Starred review from February 1, 2023
Grades 3-5 Written in a measured but engaging tone, the newest additions to the What Do We Know About? series (2 new titles) plunge into cryptids and the paranormal. These books do an excellent job of tackling their perennially popular topics by incorporating history, folklore, eyewitness accounts, scholarly insights, and instances in which sightings or evidence have been debunked. Frequent grayscale chapter illustrations add to the fun. It's whirlwinds and energy fields versus UFOs in Crop Circles, which runs through many accounts and sightings of these artfully flattened fields, while pulling in scientific opinions and relevant history, like the alien-stoked fervor of the 1960s Space Race. Both volumes examine hoaxes--Crop Circles devotes three chapters to England's Doug Bower and Dave Chorley, hoaxers extraordinaire--and end with event time lines. Bibliographies helpfully identify any books for young readers, making further exploration a breeze. Enjoyable reading for curious minds, whether believers or skeptics.
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