Don't Open the Door! — Veronika Martenova Charles

Having been warned not to open the door for anyone while Mom goes to help a neighbor, the three boys try to outdo each other by telling scary stories about strangers at the door. By the time they have finished, they have scared themselves under the bed. Stories in this book come from Bohemia, the Guyanas, and Peru and are based on the universal theme of not opening the door to strangers.