Ripley

{My thoughts} – My son Riley loves to read books that are non-fiction or fiction based on real events. He also loves to share odd facts he learns from time to time with all of us. He is constantly learning new things and sharing them with us. I thought this would be the perfect book for him to read through. I decided I’d page through it first myself. I have always been a fan of Ripley’s – Believe it or not.

This book has an engaging cover. It also has many fascinating illustrations that ate described in enough detail to help the reader to understand what is so AWESOME about just what it is that they are looking at.

If you or your child enjoy learning new facts about the world around you, I can promise you will enjoy what you find within the pages of this book. It is packed full of so much wonderful information, and so much of what I had read I hadn’t known before – so be prepared to learn many things while your reading.… (mehr)

Handy collection of tales from Gold Key's long-running Ripley's title, a few of them authored by the prolific Leo Dorfman (who also created DC's "true" horror title Ghosts). The art varies in quality, with Gold Key regulars like Frank Bolle representing the lower end of the spectrum and DC ace Luis Dominguez at the top. (Dominguez penciled and inked "The Dancing Strangler," about a British soldier lured into the ruins of an Indian palace by a bewitching beauty who is not what she seems. It's the spookiest story of the bunch.) Several stories were illustrated by Jack Sparling, who also split his time between Gold Key and DC and whose work had a jagged, off-kilter quality perfectly suited to the subject matter. ("The Fiendish Spectre," about a ghost that can inflict physical harm, is a particularly good example of Sparling's style.)

Remember, delicate reader: these horrifying tales of the supernatural were based on actual events! Okay, probably not. They aren't especially horrifying, either, but still a lot of fun to read during the Halloween season.… (mehr)