Here's another Scholastic Book Services entry, The Haunted House and Other Spooky Poems and Tales (1970, edited by Gladys Schwarcz and Vic Crume, illustrations by Gerry Contreras). This is a collection of spooky poems and short stories from various authors, including a reappearance of Maria Leach's telling of The Cradle That Rocked By Itself.
Some of these stories were performed for an accompanying album (called, appropriately, Selections From the Haunted House and Other Poems and Tales).
Some of the more notable entries include the poems The Haunted House (Vic Crume), A Skeleton Once in Khartoum (author unknown), Dust (Sydney King Russell), The Bat (Theodore Roethke), and short stories The Cradle That Rocked By Itself (Maria Leach)and The Velvet Ribbon (Ann McGovern). Below is a sample of illustrations from the book, some with accompanying audio from the record (hat tip and thanks to Scar Stuff).
THE CRADLE THAT ROCKED BY ITSELF (Maria Leach)
DUST (Sydney King Russell)
THE HAUNTED HOUSE (Vic Crume)
A SKELETON ONCE IN KHARTOUM (Author Unknown)
THE GHOST CATCHER (A tale from India retold by E.B. Chance)
OLD CORNISH LITANY (Author Unknown)
THE OLD WIFE AND THE GHOST (James Reeves)
SPOOKS (Nathalia Crane)
THE BAT (Theodore Roethke)
THE VELVET RIBBON (Ann McGovern)
More great memories -- I don't remember if it was once a month or once a semester, but I was always overjoyed to order from the 2 page pamphlet at school; this was one of the many spooky books I loved.
ReplyDeleteIf it was a book of ghost stories or the truly awful 101 Hamburger Jokes, it was always once of the best days at school when the books came in.
Very much agree! I loved going through the pamphlet and ticking off which books I wanted. And then, cause I could only ever order two, which were the must haves. Ghost stories and mysteries topped the list every time. Thanks for the post!
ReplyDeleteWe adore your blog. Thank you! :)
ReplyDeleteOh, thanks for the memory! I had this book. After 40 years every page is still as familiar as the back of my own hand.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to dig it out the next time I visit my parents' house.
This is a great book-- and I love the record as well! Thanks for all the great work on the site. Really enjoy it! If you haven't seen this, thought it might be of interest. Another Maria Leach and the scariest book in history:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.com/Whistle-Graveyard-Folktales-Chill-Bones/dp/0670762458
I still have this book...It has gone yellow over time...but it was a book from my childhood I could not part with......With such wonderful tales...specially the velvet Ribbon...
ReplyDeleteThis book messed me up as a kid!
ReplyDeleteThe Velvet Ribbon?!
Come on! 😱😱😱
Thank you for your detailed info about it.
Just bought a copy on eBay to scare me as an adult!