Ghost Towns

Children's Literature - Joella Peterson

Even thought the term "Ghost Town" often brings to mind old, abandoned mining towns in the Wild West, only three of the eleven ghost towns described in this edition of the "Scary Places" series are the stereotypical ghost towns so described. Many of these ghost stories, however, are not as concrete or nerve wracking as other stories in the series. For example, one entry of a ghost town in Llanelen, Wales talks about how a town took in some sailors who were shipwrecked just off the shore of their town. Even with the kind care the town gave to the ill sailors, it did not stop the bubonic plague (which the sailors brought with them) from wiping out the whole town. With all of the buildings gone, one of the only things that remains in the town is the woman in white who sobs for her town which was killed by their own kindness. Other ghost towns included are Alcatraz Island in San Francisco, California, Pompeii, Italy, and Roanoke Island, North Carolina. Even though Ghost Towns sounds creepy, the stories in this edition will not keep readers up at night. A glossary, map, index, and bibliography are included. Reviewer: Joella Peterson