School Library Journal
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Gr 4–7—This book explores well-known mysteries like Bigfoot, ghosts, and deep-sea monsters, as well as lesser-known cases, such as the mystery of "the missing lighthouse men." The disaster section dives into the Titanic, the Black Death, and the extinction of dinosaurs. After information about the event is presented, Case Files and Disaster Dossier sections are included to explain what we already know about the topic. Designed to resemble a bulletin board and a file folder, respectively, the information on these pages is presented in various boxes, accompanied by illustrations, multiple headings, captions, diagrams, and other text features. This makes these pages very busy visually, which might overwhelm readers. As a high-interest topic, middle schoolers will still pick up this title, but there are many other options available with a more visually appealing layout. A bibliography is not included. VERDICT While the topic will garner interest, the format may be difficult for some readers. An additional purchase.—Lisa Buffi

Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Case files invite young readers to practice their detective skills on sets of unexplained oddities and large-scale catastrophes. Neatly divided into 11 each of the titular categories, the entries all include a brief account of events, followed by a spread of notes, maps, eyewitness testimonials, and theories about origins or causation, arranged as if pinned on a bulletin board. Selected mysteries include supposed evidence of alien visitations from crop circles to Nazca lines and UFOs, plus reports of time slips, ghosts, and spontaneous human combustion. Disasters range in scope from the explosion of the hydrogen-filled airshipR101 in 1930 and the Piper Alpha oil rig in 1988 to the extinction of the dinosaurs and the Black Death. Barker’s small, stylized images are often skewed as if they’d been dropped into place, which gives some spreads a busy look. Some blocks of text are placed on dark, low-contrast backgrounds, which makes them hard to read in low light. Still, all the immense explosions and tantalizing occurrences make for rousing reading, and the author judiciously balances credulity and common sense in her presentations. Tricky terms are defined both in the main narrative and an appended glossary. Fruitful browsing for young people curious about the strange and unusual.(Nonfiction. 8-10) Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

It seems like there’s never-ending demand for books about catastrophic events, whether they’re natural, human made, or eerily inexplicable. This offering profiles 22 calamitous circumstances, including specific historic events (the Halifax explosion; the Titanic), persistent myths and urban legends (Bigfoot, the Bermuda Triangle), and generally perplexing phenomena (spontaneous human combustion). Each subject receives four pages of coverage. An initial two-page spread defines the issue and establishes known (or widely reported) facts, setting, time frame, and cultural context. A follow-up “Disaster Dossier” considers the alleged evidence, invites analysis, and proposes explanations (often raising more questions than providing actual answers). These graphic-rich pages are pleasantly busy, with short blocks of text superimposed over multiple detailed illustrations. Follow-up pages look like police evidence boards filled with sticky notes, flowcharts, lists of suspects, witness statements, and so on. There is a glossary but no references or bibliography (not that curious kids will mind). The investigative aspect is reassuring, and there’s no sensationalizing or conspiracy-based hypothesizing. Visually enticing, this compelling compendium is sure to be very popular with budding sleuths.