Haunted Hotels

Children's Literature - Janice DeLong

Hotels are normally chosen because they are thought of as peaceful places to sleep or sources of family entertainment. However, author Sarah Parvis in consultation with Troy Taylor, president of the American Ghost Society introduces not-so-faint-of-heart readers to places of rest where someone is definitely not resting. From the stricken bride who never wed to the capricious being who delights in pulling the hair of female guests, the spirits are a lively lot. Eleven sites of ghostly activity invite investigation because of bumps and other sounds in the night. These abodes of the restless encompass states from New Mexico to New York. Worldwide, places of visitation are as varied as Niagara-on-the-Lake in Ontario, Canada to Ludlow, Shropshire, England. Manifestations range from the smell of cigar smoke and the glimpse of flashing lights on the 13th floor of the Biltmore in Coral Gables, Florida to the more somber evidences of wounded bodies and bloody bandages at the Hotel Provincial in New Orleans, Louisiana, once the location of a Civil War hospital. For those who find the topic intriguing, a nine-entry bibliography and a "Read More" section serve as concluding special features. Bearport Publishing also invites readers to its website at www.bearportpublishing.com/ScaryPlaces. This book is a title in the "Scary Places" series. Reviewer: Janice DeLong