The Ghost Bear of the Tower of London

A bear in the castle—could it be? According to local lore, a spirit in the shape of a bear has taken up residence at the Tower of London. One guard even claimed that the beast attacked him. Is it real, or just a story? In this book, you’ll get all the details on the Ghost Bear of the Tower of London.

Gr 2-4–Most kids love animals and ghost stories, so this well-written series for younger students about four-legged hauntings is a great combination. Readers get some tantalizing, not-too-scary thrills from the tales and learn interesting and worthwhile facts about famous locales. Each slim volume, written with short readable sentences, sets up its story with information about the historical and geographic setting including location, the ghost’s origins, description, sightings, and witnesses. The handsomely designed series includes vivid display headings, high-quality photos, illustrations, engravings, and historical images to amplify the stories’ impact. Additionally, text is set in stark white type against black backgrounds and appear in colored-framed boxes against black to heighten the spookiness factor. Unfamiliar vocabulary is set in yellow type and new words are defined in the glossary (with no pronunciation guides) and, occasionally, in context. Other back matter features include a works consulted list, “Find Out More” (a short bibliography of books and websites), and an index. VERDICT Recommended for public and school collections. This will meet the demand of readers who appreciate ghost stories, and will serve striving readers. Ask students which stories they most believe and/or which seem most plausible, and why.--April 1, 2023, School Library Journal