With an extraordinary gift for suspense, McKissack brings us ten original, spine-tingling tales inspired by African American history and the mystery of that eerie half hour before nightfall—the dark-thirty.
PATRICIA C. McKISSACK was the author of over 100 children's books, including The Dark Thirty: Southern Tales of the Supernatural, which was a Newbery Honor book and a Coretta Scott King Award winner. She also received the Coretta Scott King Award for A Long Hard Journey: The Story of Pullman Porter and Christmas in the Big House, Christmas in the Quarters.

View titles by Patricia McKissack
Brian Pinkney has illustrated numerous picture books, including The Dark-ThirtyHip-Hop Lollipop; Let's Clap, Jump, Sing, & Shout; Dance, Spin, & Turn It Out; and In the Time of the Drums. His many awards include two Caldecott Honors, a Coretta Scott King Illustration Award, four Coretta Scott King Illustration Honors, and the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award. Brian lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife and frequent collaborator, Andrea Davis Pinkney. View titles by Brian Pinkney
  • WINNER | 1996
    Illinois Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Award
  • WINNER | 1994
    Kansas William White Master List
  • WINNER | 1993
    Coretta Scott King Author Award
  • WINNER | 1993
    Newbery Honor Book
  • WINNER | 1992
    Coretta Scott King Author Award
"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

About

With an extraordinary gift for suspense, McKissack brings us ten original, spine-tingling tales inspired by African American history and the mystery of that eerie half hour before nightfall—the dark-thirty.

Author

PATRICIA C. McKISSACK was the author of over 100 children's books, including The Dark Thirty: Southern Tales of the Supernatural, which was a Newbery Honor book and a Coretta Scott King Award winner. She also received the Coretta Scott King Award for A Long Hard Journey: The Story of Pullman Porter and Christmas in the Big House, Christmas in the Quarters.

View titles by Patricia McKissack
Brian Pinkney has illustrated numerous picture books, including The Dark-ThirtyHip-Hop Lollipop; Let's Clap, Jump, Sing, & Shout; Dance, Spin, & Turn It Out; and In the Time of the Drums. His many awards include two Caldecott Honors, a Coretta Scott King Illustration Award, four Coretta Scott King Illustration Honors, and the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award. Brian lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife and frequent collaborator, Andrea Davis Pinkney. View titles by Brian Pinkney

Awards

  • WINNER | 1996
    Illinois Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Award
  • WINNER | 1994
    Kansas William White Master List
  • WINNER | 1993
    Coretta Scott King Author Award
  • WINNER | 1993
    Newbery Honor Book
  • WINNER | 1992
    Coretta Scott King Author Award

Praise

"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

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