Read Series Made Simple, School Library Journal's guide to the latest series nonfiction

Kids are intrigued by that which is strange or extreme and find endless fascination in books about Guinness world records or “Ripley’s Believe it or Not!” anecdotes. They love to read about fantastic creatures and tales of long-ago intrigue. The series reviewed here tap into that fascination by delving into myths and mysteries of creatures dead and undead, of this world or another. Throw a little history and world lore in the mix and the result is books that are not only entertaining, but somewhat informative as well.

Preschool—Grade 4

DOFT, Tony. Nostradamus. ISBN 978-1-60014-584-1. LC 2010034777. ERICKSON, Justin. Alien Abductions. ISBN 978-1-60014-582-7. LC 2010034773. HELSTROM, Kraig. Crop Circles. ISBN 978-1-60014-583-4. LC 2010034776. MICHELS, Troy. Atlantis. ISBN 978-1-60014-585-8. LC 2010034778. ea vol: 24p. (The Unexplained Series). photos. reprods. chron. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Bellwether Media. 2011. PLB $15.95. Gr 3-9—Designed for struggling readers, this series combines accessible writing, dynamic illustrations, and high-interest topics. Snazzy covers and an abundance of glossy, full-color illustrations provide appeal. With one paragraph per page, the writing is succinct but informative, as in Doft’s outline of the famous mystic: “Nostradamus died in 1566. It is said he knew which day he was going to die. The predictions he left behind live on to this day.” Theories, historical references, and viewpoints from believers and skeptics give the material substance. For example, Helstrom explains that when an elaborate array of crop circles was found to form a mathematical pattern, “many believed that aliens were trying to use math to send a message. Others thought the crop circles were a hoax.” Form and function are solid partners in this engaging series.

JONES, Jen. The Girl’s Guide to Vampires: Everything Enchanting about These Immortal Creatures. ISBN 978-1-4296-5452-4. LC 2010025211. ————. The Girl’s Guide to Werewolves: Everything Charming about These Shape-Shifters. ISBN 978-1-4296-5453-1. LC 2010037842. ————. The Girl’s Guide to Wizards: Everything Magical about These Spellbinders. ISBN 978-1-4296-5454-8. LC 2010037843. ————. The Girl’s Guide to Zombies: Everything Vital about These Undead Monsters. ISBN 978-1-4296-5455-5. LC 2010035016. ea vol: 32p. (Snap Books: Girls’ Guides to Everything Unexplained Series). photos. reprods. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Capstone. 2011. PLB $26.65. Gr 4-8—Keeping the tone light and upbeat, Jones explains in brief the origins, traits, and pop-culture presence of select monsters. References to “The Wizards of Waverly Place,” “Twilight,” and “Harry Potter” bring the material up to date. Yearbook superlatives (“Cutest [Vampire] Couple”) Quizzes (“Which Type of Zombie Are You?”) and several color photographs of Taylor Lautner and Robert Pattinson give the series a definite Seventeen magazine vibe, as does the youthful jargon peppered throughout: BFF, bummer, crush. A manga-style girl with flowing dark hair appears on each cover, flanked by silhouettes of the featured creature. Wide margins with a motif of black curlicues; dozens of clear, colorful photographs; and short paragraphs make each title ripe for browsing. Well-designed, light, fun fare.

MATTHEWS, Rupert. Ancient Mysteries. CIP. ISBN 978-1-59566-854-7. LC 2010014189. ————. Disappearances. maps. CIP. ISBN 978-1-59566-855-4. LC 2010014190. ————. Ghosts and Spirits. CIP. ISBN 978-1-59566-857-8. LC 2010014205. ————. Strange Animals. ISBN 978-1-59566-856-1. LC number unavailable. ea vol: 32p. (QEB Unexplained Series). photos. reprods. glossary. index. Web sites. QEB. 2011. PLB $28.50. Gr 4-8—This well-written and thoughtfully designed series features engrossing topics, some of which have potential as curriculum tie-ins: a “Great Pyramid Mystery” spread in Ancient Mysteries, for example, discusses the history of the massive structures in Egypt and how nobody knows how they were built, and Disappearances outlines the questions surrounding the Roanoke colony. Pages are designed to resemble top-secret files, with some photographs and captions made to appear as though they are taped to the pages. The author takes the same methodical approach to each chapter, presenting the origin of each story and in what manner it has been refuted or proved a hoax, or states that it remains unexplained. Each chapter concludes with a few questions that test readers’ memory and comprehension: “How tall is the Yeti believed to be?” (Strange Animals). Though the pages are profusely illustrated with large, well-reproduced photographs and drawings, the layout is not cluttered. This series just might inspire kids to seek out more in-depth materials.

