Webb, Stuart. UFO’s.

Webb, Stuart.   UFO’s.  Rosen Publishing Group  80p  $33.25          978-1-4488-7176-6      2013         elm/ms  VG-BNS       series: Paranormal Files     Nonfiction              

Are UFOs real?  In an inset in the first chapter, the author explains that despite hoaxes and explained phenomena, there are still “sightings” that cannot be explained.  UFOs will always attract the attention of readers.  This attractive and informative volume presents intriguing stories, and the “science” behind current phenomena.  All this is done in a manner that will attract even the most reluctant reader. 

Text and illustrations combine to create an interesting and visually stimulating volume.  Numerous insets complement the text.  “UFO Files” provides interesting factual information.  “Tales of the Paranormal” highlights strange phenomena.  “Eyewitness Account” gives primary source material and personal narratives.

Supplemental material includes a glossary, sources of further information, both print and electronic, agencies, a good bibliography and a comprehensive index.  All in all, this volume will whet the appetite for well-researched tales of UFO sightings and encourage young readers to explore further.   This would be a good addition for elementary and middle-school collections.                

Unidentified Flying Objects                                                                                                                                                              --Pat Naismith

 

Burgan, Michael. Searching For Aliens UFOs, and Men In Black.

Burgan, Michael.   Searching For Aliens UFOs, and Men In Black.      

Capstone Publishers  2011  48p   30.65 978-1-4296-4816-5 

 elm/ms      Graphic-non-fiction    

VG-BNS    

The fascinating world of alien abduction, UFOs and extraterrestrial communication is explored in this balanced volume, which presents opinions and facts from both believers and skeptics.     Visually

stimulating and factually interesting, this volume presents the popular topic of aliens and UFOs in a balanced manner, presenting the facts, supplemented with opinions of both believers and skeptics.  The page layout is pleasing to the eye, and presents fact boxes and word definitions in harmony with the narrative text.

Solid facts and enticing graphics enhance an already popular topic.  The only

problems are the omission of Area 51 from the narrative, and no mention of the

popular films in the section on Men in Black.  That said, overall, this is one

of the best titles on this subject currently available to middle readers.  It

will serve well for both recreational reading and research.  

The supplemental material includes a glossary, bibliographical references and an index. FactHound provides additional access to information on the topic via the web by entering the ISBN of the book on the website.  This book is part of

the Velocity: Unexplained Phenomina series.  The series consists of  4 books at

this time.  The focus of the series is to give historical and factual

information about mysterious and paranormal topics.   Naismith, Pat

 

Kid’s Guide to Aliens.

Davis, Barbara. Kid’s Guide to Aliens.
Capstone Publishers 2010 32p 23.99 978-1-4296-3369-7 elm/ms
Kids’ Guide (Capstone) The Kids’ Guide to Aliens contains well-researched, documented stories about sightings as well as abductions. Children will learn enough to form judgments about the possibility that aliens have landed on Earth. From this series, Capstone has a book that the elementary teacher can use in the classroom as well as a book that will introduce the concept of aliens to the individual reader! The reader learns about various theories, from the construction of the pyramids in Egypt to the discovery of a spaceship in Roswell, New Mexico and the possible role of aliens in each. Barbara Davis fairly presents both sides to the argument about the existence of aliens in this well-researched book. There are many more references to actual sightings with complete stories for each. In addition, Barbara Davis introduces the young reader to the concept of alien abductions, and it is fascinating! Perhaps the most frightening is a tale about Travis Walton, a tale in which there were eyewitnesses to his claim of having been abducted and taken aboard a spaceship. Five coworkers saw him get knocked unconscious by a blue light shooting from a UFO, then remain unfound for five days! In the chapter entitled, “Types of Aliens”, we learn that there are Grays, Reptilians, Nordics and Hybrids. SETI, or the search of ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence, has set up radio telescopes to pick up signals from alien civilizations, and there are many scientists who hope to find such evidence. This valuable tool ends with a description of creatures who go into hibernation to survive temperatures exceeding negative 328 degrees Fahrenheit! This presents us with a new viewpoint about life in space and the ability of creatures to survive extremes. From the layout to the support photographs, and from the fun facts to the extraordinary stories chosen by Davis, this book is a wonderful resource. It ends with a glossary and a list of books to consult. Squaresky, Martha