I read this book with my 9 year old. She’s been interested in Alcatraz for a while so it was perfect to give her a little glimpse inside.

We are looking forward to reading more from this series

Thankyou to NetGalley for the arc

This is from the children’s nonfiction collection called Erie Expeditions Around The World and this one is called A Ghostly Guide To Alcatraz. Even if you and your child don’t believe in ghost they still have many stories that will spark your child’s imagination from ghost playing The banjo to the three inmates thought to have survived a dangerous attempt to escape the bird expert who although in prison came up with medicine to cure birds of an in curable disease and much much more. A great book is always a steppingstone to another great book and this one is definitely that one I would absolutely let my children read. They even have links to websites that will help them learn more and the more you learn the more you grow. I believe this book would be good for even very young children because the stories are in no way in attempt to scare but to educate I really enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it to young readers. I want to think Rosen publishing group in NetGalley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

I have always been interested in the history of Alcatraz so I was really excited to read a supernatural / ghostly history Alcatraz.

As a children’s book it is very good. The information is short and snappy, enough to piqué the interest of the younger readers.

However, my daughter and myself didn’t see this as ‘spooky’ or ‘ghostly’ in any way, it was more of a very brief history then ghostly, with very few mentions of supernatural events

I received a copy from #NetGalley and #RosenPublishingGroup (and the folks at NetGalley)for an honest review.

I don't know whether to say that had set myself up with unrealistic expectations with the title of the "book" or whether I was just swayed by the subject matter (and the cool looking cover). I didn't realize that this was a children's book when I had requested a review copy.

I found that this "book" is not really in-depth on the history of the island - the acquisition of the island (and the rest of what was to become the state of California) as a result of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848), which ended the Mexican–American War; the fact that the US Army had considered the placement of coastal gun batteries in 1861 (when 85 gun batteries were placed there to protect the approaches to San Francisco bay); that is was used as a military prison to house Confederate prisoners and privateers during the US Civil War; that following the US Civil War, it was used for a number of penal purposes (from incarcerating Hopi Indian males who chose not to send their children to residential schools in the early 1870's to housing military prisoners during the Spanish-American war in 1898 to housing civilian prisoners in 1906 following the San Francisco earthquake). Thank you Wikipedia for giving me a bit more history about Alcatraz.

As far as actual ghost sightings, it mentions one sighting and a few possible sightings (definitely not what I was hoping for based upon the title). This short piece of literature may be enjoyed by younger children who may be more timid and trying to get them excited to visit San Francisco.

As with all my literary ramblings, these are just a smattering of five cents worth.

As a simple guide to Alcatraz, this book does a great job. The pictures are amazing. I learned a few new things. The spooky stories were sometimes additional facts - not scary noises or ghostly sightings. I think older children would enjoy the book but they would probably want to know more about the ghosts and evil spirits.

Thank you Netgalley and Gareth Stevens Publishing for an early copy

I received a free ARC, and this review is voluntary

As an introductory piece of literature on the subject for a younger demographic, it does a good job in highlighting a few key aspects of the former prison. Those range from specific events, to particular inmates of interest. Also included are little excerpts, or spooky tales, that can help keep the reader engaged.

The illustrations between pages, in addition to the pictures of Alcatraz throughout the years, were beautiful in presentation. Despite the subject matter being heavy, it is written in a direct, but less formal way. Shorter sentences, and to-the-point.

Whether it's for the marketed demographic, or the average Joe, this is a good starter book for the material.

I'm taking a point off because it wasn't ghostly enough, but I loved this book. The pictures were clear and descriptive, and I felt like I learned a lot about the area. The stories were really interesting, too, with the people who tried to escape including some who were never found.
I would recommend this for middle school kids who want to learn about an interesting place with a history that started way before it was turned into a prison.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this.

I didn't read the blurb on this before I requested it from Netgalley, so had no idea that it was a children's book. It's a very short 32 pages, but it admittedly does hold some interesting information about Alcatraz, it's surroundings and some of its past residents.

Part of the 'Eerie Expeditions Around The World' series, the book is aimed primarily at the 9-12yr age bracket. It's illustrated throughout with sketches and pbotographs.

I was hoping hoping for some proper spooky ghost stories, but they seemed to be few and far began.

Otherwise an interesting little read that filled a gap.

The ghost reference is an attention getter but the history and photos held the interest in a place I've not visited in person. Lots of photos and well researched info probably supplied by the National Park Service. I enjoyed the tour and the questions of possible ghost activity. These questions and more are explored with words and photos and there is even a glossary and a suggested reading list!
Well suited for reading WITH someone of any age including ESL, and great for gifting to anyone, but especially to a school or your public library!
I requested and received a free temporary e-book on Adobe Digital Editions from Capstone/Capstone Press via NetGalley. Thank you!

A great guide and introduction for younger readers to Alcatraz and its history. There are lots of interesting facts sprinkled throughout but, for a Ghostly Guide, I didn’t feel like there were enough tales of ghosts on the island. There was mention of one definite and a few that could possibly be there but no actual stories of sightings, which was what I was expecting. This is probably better for those more timid children but if I were trying to get excited about a visit there and using this as a way to increase my interest, it falls a little short on the ghost stories.

“The Ghostly Guide to Alcatraz” is part of the Eerie Expeditions Around the World Series. Readers are taken on a quick tour of the island, the prison, and its history. Interspersed are suggestions of hauntings, strange sounds, and general creepiness.

The overview of the island and its prison is good, but there is only a suggestion of eeriness (well, except for cell 14-D. That one is well done with the text and photo hitting just the right level of creepiness).

The photographs of Alcatraz are great. They give a clear picture of what the site looks like today. Photos of several inmates are of high quality as well.

This book is great for kids who want to learn about historic landmarks or about creepy places. It’s not very scary and none of the tales of hauntings go into any depth. “The Ghostly Guide to Alcatraz” would make a great gift for a kid who will be visiting Alcatraz in the near future.

I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley and Gareth Stevens Publishing, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

When I requested this book, I didn't realize it was a children's book, but I'm glad I asked for it anyway. It was a great book that should inspire a lot of curiosity in young readers.