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Living Ghosts and Mischievous Monsters: Chilling American Indian Stories
Perfect for fans of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark! A shiver-inducing collection of short stories to read under the covers, from a breadth of American Indian nations.
Dark figures in the night. An owl's cry on the wind. Monsters watching from the edge of the wood.
Some of the creatures in these pages might only have a message for you, but some are the stuff of nightmares. These thirty-two short stories -- from tales passed down for generations to accounts that could have happened yesterday -- are collected from the thriving tradition of ghost stories from American Indian cultures across North America. Prepare for stories of witches and walking dolls, hungry skeletons, La Llorona and Deer Woman, and other supernatural beings ready to chill you to the bone.
Dan SaSuWeh Jones (Ponca Nation) tells of his own encounters and selects his favorite spooky, eerie, surprising, and spine-tingling stories, all paired with haunting art by Weshoyot Alvitre (Tongva).
So dim the lights (or maybe turn them all on) and pick up a story...if you dare.
Dark figures in the night. An owl's cry on the wind. Monsters watching from the edge of the wood.
Some of the creatures in these pages might only have a message for you, but some are the stuff of nightmares. These thirty-two short stories -- from tales passed down for generations to accounts that could have happened yesterday -- are collected from the thriving tradition of ghost stories from American Indian cultures across North America. Prepare for stories of witches and walking dolls, hungry skeletons, La Llorona and Deer Woman, and other supernatural beings ready to chill you to the bone.
Dan SaSuWeh Jones (Ponca Nation) tells of his own encounters and selects his favorite spooky, eerie, surprising, and spine-tingling stories, all paired with haunting art by Weshoyot Alvitre (Tongva).
So dim the lights (or maybe turn them all on) and pick up a story...if you dare.
176 pages, Paperback
First published September 7, 2021
19 people are currently reading
447 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
October 21, 2021
I mean, if I’m going to be truly honest with you, I’m just reading children’s books to satisfy the 10-year-old that still lurks inside of me. I don’t often indulge it, because if I did then I’d pretty much just end up reading ghost story after ghost story, and where would that get me? Still, it’s nice when 43-year-old me and 10-year-old me can reach some kind of an agreement. For example, when I picked up Living Ghosts & Mischievous Monsters I had a whole internal dialogue that went something like this:
10-year-old Me: Oo! Me want! Read it!
43-year-old Me: Why are you speaking like Cookie Monster?
10-year-old Me: Fine. Just read it. Please.
43-year-old Me: Wait wait wait, little missy. I’m not jumping into this without some background information. What if this is a bunch of Indigenous stories collected by white people without permission? That happens all the time.
10-year-old Me: Ugh, it’s not. Just read it!
43-year-old Me: Hmmm. Well, you seem to be right. The book makes a very big deal about how responsibly sourced these stories are. The collector himself is the former Chairman of the Ponca Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma and a storytelling consultant for National Geographic. Plus he credits every source, and sometimes gives additional background information on why they can be retold. The illustrator herself is of the Tongva Nation.
10-year-old Me: But are these stories scary?
43-year-old Me: Only one way to find out.
10-year-old Me: *sotto voce* Yesssss!
Reader, they are scary. Really scary. The kinds of stories you wish you could find more often for your child readers. Got a fear of living dolls, skin-sucking babies, or otters? Don’t worry. You will now.
Thirty-two short stories are collected from a variety of tribes and storytellers. Though they vary widely they all have on thing in common: They’re terrifying. Split into five sections the book collects its tales under the headings “Ghosts”, “Spirits”, “Witches”, “Monsters”, and “The Supernatural”. This allows the reader to dip in or read it straight through. Always crediting his sources or giving voice to the storytellers that lay claim to these stories, the book is a collection of older tellings as well as contemporary ones. You might find Dan SaSuWeh Jones’s story while visiting the River People of a deer spirit possessing a young man next to a traditional Kawaiisu tale of a Rock Baby (as a general rule, if you hear a baby crying in one of these stories, run). Illustrated with pen-and-ink illustrations, the book has the distinction of added to the coterie of nightmares accessible to your children. They’ll love it. Back matter includes Acknowledgements, Other Sources, Further Reading, and a list of recommended Websites.
What makes a good scary story? Part of what makes Living Ghosts work as well as it does, is that there isn’t a single answer to that question. Jones tries a variety of different techniques. The stories that are more contemporary have the chill factor of feeling especially real to the reader. One standout that comes to mind is “Twin Child Was Arapaho”, told by Maggie Marie Miller, Northern Arapaho, Oglala Sioux, Wyoming. In this story, Miller recounts when she was driving in the car with her twin 5-year-old girls. When she took a new route through an area that was once a battleground “where Indian enemies fought each other,” she figured her kids wouldn’t even notice. That is, until one of her girls started screaming. That story has a nice high-quality eerie factor. In other cases, Jones likes to end his story with a gut punch ending. Lines like “It was the last thing the man saw. He was now blind,” or my personal favorite, “In that second, its mouth opened.” Still other stories are more eerie than anything else. They contain the unexplained but rather than jumping out and yelling “Boo!” they just leave you uncertain and wary. Maybe a little bit unhinged.
