Synopsis
Some ghosts are scary, while others are benevolent, and sometimes amusing. This volume chronicles humanity's belief in ghosts down through the ages as
experienced in both primitive and hi-tech cultures with several ghost-related myths debunked.
This imaginative series looks at great mysteries of the past that can be explained by science today. It also covers more recent events, many of which remain unexplained. This book tells the stories, shows photographic evidence, discusses theories-and balances the account with "Professor Skeptic," who offers opinions and provides explanations that account for both hoaxes and entirely natural phenomena. (Ages 10 and older)
Children's Literature
Part of the "Unexplained" series, this book will undoubtedly be popular with children at the upper elementary level. Chock-full of illustrations, many from films, the popular press, and famous paintings, each category of supernatural phenomena is divided into sub-topics treated in a brief paragraph, and accompanied by an illustration. The two pages on "ghostly beasts," for example, contain paragraphs on white birds, the devil, phantom canines, sacred rats, a ghostly feline, and screeching owls. Pictures are not identified other than in credits at the end of the book. There are acknowledgments, but no bibliographical references. There is an index. Four websites are suggested as sources of additional information. 1999, Barron's, Ages 8 to 12, $5.95. Reviewer: Linnea Hendrickson