Reading Level: Grade 3 Interest Level: Grades 3 – 7
The city in the clouds, Machu Picchu, has an air of mystery surrounding it. Historians know the site belonged to the Inca Empire, but they do not know much else. In this book, reluctant readers will explore possible reasons why Machu Picchu was first built and, in time, abandoned.
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.
