Izzy’s twin sister, Grace, has been acting differently lately, so Izzy sneaks out one night and follows her into the woods. Turns out Grace belongs to the Midnight Society, a group of kids who meet to tell campfire stories. Grace is irritated at Izzy’s meddling; Izzy’s annoyed that Grace has been keeping secrets. The members break up the argument, offering the sisters the opportunity to compete in a “scare-off.” Their terrifying stories, influenced by the twins’ Ghanian Gramma Ama, are illustrated in full, frightening color by several different artists. Masuku relies on discordant colors for “The Tale of the Bushwalkers,” which transports readers to a dangerously competitive school in Accra where bad grades might have monstrous consequences. Murakami wields a more muted palette for “The Tale of the Spirit Drum,” in which a wish-granting magical drum is deployed in increasingly selfish and disastrous ways. Judging them is a tough task, so the two girls collaborate on the third, titular tale, which serves as a tiebreaker. Izzy and Grace’s rivalry adds dimension and emotion to the framing story, while the individual entries ramp up the tension. Grotesque imagery will keep readers shuddering as Brown explores how everyday tensions such as jealousy or sibling conflict can unleash our darker sides.
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English (US) ·