Reading Level: Grade 3 Interest Level: Grades 3 – 7
Craco’s historical happenings hint at a curse. The town faced a plague, then war, then earthquakes and landslides. In the end, the natural disasters dealt the final blow, causing Craco to physically collapse. In this book, young readers will discover a medieval town that eventually lost its uphill battle for survival.
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.
