Ghost Story Treasure

Virginia Hamilton, Jan Mark, Judith Gorog and Margaret Mahy are among the storytellers whose works appear in this volume. A long-dead father returns in the form of a ghost-boy to give his son a present from the past in ""In a Dark, Dark Box,'' by Jane Hollowood and Gorog's ``A Story about Death'' shows a feisty mother outwitting the specter that comes to claim one of her three children; these are among the best in the batch. But the selections are uneven; even with Spenceley's pictures, it's easy to skim over many of the stories. This volume may best suit ghost story addicts, who will find some unfamiliar territory herein. All ages. (September)