Humans have always lived with fear—of jaguars, of raiding Vikings, of nuclear holocaust—and folktales, according to Kathleen Ragan, often reflect how people cope with their fears and put them in perspective. This collection of 63 stories for all ages, from all over the world, follows her previous anthology Fearless Girls, Wise Women, and Beloved Sisters.

"The tales—from African, Afghani, Arowak and many other oral traditions—are intended to be read aloud. Ragan inserts personal commentary between chapters that relate incidences from her travels, anecdotes from her own family (especially her children's fears since'/11) and feedback via 'virtual campfire.' Some of the tales seem familiar, having shape-shifted their way into other cultures (e.g., 'The Bee and the Asya' from the Hopi tradition resembles a fable by La Fontaine), while others ring puzzling or gruesome or just plain silly.... This collection provides plenty of opportunity for lighting out courageously."—Publishers Weekly