All short story collections are, to a certain extent, a mixed bag. The person doing the editing or writing has to try to provide variety as well as quality. So just due to personal preference, some stories are going to stand out for you more than others. In my own case, I thought the stories that directly involved Dan SaSuWeh Jones himself were often the creepiest. “The Walking Doll” will give you automatonophobia like nothing else. But I had a real appreciation for some of the stories that honestly should not have been scary and were. On paper, the idea of a person who is part otter sounds cuddly, but read “The Kushtaka” and you may find yourself a little less fond of those furry critters.
I’ve heard some comparisons of this book to Alvin Schwartz’s Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, and I can see why folks would say that. Schwartz had a particular penchant for urban legends, so his books tended to mix older tales with new stories. This book does the same. Then there’s the creepy art. Though Stephen Gammel had a particular penchant for images that would haunt your dreams (does anyone else see that eyeless, noseless woman whenever they close their eyes, or is that just me?) don’t write off Alvitre here. Some of these pictures do more with less. “The Chenoo: The Cannibal with an Icy Heart” (a traditional Micmac and Pasamaquoddy Tale of Maine and Northeastern Canada) is accompanied with the simple image of an axe. In this way Alvitre leaves it open to the reader’s imagination to figure out how that axe is going to fit into the story. And honestly, when the word “cannibal” crops up in your title, you’ll probably have some guesses.
Naturally you’ll have some 10-year-olds already delving into Stephen King that blow off Living Ghosts as insufficiently scary. I would bet, however, that if they read this book cover to cover they’d find at least one section inside that gives them goose bumps. This gives me hope too. A lot of time, when we try to include a wide range of different voices and experiences on our library/school/bookstore/personal shelves, we fall into the trap of only getting books based on historical trauma. Happily, 2021 has given me a lot to be hopeful for. Whether it’s the hilarious JoJo Makoons and the Heartdrum imprint or Joseph Bruchac’s Rez Dogs or this collection of scary tales, Indigenous literature for kids isn’t relegating itself to only one kind of book. And for librarians and teachers desperate to diversify their Halloween sections, Jones’s book may prove a real godsend. Spine-chilling and horrific by turns, here’s the book to hand to the kid looking for some scares and thrills. Just don’t read it with the lights off.
10-year-old Me: Oo! Me want! Read it!
43-year-old Me: Why are you speaking like Cookie Monster?
10-year-old Me: Fine. Just read it. Please.
43-year-old Me: Wait wait wait, little missy. I’m not jumping into this without some background information. What if this is a bunch of Indigenous stories collected by white people without permission? That happens all the time.
10-year-old Me: Ugh, it’s not. Just read it!
43-year-old Me: Hmmm. Well, you seem to be right. The book makes a very big deal about how responsibly sourced these stories are. The collector himself is the former Chairman of the Ponca Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma and a storytelling consultant for National Geographic. Plus he credits every source, and sometimes gives additional background information on why they can be retold. The illustrator herself is of the Tongva Nation.
10-year-old Me: But are these stories scary?
43-year-old Me: Only one way to find out.
10-year-old Me: *sotto voce* Yesssss!
Reader, they are scary. Really scary. The kinds of stories you wish you could find more often for your child readers. Got a fear of living dolls, skin-sucking babies, or otters? Don’t worry. You will now.
Thirty-two short stories are collected from a variety of tribes and storytellers. Though they vary widely they all have on thing in common: They’re terrifying. Split into five sections the book collects its tales under the headings “Ghosts”, “Spirits”, “Witches”, “Monsters”, and “The Supernatural”. This allows the reader to dip in or read it straight through. Always crediting his sources or giving voice to the storytellers that lay claim to these stories, the book is a collection of older tellings as well as contemporary ones. You might find Dan SaSuWeh Jones’s story while visiting the River People of a deer spirit possessing a young man next to a traditional Kawaiisu tale of a Rock Baby (as a general rule, if you hear a baby crying in one of these stories, run). Illustrated with pen-and-ink illustrations, the book has the distinction of added to the coterie of nightmares accessible to your children. They’ll love it. Back matter includes Acknowledgements, Other Sources, Further Reading, and a list of recommended Websites.
What makes a good scary story? Part of what makes Living Ghosts work as well as it does, is that there isn’t a single answer to that question. Jones tries a variety of different techniques. The stories that are more contemporary have the chill factor of feeling especially real to the reader. One standout that comes to mind is “Twin Child Was Arapaho”, told by Maggie Marie Miller, Northern Arapaho, Oglala Sioux, Wyoming. In this story, Miller recounts when she was driving in the car with her twin 5-year-old girls. When she took a new route through an area that was once a battleground “where Indian enemies fought each other,” she figured her kids wouldn’t even notice. That is, until one of her girls started screaming. That story has a nice high-quality eerie factor. In other cases, Jones likes to end his story with a gut punch ending. Lines like “It was the last thing the man saw. He was now blind,” or my personal favorite, “In that second, its mouth opened.” Still other stories are more eerie than anything else. They contain the unexplained but rather than jumping out and yelling “Boo!” they just leave you uncertain and wary. Maybe a little bit unhinged.
All short story collections are, to a certain extent, a mixed bag. The person doing the editing or writing has to try to provide variety as well as quality. So just due to personal preference, some stories are going to stand out for you more than others. In my own case, I thought the stories that directly involved Dan SaSuWeh Jones himself were often the creepiest. “The Walking Doll” will give you automatonophobia like nothing else. But I had a real appreciation for some of the stories that honestly should not have been scary and were. On paper, the idea of a person who is part otter sounds cuddly, but read “The Kushtaka” and you may find yourself a little less fond of those furry critters.
I’ve heard some comparisons of this book to Alvin Schwartz’s Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, and I can see why folks would say that. Schwartz had a particular penchant for urban legends, so his books tended to mix older tales with new stories. This book does the same. Then there’s the creepy art. Though Stephen Gammel had a particular penchant for images that would haunt your dreams (does anyone else see that eyeless, noseless woman whenever they close their eyes, or is that just me?) don’t write off Alvitre here. Some of these pictures do more with less. “The Chenoo: The Cannibal with an Icy Heart” (a traditional Micmac and Pasamaquoddy Tale of Maine and Northeastern Canada) is accompanied with the simple image of an axe. In this way Alvitre leaves it open to the reader’s imagination to figure out how that axe is going to fit into the story. And honestly, when the word “cannibal” crops up in your title, you’ll probably have some guesses.
Naturally you’ll have some 10-year-olds already delving into Stephen King that blow off Living Ghosts as insufficiently scary. I would bet, however, that if they read this book cover to cover they’d find at least one section inside that gives them goose bumps. This gives me hope too. A lot of time, when we try to include a wide range of different voices and experiences on our library/school/bookstore/personal shelves, we fall into the trap of only getting books based on historical trauma. Happily, 2021 has given me a lot to be hopeful for. Whether it’s the hilarious JoJo Makoons and the Heartdrum imprint or Joseph Bruchac’s Rez Dogs or this collection of scary tales, Indigenous literature for kids isn’t relegating itself to only one kind of book. And for librarians and teachers desperate to diversify their Halloween sections, Jones’s book may prove a real godsend. Spine-chilling and horrific by turns, here’s the book to hand to the kid looking for some scares and thrills. Just don’t read it with the lights off.
May 24, 2022
Like Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark? Try this!
I'm not someone who typically seeks out horror stories. But I try to read broadly so I have a variety of genres to take to my regular school visits. And I'm always looking for media that comes from underrepresented, marginalized groups. So this book lives at the intersection of several things I'm looking for.
It's also an interesting one to categorize. Although it has a lot of Scary Stories-like appeal, the publisher (Scholastic) is really the only thing about it that specifically seems to target kids. Jones includes a contextual introduction, and the writing style speaks to adults just as well as to kids. Our library put this in our Adult collection, and it truly has appeal for probably 4th grade through adult. Jones' work of collecting these stories should be valued. And somehow putting this in the kids area would feel like it was being taken less seriously than it feels sitting on the adult shelf. But kids will like it.
The book is split into five categories: Ghosts, Spirits, Witches, Monsters, and The Supernatural. Your mileage will vary as far as creepiness goes. There were definitely some that gave me chills. Each story is accompanied with an illustration, which also vary in creep-factor.
I'll probably take this out to middle schools next time I visit them.
I'm not someone who typically seeks out horror stories. But I try to read broadly so I have a variety of genres to take to my regular school visits. And I'm always looking for media that comes from underrepresented, marginalized groups. So this book lives at the intersection of several things I'm looking for.
It's also an interesting one to categorize. Although it has a lot of Scary Stories-like appeal, the publisher (Scholastic) is really the only thing about it that specifically seems to target kids. Jones includes a contextual introduction, and the writing style speaks to adults just as well as to kids. Our library put this in our Adult collection, and it truly has appeal for probably 4th grade through adult. Jones' work of collecting these stories should be valued. And somehow putting this in the kids area would feel like it was being taken less seriously than it feels sitting on the adult shelf. But kids will like it.
The book is split into five categories: Ghosts, Spirits, Witches, Monsters, and The Supernatural. Your mileage will vary as far as creepiness goes. There were definitely some that gave me chills. Each story is accompanied with an illustration, which also vary in creep-factor.
I'll probably take this out to middle schools next time I visit them.
November 7, 2023
I was expecting to be a bit freaked out by the ghost stories (because even though I'm not sure I believe in ghosts I am afraid of them somehow?), but I actually found them moving. One of them, The Boy Who Watched Over the Children, actually made me cry. I also was very moved by My Brother, Last of the Crow Men. As for the rest, I'm glad I read them in the daylight, because there are a few super creepy stories that would have messed me up if I'd read them at night. I very much enjoyed this short story collection, even though scary/spooky/creepy isn't typically my thing.
July 27, 2024
4.5. Really well done. Represents a wide variety of tribes. Told by Native Americans. Nice illustrations. Covers various monsters and ghosts. Enjoyed it and will use in the classroom. Came back to add more: I use this book all the time in the classroom. My Native Education students love it! And they come from a wide ranging number of tribal nations. Only warning: many Native American groups believe that to use a creature’s name may bring it closer-particularly with w*nd*go and skxnwxlker. Always discuss this with students.
October 28, 2022
Excellent! Lots of fun eerie tales and legends, from modern to ancient! Most I had not heard of before, yet the similarities with other folk tales is interesting: if Indigenous people have vampires, were-creatures, ghosts, Lochness monsters-type water monsters, possessed dolls, and little people, is there some truth behind these sightings? Or do these themes point to vestigial fears, common among all people? Interesting!
The impressive artwork: beautifully spooky black and white line drawings, would make fantastic tattoos! They fit perfectly with the stories and really added to the creep factor.
