Ghostly Towns

Reviewed by: Sheila Dube - Springvale Public Library, Springvale, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: September 5, 2017

Review

This nonfiction, library binding hardcover has 24 pages and is part of the "Tiptoe into Scary Places" series. Markovics provides a quick look at four different places that have an eerie history or spooky phenomena associated with them. Centralia, PA has been burning for fifty years from an underground mine fire. In Bannack, Montana the sheriff was rumored to be behind numerous murders. In Llanellen, Wales during the 1600s, the town is devastated by the plague brought ashore by rescued sailors. The most famous ghost town in the South, Old Cahawba, Alabama is the site of a haunted maze and has a history of lightning strikes. The large font text that briefly explains each ghost town is placed in text boxes across shutterstock images that cover a full page. Young ghost hunters will be intrigued by the real photos, but will need to research further for in depth information. The back matter has a few missteps. A map of the world showing the location and a summary of each site is presented in a clear manner. Only one site is outside the US which makes the heading "ghostly towns around the world" comical. The nine words found in the glossary appear in bold in the text which is helpful. Unfortunately, the vowel choice used in the pronunciation guide to the words "orb" and "residents" do not seem standard.

Overall Book Score: good