Bailey, Diane. Ghosts In America.

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Bailey, Diane.  Ghosts In America.  Rosen Publishing Group  48p  $29.25                   978-1-4488-5527-8  2012  elm/ms  VG-BNS  series: America's Supernatural Secrets

Several intriguing ghost stories, accompanied by factual and scientific information, make up the core of this appealing book about American ghosts.  Up-to-date information is also presented about current phenomena and ghost-hunting activities.            While this thin volume does not include everything a young reader will want to know about ghosts in America, it presents intriguing stories, as well as the “science” behind current phenomena and ghost-hunting activities.  All this is done in a manner that will attract even the most reluctant reader. 

The layout is attractive, and, for the most part, sufficiently spooky to lead the reader on.  The only detraction is that a number of brightly-colored insets, with totally unrelated shorter stories, appear in the middle of the text of a longer story, interrupting the flow of the story.  This may also create confusion for some readers. 

Supplemental materials include a glossary, sources of further information, both print and electronic, a list of agencies, a good bibliography and a comprehensive index.  All in all, this volume will whet the appetite for well-researched ghost stories and encourage young readers to explore further.  It would be a good addition for elementary and middle-school collections.

Ghosts, Folklore, Spooky stories                                                                                                                                                       --Pat Naismith

 

Bailey, Diane. Zombies in America.

Bailey, Diane.  Zombies in America.  Rosen Publishing Group  48p  $29.25               978-1-4488-5529-2         2012      ms          VG-BN       series: America's Supernatural Secrets Nonfiction

Zombies have invaded juvenile and teen literature and cinema.  The re-animated undead are generally portrayed as dull, but dangerous -- with a taste for human flesh (especially brains!).  Bailey states: “Most people believe that it is not possible to actually turn the dead into the undead.  But that does not mean there are not zombies among us.”

Bailey describes the history of zombies through a series of stories, beginning in New Orleans, where some people practiced voodoo.  A primary voodoo god, Li Grand Zombi, used zombies in powerful battles.  Next Bailey explores Haitian lore involving zombies.  In Haiti it is a crime to create zombies from living persons.  Then, through African slave culture, Bailey turns to zombie tales from the American South.

Zombies first appeared on the silver screen in the 1932 movie “White Zombie”. Bailey explores zombies in popular culture.  She describes books, movies, and television programs that have led to the recent fixation on “zombie apocalypse”.

Bailey does offer some evidence that zombies may be the result of toxins or examples of beliefs so overwhelming as to produce characteristics similar to those attributed to zombies, but most of the book is given over to retelling disturbing stories and raising speculation.  Still, she concludes that “zombies would not exist without the brains of authors and filmmakers, but fortunately, it’s not because they ate them!”

Student researchers may find this volume helpful.  Readers with an interest in the topic will devour it.                

Zombies--United States                                                                                                                                     --Hilary Welliver

 

Cook, Colleen Ryckert. Werewolves In America.

Cook, Colleen Ryckert.  Werewolves In America.  Rosen Publishing Group  48p  $21.95  978-1-4488-5533-9    2012                ms       VG-BN       series: America's Supernatural Secrets    Nonfiction

The title of this book says it all, as the author explores the various incarnations of werewolves in these United States.      Werewolves are a hot topic in YA literature and media, so a book about werewolves couldn’t come out at a better time.  This book takes a different approach from what one usually finds for students this age, by using examples and cases of werewolf sightings and occurrences as a foundation for the book.  After an introduction about werewolves as the “stuff of nightmares”, the author takes each chapter as a case history of werewolves in America: “Sherman Ranch, Utah, 1994”, “Werewolves in Wisconsin”, “The Bray Road Beast”, and “Other Sightings around the United States”.  The last chapter discusses werewolves in popular culture, and the book concludes with a glossary, a list of sources for more information (print and web), a bibliography, and an index.  Full-color photographs sit in amongst the related text on pages throughout the book.  Sidebars talk about related topics, such as: “How big are real wolves?” (page 22) and “Lycanthropy” (page 26).

Werewolves-United States                                                                                                                                                                 --Lynn Fisher