debra Doyle and James D. Macdonald
A strange story with more going on than a young reader may realize. The story’s narrator isn’t so much unreliable as he is unfamiliar with what he is actually seeing.
This is the only story in the anthology that isn’t illustrated, since an actual depiction of the Grooglemen would immediately give away what they are, as well as the truth about what’s really going on in the story.
Friendly Persuasion by Bruce Coville
A short, goofy story about a sprite trying to explain to the horrible Ba-Grumpus all the reasons that it shouldn’t eat her.
Kokolimalayas, the Bone Man by Laura Simms
A retelling of a traditional story of the Madoc people of Oregon and Northern California. It's neat seeing a "classic monster" story from a non-European culture.
The Thing That Goes Burp in the Night by Sharon Webb
This is one of those stories where you could easily say that everything is taking place inside the main character’s head. But I like to think the kid really DID summon a chocolate-eating basement monster by reading random medical words out of the Merck Manual, Thirteenth Edition.
Personality Problem by Joe R. Landsdale
Poor Frankenstein’s monster can’t ever catch a break. Not even from his therapist.
Duffy’s Jacket by Bruce Coville
A story with a kind “campfire tale” vibe. Lots of slow build-up to a surprise ending, though this one is more goofy than “it’s right behind you!” jump-scare.
The Bogeyman by Jack Prelutsky
I’ll admit I’m not really big on poetry. But I like the “folksong” feel of this one.
Bloody Mary by Patrick Bone
No, no no! Repeating “Bloody Mary” into the mirror makes her ghost jump out at you. It does not turn you into a hairy, clawed monster! Geez!
The Beast With A Thousand Teeth by Terry Jones
Written by THE Terry Jones of Monty Python fame (and writer for one of my favorite books, the Golbin Companion). According to the biography at the end, this story came from a collection of fairy tales Jones wrote for his young daughter and it definitely shows through the young baker protagonist who figures out a clever way to defeat the titular beast with way too many pointy- and cavity-prone- teeth.
Timor and the Furnace Troll by John Barnes
My favorite story in the bunch. I might even like it more than Coville’s own tales. Poor Timor is terrible at being an elf and constantly gets bullied because of it. When he gets a class assignment to do a report on trolls, he goes to meet the one who lives in the (continent-sized) school’s furnace room and finally finds someone who understands him. Someone who is admittedly an elf-eating 12-foot tall troll.
I like the setting of this story. The way elfland seems like a distorted mirror of contemporary (at least early 90s) society. A sort of “suburban fantasy” taking place among the fresh-mown lawns and flat-roofed, sprawling elementary schools of a middle-class fantasy world. It reminds me of a less dark version of Michael Swanwick’s “The Iron Dragon’s Daughter”.
Anthologies are usually very uneven in quality. Some stories shine. Some fall flat. Some can even be painful to read. Coville’s Book of Monsters maintains pretty high quality overall, though. Even the weakest story- which for me was the very “meh” Bloody Mary- isn’t terrible. It’s quite clear Coville put a lot of careful thought into selecting the tales for his book.
June 10, 2024
It's great to revisit a book you loved as a kid and find out it still has merit. I suppose the anthology is a mixed bag, with a few stories that are nothing more than two- or three-page jokes. "Uncle Joshua and the Groogelmen" might be my least favorite story here, which is not to say that it's bad but it feels dark and bleak for no particular reason other than being dark and bleak for its own sake, with a twist ending that actually diminishes what came before it. Coville's own "Duffy's Jacket" is a classic of the genre, a quick and elegantly structured tale with a great punchline. "Bloody Mary" is far from the most skilled entry, but the situation it portrays--a sleepover infected by a teenage supernatural ritual--exudes a kind of naive charm. "Merlin's Knight School", about pre-king Arthur and his older brother Cai getting into a scrape with a tentacled creature after falling through a trap door, is an exuberant adventure. "Kokolimayas, the Bone Man" is a satisfyingly bizarre folk tale.
There are other entries in the "Book of..." series that I think are stronger overall, with more meaningful and impactful stories, so this is probably a 4.5 as opposed to a true 5, but I had a really good and breezy time with it.
There are other entries in the "Book of..." series that I think are stronger overall, with more meaningful and impactful stories, so this is probably a 4.5 as opposed to a true 5, but I had a really good and breezy time with it.
May 24, 2017
That Bloody Mary story!!!! Wow!
December 4, 2017
This is the first book I bought with my own allowance when I was 10 years old. Stories are quiet silly but the book is still special as it was my first book.
January 16, 2018
My childhood book taste personified.
August 17, 2018
Fun, creepy and just silly stories
September 12, 2020
So much fun! Gave me all the great nostalgic feels I remember as a kid!
July 27, 2021
Just like humans there are some kind monsters and some evil ones.
August 20, 2023
A fun little book to read under the covers with a flashlight to rediscover your inner child. One story involving a plague is particularly haunting, but most are just fun.
October 9, 2023
a fun collection of monster stories from some of the best in children's lit. not too scary, but the silliness of certain stories makes up for it. great for elementary school kids.
May 24, 2025
Some cute stories, some meh stories. some promise for sure. ;P
December 12, 2021
At first I was gonna give this book four stars, but when I read the final story I thought it was like the guy said S-I-C-K. Sick!!!!!!!!
It's about a SICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
It's about a SICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
September 13, 2007
While there are several good stories in here, like Uncle Joshua and the Grooglemen, the 5 stars I gave it are really based on the best short story I've ever read: Timor and the Furnace Troll.
September 16, 2011
A favorite bedtime read as a child!
December 8, 2011
the scariest part was bloody mary!
November 30, 2012
I really like'd this book it takes some surprising twists that i like. For example, it was crazy how the monster turned into Jack's dads and he almost made him amenable.
January 1, 2020
I felt that one or two of the stories were forgettable, but overall an enjoyable read to get you in the fall/Halloween spirit.
May 29, 2023
This book offers thirteen entertaining and 'monstrous' tales by various authors.
interesting quote:
"." (p. )
"" (p.)
interesting quote:
"." (p. )
"" (p.)
November 1, 2011
I love these anthologies.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews