School Zone, Vol. 1 (v. 1)
Grade 9 Up–This seemingly promising volume tells ghostly tales of a haunted school. There are 13 short stories and urban legends; some are laughable, others are downright spooky. All of them weave together to form one seriously spooky book. Like a sick and twisted Goosebumps for older readers, Inukis writing incorporates components of a good horror story: evil dolls, wicked ghosts, and malevolent children. In sharp contrast, the illustrations are disappointing. While the art is fluid and customary to the manga style, all of the characters have a permanently shocked expression–characterized by round widened eyes and a mouth frozen in a perpetual O–whether they are frightened or not. A device meant to make the story seem more terrifying ends up making it unconvincing and repetitive. Libraries looking for more horror manga might find a readership for this volume, but overall it is a secondary purchase.–Jennifer Feigelman, Goshen Public Library and Historical Society, NYCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.