MCCALL, Gerrie. Ancient Legends. ISBN 978-1-4339-4988-3. LC 2010039131. ————. Classical Myths. ISBN 978-1-4339-4994-4. LC 2010033447. ————. Dragons and Serpents. ISBN 978-1-4339-4997-5. LC 2010033446. ————. Ferocious Giants. ISBN 978-1-4339-5000-1. LC 2010039133. ————. Half Man, Half Monster. ISBN 978-1-4339-5003-2. LC 2010033445. ————. Movie Monsters. ISBN 978-1-4339-5006-3. LC 2010039135. REGAN, Lisa. Bloodsucking Beasts. ISBN 978-1-4339-4991-3. LC 2010033444. ————. Urban Myths and Legendary Creatures. ISBN 978-1-4339-5009-4. LC 2010039134. ea vol: 48p. (Monsters & Myths Series). chart. illus. maps. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Gareth Stevens. 2011. PLB $31.95. Gr 4-7—In this examination of a mix of characters from pop-culture, folklore, and history, vague phrasing allows for misinterpretation. Sometimes the monster’s fictional status is confirmed in phrases such as “Legend has long had it…” (Urban Myths). Other times the phrasing reads more like a biography, as in the spread in Bloodsucking Beasts on Edward Cullen, of the “Twilight” books and movies: “Edward and his family live in the small town of Forks, Washington, where it is often cloudy” and “Edward’s favorite [prey] is the mountain lion, but his brother Emmett prefers grizzly bear.” Nowhere will readers learn that the origin of the character is in Stephenie Meyer’s work. Another problem is the inclusion of characters that belong to the pop-culture of an audience older than that of the books. Jason from the “Friday the 13th” franchise and Hannibal Lecter from “Silence of the Lambs” each feature in Movie Monsters, for example. In addition, the books’ cartoon drawings are flawed by excess depictions of blood, mucus, and drool.

Grades 5 and Up

BURGAN, Michael. Searching for Aliens, UFOs, and Men in Black. map. ISBN 978-1-4296-4816-5. LC 2010036928. DOAK, Robin. Investigating Hauntings, Ghosts, and Poltergeists. ISBN 978-1-4296-4814-1. LC 2010037015. GREGSON, Susan R. Investigating Demons, Possessions, and Exorcisms. chart. ISBN 978-1-4296-4815-8. LC 2010036927. YOMTOV, Nel. Tracking Sea Monsters, Bigfoot, and Other Legendary Beasts. maps. ISBN 978-1-4296-4817-2. LC 2010036929. ea vol: 48p. (Velocity: Unexplained Phenomena Series). illus. photos. reprods. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Capstone. 2011. PLB $30.65. Gr 5-8—Each title in this well-designed series uses a straightforward, evenhanded approach to these amazing topics. The authors describe cases in which each phenomenon is said to have taken place, presenting a skeptic’s viewpoint as well. For instance, in Sea Monsters, Doak describes reports of the blood-sucking chupacabra and shows what is reputed to be a photograph of a dead one; on the facing page, the author describes the results of tissue tests done on the creature by a group of scientists. Packed with a variety of illustrations, snazzy fonts, shout-out balloons, and sidebars, each title is designed for easy browsing. However, Demons does not match the tenor of the other titles. While other volumes cover “The Flying Dutchman” (Hauntings) Roswell theories (Aliens), and other mysteries of that ilk, Demons describes an 18-year-old woman’s visions of the devil while praying, her possession by evil spirits including that of Adolf Hitler, and her diet of coal, flies, and urine.

CURRIE, Stephen. Goblins. ISBN 978-1-60152-149-1. HIRSCHMANN, Kris. Demons. ISBN 978-1-60152-147-7. LC 2010029905. KALLEN, Stuart A. Aliens. chart. ISBN 978-1-60152-145-3. LC 2010027194. MOONEY, Carla. Dragons. ISBN 978-1-60152-148-4. LC 2010027313. ROBSON, David. Cyclops. ISBN 978-1-60152-146-0. LC 2010027195. STEWART, Gail B. Water Monsters. ISBN 978-1-60152-136-1. LC 2010026449. WOOG, Adam. Zombies. ISBN 978-1-60152-150-7. LC 2010029904. ea vol: 80p. (Monsters and Mythical Creatures Series). photos. reprods. further reading. index. notes. Web sites. CIP. ReferencePoint. 2011. PLB $26.95. Gr 8 Up—Well written and well researched, each title describes the characteristics of a monster: its origins in literature or lore, its physical appearance, instances in which people believe they interacted with it, and hoaxes. Occasional “Did You Know?” sidebars offer compelling factoids such as, “The ancient Chinese traded a substance said to be dragon saliva to use in making perfume” (Dragons). The authors consistently use the words “myth,” “literature,” and “folklore” to drive home the idea that the creatures in question are not real. As in the “Unexplained Phenomena” series, the title on demons is a poor fit for a series aimed at young readers, even teens, since few people actually believe in the existence of aliens, dragons, and the like, but some religions teach that demons are real. Also, while the other volumes describe a goblin’s appearance in J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy and how Greeks imagined a Cyclops looked, Demons deals with possessions, exorcisms (one of which resulted in a 2005 crucifixion), Ouija boards, and spirit communications in the modern-day world.

A few series are standouts. Bellwether Media’s “The Unexplained” showcases informative yet accessible writing and an attractive layout that is designed to appeal to struggling readers. QEB’s “QEB Unexplained” offers potential curriculum tie-ins. ReferencePoint’s “Monsters and Mythical Creatures” is well written and its research is documented. Because that series is the only one that cites its sources, the others reviewed here will have limited use for reports and research. Still, monsters, aliens, and the like are of perennial interest to many young readers, so it behooves librarians to consider some of the titles for recreational reading, except the ones about demons, as mentioned above.

Read Series Made Simple, School Library Journal's guide to the latest series nonfiction