These masterfully told short stories, each only a few pages long, are perfect before bed or around a campfire. But beyond simply being scary, I also learned a lot about Indigenous cultures and history. For instance, in the story about the little people, I learned that in some tribes, when your father dies, your uncle then fills that title. I had never heard of hand games before either. And so much more!
If you are a fan of ghost stories, folk and fairy tales, cryptids, evil witches, and legends, this is a high-quality book to check out that elevates the genre and offers something unique. And I think uniqueness is extra important to the horror genre because to be effectively scary, it has to have surprises.
Now, an Indigenous filmmaker needs to make some horror movies about the DeerWoman or one of these other tales! I’d watch!
The impressive artwork: beautifully spooky black and white line drawings, would make fantastic tattoos! They fit perfectly with the stories and really added to the creep factor.
These masterfully told short stories, each only a few pages long, are perfect before bed or around a campfire. But beyond simply being scary, I also learned a lot about Indigenous cultures and history. For instance, in the story about the little people, I learned that in some tribes, when your father dies, your uncle then fills that title. I had never heard of hand games before either. And so much more!
If you are a fan of ghost stories, folk and fairy tales, cryptids, evil witches, and legends, this is a high-quality book to check out that elevates the genre and offers something unique. And I think uniqueness is extra important to the horror genre because to be effectively scary, it has to have surprises.
Now, an Indigenous filmmaker needs to make some horror movies about the DeerWoman or one of these other tales! I’d watch!
July 17, 2025
I read this book because the Read Harder challenge has a category where you have to read a “cozy” book but I just am NOT in the mood for cozy mysteries/fantasy/etc
Stumbled across this book and it gave me Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark vibes. And … well… I gather the appeal of the cozy genre is that younger comfort mixed in with the thrills. And I personally get comfort from bite sized horror stories. The aforementioned scary stories along with old school Snopes dot com got me through some rough times in middle school. So yeah Living Ghosts immediately felt like getting a hug even when it horrifying me.
All that rambling to say I loved this one. It has a lot of charm to it. Although I’ve compared it to other book/media it’s very much its own thing. To be honest we all read Scary Stories mostly for the images, right? I think the storytelling in Living Ghosts is actually stronger. There’s definitely some imagery that is going to linger with me (that goddamn walking doll!!) but also how come people are constantly trying to write stories about literal monsters being redeemed by love and there was a short story in here about a frozen zombie cannibal that was genuinely more sweet/weird/touching than so many other hyped monster stories out there?
Basically I would tell anyone to keep this one in mind for Halloween season. It probably goes even harder then.
Stumbled across this book and it gave me Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark vibes. And … well… I gather the appeal of the cozy genre is that younger comfort mixed in with the thrills. And I personally get comfort from bite sized horror stories. The aforementioned scary stories along with old school Snopes dot com got me through some rough times in middle school. So yeah Living Ghosts immediately felt like getting a hug even when it horrifying me.
All that rambling to say I loved this one. It has a lot of charm to it. Although I’ve compared it to other book/media it’s very much its own thing. To be honest we all read Scary Stories mostly for the images, right? I think the storytelling in Living Ghosts is actually stronger. There’s definitely some imagery that is going to linger with me (that goddamn walking doll!!) but also how come people are constantly trying to write stories about literal monsters being redeemed by love and there was a short story in here about a frozen zombie cannibal that was genuinely more sweet/weird/touching than so many other hyped monster stories out there?
Basically I would tell anyone to keep this one in mind for Halloween season. It probably goes even harder then.
April 19, 2022
Jones presents 32 spooky stories in 5 categories: Ghosts, Spirits, Witches, Monsters, and The Supernatural. The author is from the Ponca tribe, but the stories are from many different native tribes all over the US and Canada. Some of the stories are traditional folktales, but other stories are told as if the events actually happened to the teller. The writing flows smoothly, and each tale is fairly short. Weshoyot Alvitre (Tongva) created black and white sketches throughout the book. When I was working at the library, many children would come in asking for "scary" books. This one would fit the bill perfectly.
October 23, 2022
A series of soooky short stories from Indigenous peoples of North America. Raised the hair on the back of my neck while being informative.
March 14, 2023
Narrator: Wes Studi & DeLanna Studi 5/5 AMAZING narrators!
This was a great book with spooky ghost and monster tales from various Native American tribes.
This was a great book with spooky ghost and monster tales from various Native American tribes.
December 9, 2023
Has some good spooky stories 👻
July 9, 2021
Publishing Date: September 7, 2021
What a welcome addition to any folklore, myths and legends collection. Compelling and entertaining stories from various Native American Nation members and collected by Dan SaSuWeh Jones, the former Chairman of the Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma and consultant for National Geographic Encyclopedia of the American Indian insure this book will be a bestseller and likely multiple awards winner. The state of Oklahoma is likely to make it the state winner of 2021.
The publisher recommends this beauty for fans of Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark. I recommend it for anyone who enjoys legends, stories and myths and readers who want to know more about Native American stories.
The author informs readers that as a young child he listened to ghost stories every night from elders around him. Later, he traveled across the country seeking out other tribes' stories. One common thread ran through all the stories: ghosts. Ghosts, the author states, are a part of every day life.
From the story of his great-aunt who visited them daily titled "My Great-Aunt's Last Ten A.M. Visit" to Herman Viola's (Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian) story of his dead brother who comes home titled "You Don't Live Here Anymore" readers will find the stories entertaining and provocative. These stories are not soon forgotten. "You Don't Live Here Anymore" sticks with me always. Their father goes to the gate of the property and tells the spirit, "You don't live here anymore. Join the spirit world. We love you and miss you, but it's time for you to go." It is heart-breakingly beautiful and filled with paternal love.
You must have this book or buy it for a special reader. It's a must-have, must-read.
So highly, highly recommended grades 3-7.
What a welcome addition to any folklore, myths and legends collection. Compelling and entertaining stories from various Native American Nation members and collected by Dan SaSuWeh Jones, the former Chairman of the Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma and consultant for National Geographic Encyclopedia of the American Indian insure this book will be a bestseller and likely multiple awards winner. The state of Oklahoma is likely to make it the state winner of 2021.
The publisher recommends this beauty for fans of Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark. I recommend it for anyone who enjoys legends, stories and myths and readers who want to know more about Native American stories.
The author informs readers that as a young child he listened to ghost stories every night from elders around him. Later, he traveled across the country seeking out other tribes' stories. One common thread ran through all the stories: ghosts. Ghosts, the author states, are a part of every day life.
From the story of his great-aunt who visited them daily titled "My Great-Aunt's Last Ten A.M. Visit" to Herman Viola's (Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian) story of his dead brother who comes home titled "You Don't Live Here Anymore" readers will find the stories entertaining and provocative. These stories are not soon forgotten. "You Don't Live Here Anymore" sticks with me always. Their father goes to the gate of the property and tells the spirit, "You don't live here anymore. Join the spirit world. We love you and miss you, but it's time for you to go." It is heart-breakingly beautiful and filled with paternal love.
You must have this book or buy it for a special reader. It's a must-have, must-read.
So highly, highly recommended grades 3-7.
October 12, 2024
Reviewed from an ARC.
Edited by Jones (Ponca Tribe of OK), this collection of 32 folktales from multiple Native American Nations is divided into five sections: ghosts, spirits, witches, monsters, and supernatural (animals/transformations/half human-animals). About half of the stories are told by a storyteller from the nation; the rest are retold by Jones on behalf of the original nation. Each section has a one-page introduction and illustration that discusses the elements found in those type of story and sets up the group of stories nicely. Each story has a paragraph giving background to build understanding of the story. All stories are about 2-3 pages long. Nations represented include Ponca (OK), Wampanoag (MA), Arapaho (OK), Navajo (AZ, NM), Ogalala Sioux (W), Blackfeet (MT), Seneca (NY, OH), and Tlingit (AK).
Most are creepy, a few are mildly spooky, but a couple are downright scary. Several have a feeling of being an urban legend. Included is a retelling of the legend of La Llorana and one that includes mention of Bigfoot/Sasquatch. All are simply retold; a few of these would be fun to read aloud around a campfire or darkened room. Final artwork by Weshoyot Alivitre was not seen, however each story will have a full-page illustration, with a few black ink placeholder illustrations also included. Backmatter includes a list of sources used and a bibliography of books and websites for more information.
Lovers of the Scary Stories series by Alvin Schwartz will gobble these up. Highly recommended for grades 3-9.
S.B.
Children's Literature Consultant
Edited by Jones (Ponca Tribe of OK), this collection of 32 folktales from multiple Native American Nations is divided into five sections: ghosts, spirits, witches, monsters, and supernatural (animals/transformations/half human-animals). About half of the stories are told by a storyteller from the nation; the rest are retold by Jones on behalf of the original nation. Each section has a one-page introduction and illustration that discusses the elements found in those type of story and sets up the group of stories nicely. Each story has a paragraph giving background to build understanding of the story. All stories are about 2-3 pages long. Nations represented include Ponca (OK), Wampanoag (MA), Arapaho (OK), Navajo (AZ, NM), Ogalala Sioux (W), Blackfeet (MT), Seneca (NY, OH), and Tlingit (AK).
Most are creepy, a few are mildly spooky, but a couple are downright scary. Several have a feeling of being an urban legend. Included is a retelling of the legend of La Llorana and one that includes mention of Bigfoot/Sasquatch. All are simply retold; a few of these would be fun to read aloud around a campfire or darkened room. Final artwork by Weshoyot Alivitre was not seen, however each story will have a full-page illustration, with a few black ink placeholder illustrations also included. Backmatter includes a list of sources used and a bibliography of books and websites for more information.
Lovers of the Scary Stories series by Alvin Schwartz will gobble these up. Highly recommended for grades 3-9.
S.B.
Children's Literature Consultant
November 1, 2021
I would call these stories creepy more than anything else, but that doesn’t mean I recommend reading them at night! They’re spooky enough to wake up my overactive imagination when I was trying to get ready for sleep.
The book is divided into stories about ghosts, the supernatural, with spirits, witches, and monsters being the scariest sections. I had a severe fear of dolls as a child so The Walking Doll was probably the story that spooked me the most. My other favorites include The Rock Baby, The Deer Hunter, The Lost Hunters and the Skudakumooch, The Deserted Children, and The Vampire of Sleeping Child Hot Springs. Don’t be fooled by the neutral titles, these stories are creepy.
I think the best story out of the bunch is one called The Boy Who Watched Over The Children which is a sad story about children who died after being taken away from their families to an assimilationist boarding school. Instead of the children’s bodies being returned to their families, they were buried in a graveyard near the school. What happens over a hundred years later is more sad than spooky, but it’s a very important story featuring the evils of colonizers trying to force Native American children to forget their heritage. My heart goes out to those kids, I hope this book helps ensure they won’t be forgotten.
A lot of these stories are ones I want to revisit next Halloween. It was a perfect read for a scaredy cat like me who wanted to be spooked for Halloween but not terrified out of my mind.
The book is divided into stories about ghosts, the supernatural, with spirits, witches, and monsters being the scariest sections. I had a severe fear of dolls as a child so The Walking Doll was probably the story that spooked me the most. My other favorites include The Rock Baby, The Deer Hunter, The Lost Hunters and the Skudakumooch, The Deserted Children, and The Vampire of Sleeping Child Hot Springs. Don’t be fooled by the neutral titles, these stories are creepy.
I think the best story out of the bunch is one called The Boy Who Watched Over The Children which is a sad story about children who died after being taken away from their families to an assimilationist boarding school. Instead of the children’s bodies being returned to their families, they were buried in a graveyard near the school. What happens over a hundred years later is more sad than spooky, but it’s a very important story featuring the evils of colonizers trying to force Native American children to forget their heritage. My heart goes out to those kids, I hope this book helps ensure they won’t be forgotten.
A lot of these stories are ones I want to revisit next Halloween. It was a perfect read for a scaredy cat like me who wanted to be spooked for Halloween but not terrified out of my mind.
January 18, 2022
Reviewed from an ARC.
Edited by Jones (Ponca Tribe of OK), this collection of 32 folktales from multiple Native American Nations is divided into five sections: ghosts, spirits, witches, monsters, and supernatural (animals/transformations/half human-animals). About half of the stories are told by a storyteller from the nation; the rest are retold by Jones on behalf of the original nation.
Each section has a one-page introduction and illustration that discusses the elements found in those type of story and sets up the group of stories nicely. Each story has a paragraph giving background to build understanding of the story. All stories are about 2-3 pages long. Nations represented include Ponca (OK), Wampanoag (MA), Arapaho (OK), Navajo (AZ, NM), Ogalala Sioux (W), Blackfeet (MT), Seneca (NY, OH), and Tlingit (AK). Most are creepy, a few are mildly spooky, but a couple are downright scary. Several have a feeling of being an urban legend. Included is a retelling of the legend of La Llorana and one that includes mention of Bigfoot/Sasquatch. All are simply retold; a few of these would be fun to read aloud around a campfire or darkened room. Final artwork by Weshoyot Alivitre was not seen, however each story will have a full-page illustration, with a few black ink placeholder illustrations also included.
Backmatter includes a list of sources used and a bibliography of books and websites for more information. Lovers of the Scary Stories series by Alvin Schwartz will gobble these up!
Highly recommended for grades 3-9.
Edited by Jones (Ponca Tribe of OK), this collection of 32 folktales from multiple Native American Nations is divided into five sections: ghosts, spirits, witches, monsters, and supernatural (animals/transformations/half human-animals). About half of the stories are told by a storyteller from the nation; the rest are retold by Jones on behalf of the original nation.
Each section has a one-page introduction and illustration that discusses the elements found in those type of story and sets up the group of stories nicely. Each story has a paragraph giving background to build understanding of the story. All stories are about 2-3 pages long. Nations represented include Ponca (OK), Wampanoag (MA), Arapaho (OK), Navajo (AZ, NM), Ogalala Sioux (W), Blackfeet (MT), Seneca (NY, OH), and Tlingit (AK). Most are creepy, a few are mildly spooky, but a couple are downright scary. Several have a feeling of being an urban legend. Included is a retelling of the legend of La Llorana and one that includes mention of Bigfoot/Sasquatch. All are simply retold; a few of these would be fun to read aloud around a campfire or darkened room. Final artwork by Weshoyot Alivitre was not seen, however each story will have a full-page illustration, with a few black ink placeholder illustrations also included.
Backmatter includes a list of sources used and a bibliography of books and websites for more information. Lovers of the Scary Stories series by Alvin Schwartz will gobble these up!
Highly recommended for grades 3-9.
July 19, 2021
I really enjoyed this collection of 32 short stories from Native American peoples. Some are tales from Dan SaSuWeh Jones and others are told to him from other people from other tribes. I found it interesting how at the start of each chapter, the author describes the supernatural aspect--not sure I described that correctly--and the significance to the Native Indian Peoples. The chapters covered are ghosts, spirits, witches, monsters, and supernatural. Then before each individual story, Dan SaSuWeh Jones mentions where that tale came from. I read a digital ARC of the book, so I think the stories are about 3-7 pages each roughly and there are illustrations throughout by Weshoyot Alvitre. She does wonderfully creepy illustrations throughout that reminded me a bit of the original illustrations in the original Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark book series from the 80s(?). Some of the stories creeped me out quite a bit (I was getting ready to go camping and read this right before my camping trip) and others I thought were just a bit sad and atmospheric. Some of my favorite entries are The Mashpee Sailor, The Lame Warrior And The Skeleton, Rock Baby, The Deer Hunter, and The Lost Hunters And The Skudakumooch!!
November 23, 2021
I chose to read this book after receiving a free copy from the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.
These 32 short stories from American Indians are truly scary, especially since some of them are true. Dan SaSuWeh Jones tells stories of his own experiences and of people he knows as well as stories that have passed down through the generations by different tribes.
Children and adults alike will find stories that will scare them, or at least give them pause. From the first story to the last, there are tales to catch your interest. They’re grouped into categories: Ghosts, Spirits, Witches, Monsters, and The Supernatural. Each story has a paragraph at the beginning that explains where it came from. There are also pencil drawings by Weshoyot Alvitre that are great and go well with these stories.
Some of my favorites are “My Great-Aunt’s Last 10a.m. Visit,” “The Graveyard,” “The Garage Sale,” and the terrifying “The Vampire of Sleeping Child Hot Springs.” There’s a wide range of stories. I recommend this book but I also recommend maybe reading it when it’s daylight!
These 32 short stories from American Indians are truly scary, especially since some of them are true. Dan SaSuWeh Jones tells stories of his own experiences and of people he knows as well as stories that have passed down through the generations by different tribes.
Children and adults alike will find stories that will scare them, or at least give them pause. From the first story to the last, there are tales to catch your interest. They’re grouped into categories: Ghosts, Spirits, Witches, Monsters, and The Supernatural. Each story has a paragraph at the beginning that explains where it came from. There are also pencil drawings by Weshoyot Alvitre that are great and go well with these stories.
Some of my favorites are “My Great-Aunt’s Last 10a.m. Visit,” “The Graveyard,” “The Garage Sale,” and the terrifying “The Vampire of Sleeping Child Hot Springs.” There’s a wide range of stories. I recommend this book but I also recommend maybe reading it when it’s daylight!
January 8, 2022
This is an odd mixture of tales, half of which were more like a Native American equivalent of urban legends, rather than scary folktales. That doesn't make the collection bad in any way, just a little odd.
The ghost stories weren't very scary at all, and that may be because ghosts aren't supposed to be all that scary in the cultures from which these stories came. Ghosts are familiar, perhaps even family members who have passed on.
Spirits of things that were never human, on the other hand, can be much scarier, and in this collection, they are. Those and the stories of other non-human entities were creepy and scary, and some were from family or personal stories, rather than the distant past. One, however, was actually kind of funny, but since it was from the book's author, it was worth including, and a real treat.
Some of the stories seemed better aimed at teens or adults than kids, but I'd say that for older kids, this will be very readable and at a reasonable level of scariness.
I did feel that the stories collected and adapted from one particular website just weren't as good as the others, but not enough to downgrade the rating.
The ghost stories weren't very scary at all, and that may be because ghosts aren't supposed to be all that scary in the cultures from which these stories came. Ghosts are familiar, perhaps even family members who have passed on.
Spirits of things that were never human, on the other hand, can be much scarier, and in this collection, they are. Those and the stories of other non-human entities were creepy and scary, and some were from family or personal stories, rather than the distant past. One, however, was actually kind of funny, but since it was from the book's author, it was worth including, and a real treat.
Some of the stories seemed better aimed at teens or adults than kids, but I'd say that for older kids, this will be very readable and at a reasonable level of scariness.
I did feel that the stories collected and adapted from one particular website just weren't as good as the others, but not enough to downgrade the rating.
October 23, 2021
These individual retellings of oral accounts and traditional tales involving the afterlife, spirits, ghosts, and other forces at work across a vast range of indigenous cultures are told with compelling, hair-raising style while managing to walk the fine line of real lives and credibility. I tagged conflicting categories for this one- fiction/oonfiction/fantasy, for example. The storytelling compiler/author goes to great lengths to provide authenticity and legitimacy to the voice and stories, to their origins, and to the diverse cultural groups providing the accounts. The illustrator is also an authentic indigenous creator, which lends even more impact to each tale. I particularly appreciated the informational content that introduced each tale, and found myself trying to learn more about various geographic areas and cultural identities.
Apart from all that- tjhes are simply flat-out-chilling short stories that kids of many ages will want to read/hawr again and again.
Apart from all that- tjhes are simply flat-out-chilling short stories that kids of many ages will want to read/hawr again and again.
July 4, 2024
I'm back teaching summer school with a camping theme in the library, and last year I used stories from this book as part of our camp theme. What is camping without having the living daylights scared out of you by some storyteller around a campfire?
As a lifelong lover of scary stories to tell and retell (including being totally traumarized, and yet ineluctably drawn to books of terrifying tales that I purchased at scholastic book fairs), I can confidently tell you that these indigenous stories hold back nothing. There is blood and torn flesh and gore and just flat out jaw dropping stuff that happens in these stories. This is what I would have loved when I was an upper elementary student. My summer school kids, who maybe are also a hardier breed of listener, also ate these up. This one is definitely not for the faint-hearted! As a librarian, I have a lot of students who ask for scary stories. These are the ones the unflinching are looking for!
As a lifelong lover of scary stories to tell and retell (including being totally traumarized, and yet ineluctably drawn to books of terrifying tales that I purchased at scholastic book fairs), I can confidently tell you that these indigenous stories hold back nothing. There is blood and torn flesh and gore and just flat out jaw dropping stuff that happens in these stories. This is what I would have loved when I was an upper elementary student. My summer school kids, who maybe are also a hardier breed of listener, also ate these up. This one is definitely not for the faint-hearted! As a librarian, I have a lot of students who ask for scary stories. These are the ones the unflinching are looking for!
August 22, 2023
Fantastic artwork!
Great collection of stories from various North American tribes covering everything from ghosts and spirits, to witches and monsters and every other supernatural in-between.
