The Big Book of Mysteries

by Tom Adams, Yas Imamura (Illustrator)

A captivating new gift book featuring over 100 real-life mysteries that might just give you goosebumps! 

A captivating new gift book featuring over 100 real-life mysteries that might just give you goosebumps!

Does the Loch Ness monster really exist? Whatever happened to the crew of the Mary Celeste ? And where exactly are the Hanging Gardens of Babylon?

Get ready to be amazed as you uncover the world's greatest mysteries, from Bigfoot to the Bermuda Triangle. Including alien abductions, haunted houses, mind-blowing natural phenomena, and much more, this book will explain the extraordinary —unless the extraordinary can't be explained, of course. Then you'll just have to make up your own mind . . .

With atmospheric artwork, compelling case studies, and a seriously stand-out neon cover, this is a haunting collection of mysteries that you won't be able to put down.
 

Genres: Nonfiction, Mystery, History, Childrens, Science

96 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2022

Reviews

[AlenGarou · Rating 5 out of 5]

È più forte di me: quando vedo un libro che verte su queste tematiche lo acquisto senza pensarci due volte, anche se è per bambini. Probabilmente sono una criptozoologa o una cacciatrice di fantasmi mancata, ma non tutti possono nascere in America e avere tanto tempo libero.
Ma comunque l’ho adorato dall’inizio alla fine.
Non solo tratta di qualsiasi argomento (dai fantasmi, agli eventi naturali, agli ufo, alle sparizioni strane, agli animali fantastici e via), ma le illustrazioni sono carinissime e ben eseguite, dato che rispecchiano molto bene il theme.
E, cosa più importante, ho trovato le varie didascalie scritte molto bene e intriganti.
Insomma, se volete fare un regalo particolare ai cuginetti o ai fratellini scalmanati, questo potrebbe essere una valida idea.

[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some mysteries can never be explained. Others have simple explanations or have been proven to be a hoax. Where is Amelia Earhart? Who built Stonehenge? Are the Loch Ness Monster or Bigfoot real? Are there really aliens making crop circles? Can fish really rain from the sky?

Some mysteries have already been solved. We know what makes aurora in the sky. But other strange lights in the sky are still unexplained. We know that the Piltdown man was a hoax, but what about Atlantis?

It was so interesting learning about all the weird mysteries in the world! Every culture in history has had crazy stories that try to explain the inexplicable. It was also cool to see how some of the mysteries have been explained and proven with science.

This book includes sections about missing persons, disappearing places, ancient civilizations, strange beasts, UFOs, natural phenomena, mass hysteria, and human combustion, and codes and ciphers that have never been cracked.

The only section that I didn't like was the one about spirits and ghosts. I had to skip that chapter because it was too creepy.

I love the colorful illustrations on each page that show all the weird places, objects, and people. Each page has a great design using small paragraphs of text interspersed with the illustrations. It makes it easy to read, and really captures your attention.


Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

[madeline ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I had a book like this when I was a kid! It's so so so cool.

[Inge · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 sterren

Mijn 8-jarige ik juicht bij het lezen van een boek als dit. Mijn volwassen ik vind de informatie wel summier en had liever minder dan 100 mysteries gehad en dan wat uitgebreider behandeld.

[Sakskia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heel veel mysteries, leuk om samen te lezen. Wel wat moeilijk leesbaar met zwarte letters op donkere kleuren

[Max · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some things aren't explainable. In this book, I've seen things I would've probably never thought about or talked about.

[Jennifer Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

Based on the books checked out at my school library, this one will fly off the shelves. I liked the sheer breadth of this book. It is aptly named because if it's a mystery, it's probably in the book. There is a nice table of contents with sections including: Disappearing People, UFOs, Natural Phenomena, Undiscovered Creatures, Hoaxes, Disappearing Places, Spirits and Ghosts, Mind Over Matter, Intelligent Ancestors, and Unexplained Objects. I learned of quite a few unsolved mysteries from the Voynich Manuscript to the Cottingley Fairies to Milkshake Lake. Each mystery has a page or half a page written description that shares facts as we know them, but usually adds a "But who knows...." at the end.

The illustrations are in a combination of what looks like computer-generated watercolor and hand drawing. The type set combines a handwritten font for headings and a serif font for descriptions. This leads to a consistent look throughout that binds these separate stories. Although some of the darker pages were harder to read with only a slightly lighter font color. My only other hangup is that it would be nice to see actual pictures of some of the items or people being described. I understand this would have added an exorbitant cost to the book though. Hopefully, young readers will go on their own deep dives for the mysteries that intrigue them.

If you're looking for unsolved mysteries, The Big Book of Mysteries by Tom Adams and Yas Imamura provides plenty. For younger readers, the cover with bright orange title and neat cutout around Bigfoot will draw readers to it like the shifting sands in Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program in exchange for an honest review.

