From the series Abandoned: Towns Without People
Salton Sea Resort
Reading Level Grade 3Interest Level Grades 2 – 7Copyright 2015
Reviewed
From the series Abandoned: Towns Without People
Reading Level Grade 3Interest Level Grades 2 – 7Copyright 2015
ReviewedIn the 1950s and 1960s, the Salton Sea resort area was a vacationer’s paradise. People looking to go boating, swimming, and fishing flocked to California’s largest lake. Homes, hotels, and shops sprang up as more and more people moved to the region. However, something was lurking in the lake’s calm waters. Soon, swimmers began to pass by globs of green algae and breathe in a rotten-egg stench. Beachgoers had to step over piles of decaying fish on the shore. Today, very few people remain in the towns that surround the lake. What had happened to the once beautiful Salton Sea? Salton Sea Resort: Death in the Deserttells the amazing but true story of a once thriving resort community that has been almost completely abandoned. The fascinating story includes descriptions of how an accidental flood formed the lake, how runoff from nearby farms polluted the water and destroyed wildlife, and what people are doing today to clean up the area. Large color photos, maps, and fact boxes enrich the exciting story of boomtown to bust. Written in narrative format, this book is sure to keep readers hungry for more thrilling real-life tales.
Each title begins with a brief introduction posing how once busy locations became abandoned; each book likewise ends with a comparison of then and now. Split into colorful twopage spreads, this series will appeal to readers who enjoy unsolved mysteries or learning about unusual episodes in history. Some of the stylistic illustrations, layout choices, and conclusions are intended to lend a spooky element to the series, with mixed results.
School Library Connection