The actual prose and craft of writing leaves something to be desired, but the stories are all very short and easily digestible, perfect for the intended audience and very much like a campfire tale. It was great to get a deeper insight into these cultural tales, especially stories that I was largely unfamiliar with. I also appreciated both the section intros and the individual story intros.
It’s important to further these cultural voices and with spooky season coming up, I would definitely recommend this book!
Great collection of stories from various North American tribes covering everything from ghosts and spirits, to witches and monsters and every other supernatural in-between.
The actual prose and craft of writing leaves something to be desired, but the stories are all very short and easily digestible, perfect for the intended audience and very much like a campfire tale. It was great to get a deeper insight into these cultural tales, especially stories that I was largely unfamiliar with. I also appreciated both the section intros and the individual story intros.
It’s important to further these cultural voices and with spooky season coming up, I would definitely recommend this book!
October 9, 2023
A great collection of spooky stories that gave me goosebumps, but as a slight wimp weren't above my scare threshold! The artwork was fantastic as well, and I loved the background information provided before each story.
This is nothing against the book itself - the stories are meant to creep you out - but if you are very sensitive to dog death I'd use caution with the story "Billy Goat and Bigfoot". I definitely am someone who is very sensitive about it, so I personally found it upsetting rather than creepy/spooky.
This is nothing against the book itself - the stories are meant to creep you out - but if you are very sensitive to dog death I'd use caution with the story "Billy Goat and Bigfoot". I definitely am someone who is very sensitive about it, so I personally found it upsetting rather than creepy/spooky.
July 13, 2021
In Living Ghosts and Mischievous Monsters, the author takes us through different Native American ghosts and monsters throughout the culture.
I really enjoyed the stories and the different backgrounds that were presented within the book! Overall a great read! If you love a good ghost story, then you want to check this book out!
*Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy. I have provided an unbiased review based on my reading.*
I really enjoyed the stories and the different backgrounds that were presented within the book! Overall a great read! If you love a good ghost story, then you want to check this book out!
*Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy. I have provided an unbiased review based on my reading.*
November 6, 2021
4-4.5
I’m sure I would have found these spookier had I read them as a kid, the intended audience! They would be a great read aloud, to add to the vibe. Each story came with some background information about its theme and what tribes/nation it originated from, or told from the original storyteller. I found myself wanting more atmosphere, but that may just be my adult point of view. Overall a great collection of legends told from Native story tellers!
I’m sure I would have found these spookier had I read them as a kid, the intended audience! They would be a great read aloud, to add to the vibe. Each story came with some background information about its theme and what tribes/nation it originated from, or told from the original storyteller. I found myself wanting more atmosphere, but that may just be my adult point of view. Overall a great collection of legends told from Native story tellers!
November 8, 2022
I don't like Scary stuff. This book is just choke full of scary stuff. I can't give it extra stars because of that.
Did I enjoy learning about Native American heritages? I did. You should read this book just for that reason alone. But! Be Aware there is a monster that will suck the skin off your bones, sasquatch will skin your dogs alive, and children will be put out of their tribes and left to die. This is not for a younger reader.
Did I enjoy learning about Native American heritages? I did. You should read this book just for that reason alone. But! Be Aware there is a monster that will suck the skin off your bones, sasquatch will skin your dogs alive, and children will be put out of their tribes and left to die. This is not for a younger reader.
July 20, 2021
This book offers a vast collection of Native American myths and legends about spirits, monsters etc.
The book is written a beautiful way. Each legend is sorted according to its characters. Each tale has around an intriguing plot which forces the reader to read it till the end. I liked the section about witches the most. It also has beautiful sketches supplementing each tale.
The book is written a beautiful way. Each legend is sorted according to its characters. Each tale has around an intriguing plot which forces the reader to read it till the end. I liked the section about witches the most. It also has beautiful sketches supplementing each tale.
November 5, 2021
This is one of the coolest collection of spooky stories I've read in a long time. The ghosts and monsters were so crazy and creepy, and honestly, the version of La Llorona that is in this book is one I've never read. I also like that the stories come from different Native Indian nations. Some stories I recognized, and some I didn't, but they were all fantastic!
November 9, 2021
So much to love about this collection of short stories. The author shares spooky tales from several different nations of Native American's. Also the illustrations fit in perfectly with the tone of the stories. The author did a good job of explaining terms that non native people might not understand. The stories were entertaining and really showed the culture of the people. I didn't give it 5 stars because I liked some stories more than others but I highly recommend the collection as a whole.
April 28, 2022
A success during 4th and 5th grade booktalks, especially La Llorona. My only complaint is that sometimes the language feels clunky, and the storytelling feels very much like telling, rather than writing. I think this is because these are oral stories that have been written. I am curious to try the audiobook and see if I notice any clunkiness then.
October 5, 2022
I both listened to the audiobook and referred to the physical book for the illustrations. I have to say that I enjoyed the audiobook slightly more. I feel like most of these stories were passed down through oral tradition, so the audiobook just makes more sense to me. I enjoyed the book so much that I can definitely see myself listening to it again in the future.
July 7, 2023
I started reading this with my 7-year-old who is interested in ghost stories, but she decided it was too scary for her. I tend to agree, several of these stories would be pretty terrifying for most children. I ended up finishing it on my own as I thought it was a cool collection of stories. The editors did a nice job identifying the sources and giving background/context where possible.
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