The Boy at the Door and Other Stories of the Supernatural

By Anthony Holcroft,
illustrated by Julian Holcroft

Hazard Press: Christchurch NZ, 1991

ISBN 0908790244

When a boy discovers a fantastic box of toys at his grandmother's, he is visited by the spirit of a child who played with the same toys decades earlier. Other stories feature a stone possessed of a menacing personality, a magical hat, and the spirit of the forest.

Stories

The Boy at the Door
The Stone
The Silkies
Silver
Uncle Barney

Excerpt

The Silkies

At breakfast Gary looked up, suddenly remembering something. He had just come back from a holiday with his cousins in the city, and was still reliving the wonder of it all. ‘We stopped at a garage,’ he said, ‘on the way to the beach. There was a sign up that said “Free Air”. That was a funny thing ... free air. Nobody has to pay for the air.’

Continue reading “The Silkies”

Illustrations

  • “The Stone” — illustration by Julian Holcroft (unsed), monoprint, 1991

  • “Silver” — illustration by Julian Holcroft, monoprint/collage, 1991

  • “The Silkies” — illustration by Julian Holcroft, linocut/monoprint, 1991

  • “Uncle Barney” — illustration by Julian Holcroft, linocut/monoprint, 1991

  • “Silver” — illustration by Julian Holcroft (unused), monoprint/collage, 1991

Reader comment

“A long overdue collection from one of our finest short story writers, these five stories vary in setting and tone but not in brilliance. The stories shine, and are ideal for reading aloud to ages eight to adult.”

Bruce Morris, The Dominion (Wellington, 1991)