World's Scariest Places (Wood)

Even today, more than 150 years after the Battle of Antietam of the American Civil War, visitors to the battleground report hearing gunfire and smelling gun smoke. Others have heard battle cries. In every case, there is no convincing argument about why these things occurred-except that Antietam is haunted! Readers of this thrilling volume, full of superb, striking photographs, can decide if they believe in ghosts as they pay a visit to some famous and infamous battlefields around the globe. They'll learn about the historic conflicts that took place at each that may have led to their haunted status.

Creaking stairs, strange sounds, a child's laugh in an empty room...these are some hallmarks of a haunted hotel. Thrilled readers will become supernatural investigators as they tour the spookiest addresses on the planet. Some of the hotels, far from being abandoned, are occupied by the living as well as perhaps by specters, poltergeists, and other spirits. The Queen Mary Hotel in California and the Ancient Ram Inn in England are two such paranormally populated places. Foreboding facts mingle with history, geography, and a beautiful design in this macabre volume.

It seems peculiar that hospitals-places where people's lives are saved-can be downright creepy once they're abandoned. Leftover medical instruments, stained walls, and mysterious sounds all contribute to the unsettling feeling one gets once inside. Luckily, readers won't have to travel to deserted hospitals around the world. They can tour them in the pages of this hair-raising volume. They'll visit the Taunton State Hospital in Massachusetts, Old Changi Hospital in Singapore, and others. Plenty of history is mixed in with the odd anecdotes connected with each, and a chilling design and images add to the eerie ambience.

Some of the world's most haunted houses are also the most famous! Riveted readers will be astounded to learn that the White House is among them, as well as China's Forbidden City. They'll understand why these and other spooky structures around the world earned their eerie reputations as they learn about the history surrounding each. Thought-provoking sidebars, a helpful map, and an arresting design and photographs make this volume a truly motivating and memorable experience.

Cemeteries are the final resting places of our dead. Yet, some swear not all who are resting in cemeteries are resting! The supernatural lore surrounding certain graveyards and burial grounds around the world is abundant, but this bloodcurdling book focuses on the most fascinatingly frightening, including Bachelor's Grove Cemetery of Chicago, Illinois, and the Hanging Coffins of Sagada in the Philippines. Readers will love learning about the invisible hands that torment visitors of Greyfriars Churchyard in Edinburgh, Scotland, too. Such stories supported by some equally scary photographs will delight all those who love a good scare.

They say that violent deaths beget vengeful spirits refusing to rest in peace. Anne Boleyn was beheaded with a single stroke of a sword at the Tower of London in 1536. After that vicious execution, some say she still roams the Tower grounds! Similar disturbing accounts of historical prisons around the world abound in this spine-tingling and highly motivating work. A world map, vivid photographs, and stimulating sidebars further encourage readers to understand more about the history, geography, and culture involved in each prison's unique story.

What is it that makes railroads such eerie places? It could be the spine-chilling metallic screech of the wheels grinding against the steel tracks. Or perhaps the rushing wind that threatens to pull you under as the railcars hurtle past. In this nerve-racking book, readers will discover just what it is that makes railroads so scary. The illuminating text is underscored by eye-catching photographs, stimulating design, and spellbinding sidebars. This high-interest material is seamlessly interwoven with educational historical background information.

Have you ever heard strange footsteps on the stairs, or the blood-curdling sound of a disembodied moan? Perhaps you've felt goose bumps rise on the back of your neck as a door creaks open inexplicably. Readers are invited to cross the threshold of the world's spookiest mansions in this hair-raising read. Offering insight into the historical context of each petrifying place, this informative text is supplemented by fascinating sidebars and a dynamic design that will captivate readers' imaginations.

You are surrounded by miles of ocean as far as the eye can see. The hot sun beats down on you, depleting your already limited stores of energy. You have no supplies to help you survive, and you are all alone! In this alarming book, readers will visit the most isolated islands around the globe. The informative text is enriched by stunning photographs and an eye-catching design. Compelling sidebars provide additional information about each far-flung, fascinating place. This high-interest material will captivate leisure and developing readers alike.

Picture a place where tumbleweeds roll across abandoned streets, grey fog hangs heavy beneath an eerie moon, and creaking doors hang open on ramshackle cottages. With this haunting text, readers will tour some of the most haunted towns around the globe. Fearsome stories about spooky specters and paranormal activities are tied into historical context, giving readers insight into key concepts of social studies. Informative sidebars enhance and expand this thrilling text. The brilliant design and frightful photographs will inspire the imaginations of young readers.

On a dark and stormy night the wind rises, blustering through the trees. Dogs bark and whimper as a high-pitched, other-worldly whirring grows louder. The clouds part to reveal an enormous flying object. Could it be a UFO? In this beguiling book, readers will learn about the historic sites that have been visited by creepy UFOs. Striking photographs and sensational sidebars will captivate readers. This fascinating and spine-tingling text will provoke even the most doubtful readers to ask themselves: Are we alone?

To most young students, schools seem to be unexceptional, even tedious places. Little do they know that schools are some of the spookiest places on Earth. Highlighting famously haunted schools from history, this bone-chilling book invites readers to step into creepy classrooms and learn just what makes these schools so scary. With thought-provoking sidebars and vibrant photographs that make the information pop, this delightfully disturbing text will capture readers' attention as surely as nails screeching against a chalkboard.