Author Patricia McKissack's 1992 Coretta Scott Award Winning book, The Dark Thirty: Southern Tales of the Supernatural is one of five books I reviewed and analyzed written by McKissack. As our final project in my children's and YA literature class, we were given the option to write a profile of a living author that would include a lengthy biography, reviews of five books and an annotated bibliography of all children's and YA titles written by the author. Here is my review of one of Mrs. McKissack most well known works. It is a collection of African-American ghost stories. The "dark thirty" is the half hour before sunset. This is the time of day where evil in its many forms comes out to create chaos and keep you awake at night. Or so goes the urban legend. Typically Im not a huge fan of scary books, or really scary movies because Im a scaredy cat! lol So needless to say, I read this book during the daytime hours. Though its nowhere near Stephen King horror or even R.L. Stine suspenseful, its intriguing enough to keep the reader wanting to read the next story. At the beginning of each story, McKissack gives a brief summary of the historical background of the story, given the stories a touch of realness. Here is my review, enjoy! :-)
McKissack, Patricia. The Dark-Thirty: Southern Tales of the Supernatural. New York: Alfred A. Knopf Inc, 1992. Ages 8 and up
Summary: A collection of 10 southern ghost stories. The Dark-Thirty is the half hour before sunset. It is at this time that monsters would come out. The stories are rooted in the African-American oral tradition. “The Legend of Pin Oak” is the tale of runaway slaves that turn into birds after jumping to their deaths to avoid slave catchers. “Justice is the story of a Klan member’s mysterious comeuppance after he murders an innocent black man. The “11:59” is an urban legend native to black train porters. The “Gingi” is an African folklore inspired ghost story. The last story was a “semi-autobiographical” tale of the young Patricia facing down a chicken coop monster.
Analysis: As with most urban legends, these tales have a basis in some truth. They were inspired in part by the stories told to McKissack by her grandparents. In her author’s notes she encourages readers to read these stories during the dark-thirty when it is “neither day nor night and when shapes and shadows play tricks on the mind.” The stories are written in such a way as to convey suspense. “Nothing was clear anymore. It didn’t matter, because it was daylight. He could set, maybe open the station. Where were the keys? It was so hard to remember. That’s when he saw the curious hazy substance on every windowpane in his bedroom.” (From: “Justice,“ pg. 29-30)
Potential Use: This book would make an excellent Halloween display item, and it could also be used in a classroom discussion on African-American oral tradition its components and origins.
Reader’s Appeal: Children who like ghost stories will enjoy this book. The black-and-white illustrations are lively despite the absence of color, and portray a sense of foreboding and fear. See the paranoid Hoop Granger washing his window, over a black shadow. (pg.31)
Value-added information: This book received both a Newberry Honor Award and a Coretta Scott King Award.
Review excerpts: “Each tale is told in a simple, lucid style, embellished by a few deftly inserted macabre details and by one of Pinkney’s dramatic, swirling scratchboard illustrations.” Kirkus Reviews Oct. 15,1992
