The Dark Way: Stories from the Spirit World

by Virginia Hamilton, Lambert Davis (Illustrator)

A collection of folk tales, legends, and myths involving the supernatural, from cultures around the world. Includes Irish, Russian, Japanese, Native American, Dutch, ancient Greek, Aztec, English, Chinese, Norse, Jewish, Welsh, Haitian, Kikuyu, Italian, and Indian stories, as well as an African American story from North Carolina.

Genres: Mythology

154 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1990

About the author

Virginia Esther Hamilton was the author of forty-one works of fiction and nonfiction. She was the first Black writer awarded the Newbery Medal and the first children's writer to be named a MacArthur Fellow (the "Genius" grant). She also received the National Book Award and the Hans Christian Andersen Medal.

Reviews

[GoldGato · Rating 4 out of 5]

As long as we are here, the un-human will be there between was and is, in the gloom of the Dark Way. Between awake and asleep, amidst being and not being, it strives, it vies, for us.

Here be fairies and witches and banshees and other supernatural beings. Combining folk tales and the darkness of superstition, this book is a collection of twenty-five stories from different cultures which try to make order out of disorder. It's not ghosts and Stephen King but stories about the other side, that realm which borders on wonder and fear.

ROLLING RIO, THE GRAY MAN, AND DEATH
The first generation of freed North Carolina slaves told this story of a John Henry-like figure who must grapple with something even bigger than himself.

THE HORNED WOMEN
This is an Irish legend about witches versus the Spirit of the Well.

TANUKI MAGIC TEAKETTLE
Here, the Japanese raccoon dog is up to no good.

THE GIRL WHO WAS SWALLOWED BY THE EARTH
Crops die in Kenya as a massive drought takes place and a lone maiden must make the ultimate sacrifice.

THE WITCH'S BOAR
Sometimes it isn't good to talk more than you should.

Those are just some of the folk-tales and each chapter ends with commentary about the origin of the story and what it means. I'll admit I picked up the book for its illustrations by Lambert Davis but the simplicity of the tales and the easy layout also helped. It falls into several categories as parents can read to children but middle-grade youngsters can certainly read this on their own.

Book Season = Winter (misty hoarfrost)

[Jesse E · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the simplicity of these stories. They were interesting and thought-provoking. I also loved the "Comments" after every story; they gave you the themes and origins of the story and really gave me a lot of good insight into the weird and dark lore that permeates our world.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read a bunch of the stories but I didn't really care for the book. I assume it is written for kids to get a basic understanding of some global folktales, but it's very diluted. Calling it the dark way and then dumbing the stories down or atleast taking the darker elements to a very digestible place was not for me.

[Jack · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Dark Way: Stories from the Spirit World by Virginia Hamilton, illustrated by Lambert Davis (1990)

Another good collection of folk tales from around the world and retold by Virginia Hamilton.

[Kellene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another great collection of stories for a story-teller to glean new material