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE BIG BOOK OF MYSTERIES is complied of so many unsolved oddities in the world. With over one hundred real-life mysteries, this book is thought-provoking and gets children thinking outside of the box. It addresses familiar tales like the village of Roanoke, Stonehenge, and Dracula and ones I haven't heard of like the Cottingley fairies and Mass Hysteria.

The illustrations vary from dark shadows to bright colors with cartoon style doodles. The overall theme of the book is creepy and it would make a great book for Halloween time. I love how it covers so many different topics: from people, to places, to curses. From paranormal to just plain weird. In the back of the book there's a glossary for more clarification and an index to flip back to your favorite stories. This book will leave you with so many questions and also makes me want to travel a bit more.


Final Verdict: I would recommend this to children aged eight and older who have a curious mind. This will open up a whole different perspective of the world and get their brains spinning with what really happened and will these mysteries ever get solved? It's perfect for fans of the paranormal and horror themed tales.

[Barbara Band · Rating 4 out of 5]

This type of book was always popular in my school library so it's good to see the topic still being published. Covering over 100 real life mysteries from disappearing people, UFOs, natural phenomena, undiscovered creatures, ghosts and more, it is sure to delight and appeal to those readers who like exploring the unknown. Aimed at 9 - 12 years, it would fit well in both primary and secondary school library collections and even my 6 year old grandson enjoyed reading it with me. It's a book you can dip in and out of, and would make a great gift, especially for those who aren't quite into reading fiction.

[Mehsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Een tof en leuk boek met heel veel leuke illustraties en vormgeving. Ik vond het leuk om te zien welke mysteries de schrijver had gekozen, sommige superbekend (en dus niet heel erg spannend want die kent iedereen al en zijn al duizend keer verteld), sommige minder bekend (en dus leuk om te lezen), en een paar die ik niet zo goed kende (en dus mijn favoriet waren). We lezen over mysterieuze gebeurtenissen, over vreemde cirkels, over verdwenen mensen en voertuigen, over aliens (waar ik dan niet veel mee heb, maar ach), over cryptids, over schatten, en meer~
Ik heb erg blij dat ik het boek heb gelezen, ik hou van dit soort boeken over mysteries, monsters, vreemde wezens, en meer.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really well done and perfect for the audience of middle grade nonfiction. It had the perfect mix of facts and information with great illustrations, compelling mysteries that made me want to learn more about each of the topics. There were so many mysteries and events that had I had never heard about, and made me want to research more! And there was such a variety!
Disappearing People, UFOs, Natural Phenomena, Undiscovered Creatures, Hoaxes, Disappearing Places, Spirits and Ghosts, Mind Over Matter, Intelligent Ancestors, and Unexplained Objects.

[Geertje Bluekens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dit prachtig uitgegeven boek pluist op basis van wetenschappelijk onderzoek meer dan honderd mysteries uit. Voor sommige verhalen is er bewijs dat ze echt zijn, voor andere verhalen tasten we nog in het duister en nog andere blijken fake news. Elke mysterie wordt helder beschreven in korte stukken tekst. De donkere illustraties maken het boek nog mysterieuzer.
Een boek om samen met kinderen uit de bovenbouw of de eerste jaren van het secundair onderwijs op zoek te gaan naar de waarheid achter mysteries.

[Carly Really Very Normal · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute and delightfully illustrated book that introduces young readers to a variety of mysteries and strange places. I appreciate the introduction to media literacy and parsing out the difference between false and true, with emphasis on understanding that just because its online or in a book, that doesn't mean something is true. This book does a great job giving young readers the mystery and spookiness they crave while also setting up a foundation for understanding fact vs fiction.

[Kayley Hartley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this and the illustrations were great. Although it is essentially aimed at children I found it quick and easy to read and sometimes you just want a quick recap of things rather than an essay 😅

[Martin Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yeah I read a kids book, what of it!?
Lots of fun stories and really amazing art. The UFO and cryptids in particular were great, I was surprised to see The Vegetable Man in there!
I hope this book has the same effect on kids today as the World of the Unknown books had on me when I was young.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun collection of weird occurrences, unexplained phenomenon, legends, and fictional creatures. Something for everyone.

Some sections were printed with colored text on a dark background and were difficult for me to read, especially the blue text on navy background.

[AllyP Reads Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun book filled with mysteries of all kinds. The Pope Joan story was absolutely ridiculous though.
Also, the Roanoke Colony is not a mystery. They went to Croatoan. They left a note. Stop acting like they disappeared.

[Molly]

I would have been OBSESSED with this book as a kid. Loved the mysteries that were included-there were quite a few that were new to me! Highly recommended for elementary kids and I think that middle and high schoolers would enjoy it as well.

[LudmilaM · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Well known and also not so well known real life mysteries. Wonderful read.

[David H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very credulous book, perfect for your budding crackpot. I definitely had to roll my eyes at some of the mysteries (especially with aliens), but it made my kid happy.

[Lexi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so cool! I loved it and even found some new mysteries I never heard of

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. Great images, great layout, and great real-life mysteries and hoaxes to read about.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting!

[Nichole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting.