West

Ghosts and spirits abound in western Oregon. The imprints of pioneers, soldiers, prostitutes, and murder victims haunt the places they trod in life, searching for loved ones, reliving joyful times, protecting favorite haunts, and seeking revenge. This guide, history, and comprehensive how-to offers tantalizing information about the lives, deaths, and locales of the Portland area�s lingering past.

Areas include Central Portland, East Portland communities, Vancouver and North Portland, communities south of Portland, and Oregon�s coastal communities. The infamous Shanghai Tunnels have long reverberated with the screams of kidnapped victims, doomed to a brief life of forced servitude. Lone Fir Cemetery is visited to this day by the spirits of the Chinese laborers, mental asylum inmates, and Civil War veterans who rest there. Thelma Taylor can sometimes be felt in Cathedral Park, under the St. John Bridge. Historical hotels still host the spirits of guests who died, sometimes by their own hand. Opera houses and ballrooms tell a happier story: the imprints left by decades of entertainment and energy can be felt even now. These sites, and many others, are vividly described, and entries include locations and contact information.

Informative sections cover what a ghost is, how it can manifest, ideal ghost sighting conditions, and types of imprints. Techniques included are preliminary historical research, physical and mental preparation, and the two primary schools of ghost hunting: the technical and psychic methods. The technical method section covers equipment use and suggestions, and the psychic method section discusses using your intuition and sensitivity to sense phenomena. Helpful appendixes include a sighting report form; suggested readings, videos, and websites; a list of tours and events; and a collection of area museums and historical societies.

Haunted Islands of San Francisco Bay: Ghosts, Crime, and Dark Histories

Alcatraz, Alameda, Mare Island, Angel Island, Yerba Buena, and Treasure Island loom out of the dark waters of San Francisco Bay. Even when they aren’t shrouded in mist, the islands are haunted by a past swirling with criminal violence, fatal epidemic, environmental disaster, and explosive sabotage. From an infernal duel on Angel Island to the cursed cells of Alcatraz and the Old 84 naval prison, Jeff Dwyer steers adventurous readers through a haunted history full of phantom ships and open graves. 

"As the captain of the USS Midway I was never more proud of the young men, mostly teenagers, under my command. USS Midway: America's Shield tells their story, straight from the flight deck. It's real American history everyone should know."�;Rear Adm. Riley Mixson, U.S. Navy (ret.), former captain, USS Midway

"USS Midway: America's Shield carries the reader along from one great event of the latter twentieth century to another. An odyssey fueled by remarkable young men from every corner of America. An inspiration to us all!"�;Lou Reda, documentary filmmaker, History Channel

The USS Midway first set sail in 1945 with thousands of young men on board. By the time it made its final return to port in 1992, approximately 200,000 Americans had served on the carrier. During those years, the crew�;whose average age was nineteen�;witnessed significant world affairs, such as Cold War espionage missions, an attack by an Israeli aircraft, confrontations with Mao Tse-tung, and the liberation of Kuwait.

Beginning with World War II, this collection of memoirs chronicles individual accounts of sailors who served on the Midway. All of the stories offer a glimpse into the early days of the sailors' lives and detail the contributions that they made at sea. This collective biography relates their compelling tales of empowerment and optimism, while presenting America's past. One hundred pictures provide a visual reference.

A May/June 2000 BookSense ’76 Selection

Accelerated Reader Program Selection

In China, a beautiful ceramic tile lies shattered on the ground, and the artist who dropped it is sentenced to the land’s worst punishment. The fierce warlord will execute the artist unless some wise person can put the seven pieces back together. That person will then be invited to live in the castle. Both locals and strangers from far away wait their turns for a chance to solve the warlord’s puzzle.

After learning why these people are waiting to enter the castle, a peasant boy convinces his poor but wise father to join the line. This little boy starts them off on the first step to solving the puzzle—entering the contest.

Introduce your little reader to numbers with this tale of a boy in ancient China crafting an abacus to help his father count a warlord’s treasure.

Young Chuan lives with his father in the beautiful palace of a powerful Chinese warlord. As a reward for his cleverness in solving the warlord’s puzzle, Father is given the job of tallying the warlord’s treasure—brilliant jewels, rich brocades, and spices from a thousand lands. Life at the palace is luxurious but filled with so many interruptions Father often loses count! The varying totals lead the suspicious warlord to accuse him of stealing, and Father is about to lose hope. Just in time, Chuan discovers a special use for the warlord’s lovely jade beads—a use that will help Father keep an accurate tally and cause the warlord to pronounce Chuan as clever as his Father. Often used by teachers of the primary grades to illustrate the powerful concept of “base ten,” various types of counting frames appeared in China during the Middle Ages. The Warlord’s Beads is a valuable tool for introducing young readers to the wonder of numbers as well as the beauty and mystery of ancient China.

Praise for The Warlord’s Beads

A November/December 2001 Booksense 76 Selection

Accelerated Reader Program Selection

“Debon’s distinctive artwork adds to the fairy tale feeling of this story.” —Children’s Literature

“Debon evocatively depicts court dress and decorative details . . . Capped with a diagram for a modern version of Chuan’s counting frame made of cardboard, pipe cleaners, and o-shaped breakfast cereal.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Debon’s well-composed, often dramatic, and sometimes comical paintings bring the story to life. With or without the math lesson, a good picture book for reading aloud.” —Booklist 

“Helpful to children learning how to count, add, and subtract and is a good choice for most collections.” —School Library Journal

“Children will not be disappointed in this sequel to the award-winning The Warlord’s Puzzle.” —JoAnn Lum, Hipfish Magazine

All is calm in the warlord�s palace, and the artist�s apprentice Chuan sits with his friend Jing Jing, watching the sunset, when an invading army approaches. Jing Jing comes up with an ingenious solution using Chuan�s knowledge of calculating area as well as his handmade paper and ink to frighten the troops into leaving.

The warlord�s presence is requested at the emperor�s banquet in two weeks, but he is sixteen days away by horseback. Using their math skills, ingenuity, and the wind, Chuan and Jing Jing reach the warlord�s camp and encourage him to use their sailing cart to travel to the feast. The Warlord�s Messengers is the sixth book in the acclaimed Warlord�s Series, and includes directions for making your own windsock as well as suggestions for velocity-related math activities.