“The peculiars in the village of Swampmuck lived very modestly.”

This collection of stories is a companion to the Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children series; the stories that Jake, Miss Peregrine, Millard, and all the other children so often allude to and occasionally read from are presented here for our enjoyment.  A collection of short stories make up a cheerful variety of stories that range from pleasant to mildly terrifying.  Certain tales are included because they are important to the history of peculiardom (such as the tale of the first Ymbren and time loop), some are important to show the relationship between humans and peculiars (Saint Peter’s Cathedral in London), while many others are told to help convey a deeper story to the audience.  Millard gathered the tales through a long process of searching for and then verifying the legends.  Each of the 10 tales is a stand-alone story, but they also work together well to enhance each other, as well as the series as a whole.

Riggs’ collection of stories is a delightful read for fans of both the Miss Peregrine series and classic fairy tales.  The theme of the various stories is very similar to the Grimm Brothers and Hans Christian Anderson, with a solid lesson layered between some light and dark moments.  Some stories are more morbid than others, but all the tales are fascinating to those that enjoy reading about the lives of the Peculiar.  The book could be read as a stand-alone work, but Tales of the Peculiar is best read as a companion to the main trilogy.  The only character that carries over from the main series is Millard (who is billed as the collector of the stories), but these tales do help to shed some light on certain events in the other books.  The set-up of the book allows for a quick and captivating read that is perfect for an afternoon read.