Children's Literature - Mary Thompson

Think of caves and think of dark, gloomy, damp, and claustrophobic spaces. Yet they also have unique histories and many are thought to be haunted. The reader learns about eleven caves in the United States and the United Kingdom where ghostly activity has been reported. Some stories feature ghosts who have tempers and can be malicious, like the Bell Witch in Tennessee. Other ghosts have just remained lost where they died and seem incapable of leaving, while some are just harmlessly mischievous. While caves can be creepy, they also have some of the most unique rock formations, such as those found in the Marengo Cave in Indiana. Not all caves are formed naturally, and Lunis includes the manmade vaults below a stone bridge in Edinburgh, Scotland. Included in this volume of the "Scary Places" series is a map showing locations of all eleven caves, a glossary, a bibliography, a list of suggested reading, and an index. Textboxes describe examples of what visitors to the caves have experienced and well-placed photos will pique the reader's interest. This is an excellent chapter book introduction to the subject. Reviewer: Mary Thompson