SLJ Review of Where You Dare Not Go

Readers won’t hesitate to “dare” venture into this thrilling series. Eighteen brief, chilling tales per volume make for suspenseful reading, and the “true story” element makes them all the more compelling. Spooky-looking covers resemble leather-bound books, and sepia-toned images supplement the text and ramp up the fright factor. Text is set against a background resembling tattered antique parchment. Some pages bear insect images, upping the “ick” quotient. Sidebars resembling dark-gray “clouds” provide additional information. Back matter includes maps, a glossary, a bibliography, and a QR code that leads to further reading (including the publisher’s website), and an index. Some volumes include bloody details. Caution: Horror Healings might be especially disturbing for sensitive readers, with accounts of brutal and/or gruesome “treatments” for mental patients.

VERDICT: Students will find much to appreciate in this engrossing series recommended for schools and public collections.