Margaret Bush
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The Mermaid's Gift
The capably applied traditional folktale elements offer a satisfying tale of adventure and romance.
From Dracula to the Tooth Fairy: Mythology | Series Nonfiction
Vampires, zombies, werewolves, witches, and other familiar topics are covered yet again in this season’s selections. mythology and paranormal series. Sensational appeal is reflected in gory picture choices and in the phrasing of titles. Several series play on the idea of mystery, both in their titles and in posing a central question: Might these creatures or events be real or have existed in some earlier time?
Aliens
Slim and well crafted, bound to appeal to both doubters and believers, these are good introductions to the mostly popular phenomena.
These books offer clear-eyed assessments of persistent unexplained phenomena. An anecdote introduces the titular subject; each survey superficially touches on history and possible explanations--scientific or otherwise. The slight texts are easy to read and enhanced by captioned photos and "Myth or Fact?" bubbles. The open-ended discussions allow readers room to reach their own conclusions. There are four other fall 2015 books in this series. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Unsolved Mysteries titles: Bigfoot, Haunted Houses, Crop Circles, and The Bermuda Triangle.
Bigfoot
These interesting folklore tales may appeal to readers making their first forays into nonfiction.
Introducing the mythical creature in an autobiographical format, this volume attempts to answer questions about Bigfoot--including "How old am I?" and "Do I really exist?"--by referencing beliefs and theories from a variety of different cultures. The setup is hokey and the content slim, but kids will learn basic Sasquatch lore. The illustrations are mildly amusing. Reading list. Glos., ind.
Are Crop Circles Real?
Adequate introductions for libraries needing further materials on these topics.
The intriguing questions remain (necessarily) unanswered in these slim books. Still, the paranormal-mystery topics are perennially popular, and the books' copious illustrations and photographs, accessible texts, and clear organization satisfy some requirements of report-writing...as long as no conclusions must be drawn. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Unexplained: What's the Evidence? titles: Are Crop Circles Real?, Is the Bermuda Triangle Real?, and Is the Loch Ness Monster Real?.
Do Aliens Exist?
Carefully assembeled and even handed, these titles could be included in adult or academic collections but will serve teens who are skilled and patient readers with serious interest in the subject.
Story of Cassiopeia
The interesting idea gives short shrift to storytelling, but these will do if all that readers require is a bare-bones overview.
Unsolved Archaeological Mysteries
This is a crowded field, but these quick reads are useful additions where more materials are needed.
This book introduces third and fourth graders to six archaeological mysteries: from Easter Island's stone monuments to the lost Chaco civilization in New Mexico. The coverage is slim: a brief description explains what makes the site unusual, and possible solutions to the historical riddle are touched on. Text boxes, photographs, and word definitions are combined in a busy but easy-to-follow layout. Maps, reading list. Glos., ind.
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