A poorly written fictional story about aliens unfolds on left-hand pages while right-hand pages contain a mishmash of fact, sci-fi trivia, and speculation. The result is a hectic blend that will still have appeal for kids. Garishly colored illustrations and a distracting design add little to the book. Glos., ind.

PIPE, Jim . Ghosts . ISBN 978-1-4339-8751-9 ; ISBN 978-1-4339-8754-0 . LC 2012038518. PIPE, Jim . Monsters . ISBN 978-1-4339-8755-7 ; ISBN 978-1-4339-8758-8 . LC 2012038516. PIPE, Jim . The Undead . ISBN 978-1-4339-8759-5 ; ISBN 978-1-4339-8762-5 . LC 2012038519. ea vol: 32p. (The Twilight Realm Series). further reading. glossary. illus. index. photos. websites. Gareth Stevens . 2013. PLB $26.60; ebook $26.60. Gr 2-4 An appropriately eerie design (gray pages, shaky black headlines, etc.) sets the tone for this set about creepy creatures from myth and legend. Each title goes into what the beings are, where stories about them might have originated, and where these tales have been told historically. Large images of the monsters anchor the chapters (each a spread), which are made up of short paragraphs of text, sidebars, illustrations, and relevant captioned photos, creating a magazinelike feel. However, some of the books are too narrow in their approach ( Undead , for example, focuses exclusively on vampires, missing an opportunity to capitalize on the popularity of zombies, at the very least), and others too broad ( Monsters covers everything from Bigfoot to giant alligators in the sewers of New York City). Nonetheless, this series is great for browsing-especially for students who are reading together. Sections about unexplored terrain and quizzes posing questions about encounters with the supernatural will inspire imaginations and encourage kids to think critically about what they have read.