Reading Level: Grade 3 Interest Level: Grades 3 – 7
The wild reputation of Bodie was unmatched in the Old West. The California gold-mining town attracted a rough crowd. Bodie had gamblers, drinkers, gunslingers, and robbers all after riches. This high-interest children’s title includes a wealth of information about the gold rush that once made Bodie a “get rich” destination.
Photographs are the standout element in this set, which takes readers to the ghostly remains of deserted places. The images include both panoramic shots and detailed close-ups. Each chapter is about five pages in length, and introduces the topic location, how and why it was settled, an account of its heyday, reasons for its eventual abandonment, and contemporary efforts to understand and/or preserve it. Some locations are well-known, but most will be new to readers, which is a plus. This set taps into people's ongoing fascination with the remains of the past and shows readers the often fleeting nature of settled locations. VERDICT: For all elementary and middle schools. HIGHLIGHTS: Place features prominently in this season's world history series. Reference-Point's "Cause & Effect" sets, "Ancient Civilization" and "Modern Wars," show the importance of causality in history and are top picks for high schools. All middle school libraries should purchase Capstone's "Women and War" and Gareth Steven's "Crypts, Tombs, and Secret Rooms." Bellwether's outstanding "Abandoned Places" explores why people are so fascinated with the remains of the past and should be available to all upper elementary and early middle school readers.
