Voodoo in New Orleans
From the Series HorrorScapes
Marie Laveau was known as the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans. In the mid-1800s, many people in New Orleans believed that voodoo practitioners could contact the spirits of the dead to ask for their help. Marie Laveau was said to use magical charms and potions to place or remove curses on those she wished to help--or harm! Did this voodoo priestess really have the power to contact the spirit world and cast spells? An exciting narrative format brings a fascinating period of American history to life, with plenty of creepy details to satisfy young horror fans. Chilling photos and illustrations and clear, age-appropriate text will keep readers turning the pages to discover the secrets of the voodoo queen.
| Interest Level | Grade 4 - Grade 9 |
|---|---|
| Reading Level | Grade 4 |
| Category | Hi-Lo, Nonfiction |
| Subject | Social Studies |
| Copyright | 2011 |
| Publisher | Bearport Publishing |
| Imprint | Bearport Books |
| Language | English |
| Publication Date | 2010-08-01 |
| Reading Counts! Level | 6.2 |
| Reading Counts! Quiz | Q51055 |
| Reading Counts! Points | 3.0 |
| BISACS | JNF025000 |
|---|---|
| Dewey | 299.6'750976335 |
| Graphics | Full-color illustrations, Full-color photographs |
| Lexile | 900 |
| ATOS Reading Level | 5.1 |
| Accelerated Reader® Quiz | 139268 |
| Accelerated Reader® Points | 0.5 |
Reviews
Voodoo in New Orleans
The HorrorScapes series takes on such well-trod topics as Dracula, King Tut, and Salem witchcraft, but it’s especially nice to see this eye-opening take on a subject often avoided. Using clear paragraphs ideal for the reluctant reader, Person supplies background on ceremonies, gris-gris, and the religion’s geographic origins (Benin, Africa) as well as setting a historical context for New Orleans. However, the bulk of the text involves Marie Laveau, the voodoo queen who rose to prominence around 1820 and whose story has enough dark facets to flesh out an entire biography. Laveau was a powerful voodoo priestess—allegedly, she held three guinea peppers in her mouth for hours before placing them under a judge’s chair to sway a verdict—but also a practicing Catholic who nursed injured soldiers and victims of yellow fever. Info boxes on every page supply further jolts, including the unsettling rumor that Laveau’s tomb is encircled each night by a giant snake. Purple predominates a gritty design heavy on modern-day photos of a city still obsessed with this mysterious practice.
Voodoo in New Orleans
The HorrorScapes series takes on such well-trod topics as Dracula, King Tut, and Salem witchcraft, but it’s especially nice to see this eye-opening take on a subject often avoided. Using clear paragraphs ideal for the reluctant reader, Person supplies background on ceremonies, gris-gris, and the religion’s geographic origins (Benin, Africa) as well as setting a historical context for New Orleans. However, the bulk of the text involves Marie Laveau, the voodoo queen who rose to prominence around 1820 and whose story has enough dark facets to flesh out an entire biography. Laveau was a powerful voodoo priestess—allegedly, she held three guinea peppers in her mouth for hours before placing them under a judge’s chair to sway a verdict—but also a practicing Catholic who nursed injured soldiers and victims of yellow fever. Info boxes on every page supply further jolts, including the unsettling rumor that Laveau’s tomb is encircled each night by a giant snake. Purple predominates a gritty design heavy on modern-day photos of a city still obsessed with this mysterious practice.
