The DarkThirty, Patricia McKissack
The DarkThirty, Patricia McKissack
List: $15.00 | Sale: $10.50
Club: $7.50

The Dark-Thirty
Southern Tales of the Supernatural

Author: Patricia McKissack

Narrator: Mirron Willis, Allyson Johnson

Unabridged: 3 hr 37 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 03/29/2022


Synopsis

This Newbery Honor Book and Coretta Scott King Award Winner from beloved author Patricia McKissack offers a “stellar collection” of “ten original stories, all with a foundation in African-American history or culture” (School Library Journal).

In that special half-hour of twilight—the dark-thirty—there are stories to be told. Mesmerizing and breathtakingly original, these tales are inspired by African American history and range from the time of slavery to the civil rights era. With her extraordinary gift for suspense, Patricia C. McKissack has created a heart-stopping collection of lasting value, a book not quickly forgotten.

An ALA Notable Children’s Book
An NCSS-CBC Notable Children’s Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies
An IRA Teachers’ Choice

About The Author

Patricia C. McKissack (1944-2017) was the award-winning author of over 100 books for children, including Mirandy and Brother Wind, Nettie Jo's Friends, and A Million Fish . . . More or Less. She wished she could have talked to her hero, Frederick Douglass, about his rise from slavery, his daring escape, and freedom--at last! McKissack also frequently collaborated on books with her husband, Fredrick. She is survived by her three sons.Acclaimed artist Brian Pinkney is the illustrator of several highly praised picture books, including The Faithful Friend, In the Time of the Drums, and Duke Ellington. He is a graduate of the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and holds a master's degree in illustration from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. He lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife, Andrea, with whom he often collaborates, and his two children.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Quentin on August 23, 2015

Wow did this one surprise me. It's a collection of short horror stories, mostly based on African American folktales and set in the deep south. This was published by Scholastic, so I was expecting stories aimed at children. While technically I guess they are, the stories are much darker and mature th......more

Goodreads review by Bookishrealm on November 19, 2023

Hands down this was my favorite read for Blackoween 2023. I wish that my written review could do this one justice, but I think that the discussion for this book does it better. Be sure to check it out here: [URL not allowed] In this live we go through each story and discuss it......more

Goodreads review by Darla on January 24, 2021

These are quality stories, not just a collection of horror stories with the intent of scaring your pants off. Are their details that give you goosebumps? For sure. Yet, there are happy endings and positive outcomes after adversity mixed in with historical details and reminders of the insidious under......more

Goodreads review by Josiah on October 25, 2021

One really couldn't ask for much better suspenseful, deeply wrought stories of the eerie and the supernatural than those found in this harrowing collection. Patricia C. McKissack has struck the ideal chord in the creation of these subtly mysterious tales. She didn't take the edge off of the fright i......more

Goodreads review by Lars on January 23, 2008

More than a foray into the supernatural, this book connects to much of the history of African Americans' long struggle for equality from slavery to the civil rights era. It's fitting that the last story, an autobiographical "monster" tale, is about McKissack's confronting her own fears as a child. T......more


Quotes

"Skillfully developed and sustained to the very end. Pinkney's stark scratchboard illustrations evoke an eerie mood, which heightens the suspense of each tale.... A stellar collection."--School Library Journal, starred review


Awards

  • Coretta Scott King Author Award