From the series Global Ghost Stories
Ghosts in Africa
Reading Level Grade 2Interest Level Grades 3 – 7Copyright 2022
Reviewed
From the series Global Ghost Stories
Reading Level Grade 2Interest Level Grades 3 – 7Copyright 2022
ReviewedIn West Africa, the Iroko tree is known for its strong wood. But cutting it down may not be a good idea. The Yoruba people believe this could bring a curse! In this title for reluctant readers, engaging text and creepy images combine to tell three ghostly stories from the African continent. Maps highlight the origins of each story, while other features offer possible explanations and introduce a related story.
'The Global Ghost Stories series delivers the goods with these high-interest titles, splashed with neon colors and overexposed, translucent photos of ghostlike figures. The volumes are dedicated to individual continents, with an introductory chapter in each that describes the general supernatural beliefs held there. After this, three popular stories or legends follow to illustrate what ghosts or spirits may be haunting its lands--or what else might cause strange phenomena. Africa includes the Yoruban belief in the tree spirit, Iroko-man, and Kenya's haunted Menengai Crater. Asia leads off with the Moaning Myrtle-esque Hanako-san, a schoolgirl believed to haunt school bathrooms. An actor and friendly Mimi spirits haunt the pages of Australia, which touches on both colonizer and Indigenous beliefs. El Silbon makes an impression in South America as he roams Venezuela's plains with his bag of human bones. While these books offer a mere taste of the continents' lore, they diligently avoid generalizations and acknowledge the wide variety of cultures and beliefs found in each region. It is also interesting to see how different cultures have some similar stories, such as floating balls of light described in both Australian and Asian tales. Because of the enticing visuals, simple sentences, and vocabulary support, this series will work well with reluctant and struggling readers, as well as younger readers looking for a thrill.', Julia Smith, Booklist
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