Alcatraz

November 1, 2016

Gr 4-6-These interactive titles are not only scary but informative as well. The use of the choose-your-own adventure format allows for fact and fiction to blend together into a well-wrought package of fun reading and considerable history. Readers begin on their own or with a fictional friendly accomplice and soon encounter the famous ghostly inhabitants. The assorted choices they're given lead to frightening, comical, and even disastrous possibilities. Small captioned photographs complement true descriptions of these places and their spooky residents. The mix of haunted sites-a house, a ship, a prison, and the royal palace/prison-offer plentiful intrigue. An epilogue provides several pages of history and a substantial time line. "Other Paths to Explore" asks students three questions that invite them to think about the subject from various points of view.

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2016
Grades 3-7 The infamous island fortress in San Francisco Bay is the setting for this spooky interactive entry in the You Choose: Haunted Places series. Written in a second-person narrative, the book has readers serve as the main character and choose their own plot points along the way. During a field trip to Alcatraz, readers find themselves encountering landmarks on the island. Poor choices will result in an early end, while successful choices lead to safety. Chandler capitalizes on the creepy reputation of the prison, dotting the pages with the ghosts of its most notorious inmates (Robert the Birdman Stroud, Al Capone). Captioned photographs and endnotes provide a summary of the most notorious events in the history of Alcatraz. A high-interest topic coupled with myriad potential outcomes ensures that readers will be entertained.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)