Summer Spooky Stories: Japan: Friendly Yokai Folktales and Spooky Ghost Stories for Kids (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9798181597983)

It is Obon week, and the bravest game in Japan is about to begin. One by one, six friends tell a chilling tale, then walk the night path in pairs to fetch a paper fortune. It is called kimodameshi, the test of courage, and you are invited to play along.

Inside are twelve illustrated tales of friendly Japanese spirits: a river kappa tamed by a polite bow, a fox wedding in a sunshower, a tanuki that turns into a dancing teakettle, the snow woman Yuki-onna, and Hanako-san, who waits in the school bathroom.

• 12 short, illustrated stories plus a frame tale, perfect for one-a-night reading
• Mischievous yokai: a tongue-poking lantern ghost, the shy bean-washer under the bridge, and a luck-bringing house spirit
• Five Storyteller cues that dare you to read the scary line out loud
• An Obon ending with a warm, gentle twist

Best of all, these scares are completely safe. Every spirit is shy, silly, or kind, with no gore and no real danger, so a sensitive reader gets the delicious shivers and still sleeps soundly.

• A spooky-but-safe gift for ages 8 to 12, well under twenty dollars
• Summer vacation reading and Halloween treat-bag fun
• Sleepover and campfire read-alouds that get everyone giggling and gasping
• Reluctant readers who love short, finish-in-one-sitting tales

Grab your flashlight, gather your bravest friends, and start the test of courage tonight.