Lost Cities

March 1, 2013
Grades 4-6 From the folks who brought you Shuttered Horror Hospitals (2011) and Monstrous Morgues of the Past (2011) come new bone-chilling forays, this time into lost cities and mummy lairs. Here's a story that's more than a little bit creepy: when a massive storm hit the tiny village of Dunwich, England, in 1286, the town lost most of its buildingsincluding its churchesas they were swept out to sea. Residents say that, to this day, they hear the bells of the lost churches pealing from beneath the waves. This tale and 10 others make up Lost Cities, part of the Scary Places series. Each occupies a single spread and includes photos, stock art, and a sidebar fact, all of which makes the title tailor-made for reluctant readers. While the stock graphics used throughoutand certainly the cover imagesfall on the cheesy side of scary, these titles should fascinate those looking for spine-tingling, truth-is-stranger-than-fiction tales. Mwahahaha.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2013
After brief introductions, double-page spreads focus on specific archaeological finds or sites; each volume concludes with a map showing the locations. Though the busy design--featuring photographs, illustrations, and text boxes atop blurry, eerie backgrounds--strains misleadingly for spooky effect, the text itself is informative and focuses on facts rather than speculated paranormal activity. Reading list. Bib., glos., ind.

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)