The Phantom Hitchhiker and other ghost mysteries; The Riddle of the Stones and other unsolved mysteries

Two plainly presented collections of those truish stories that we've all heard before, but never tire of hearing again.

The first book re-acquaints us with both historical ghosts and more recent apparitions, including, of course, the shivering girl in the white dress who accepts a lift from a compassionate motorist, dons his coat then vanishes, leaving him to reclaim the coat from her grave. A schmaltzy cliché, but still oddly poignant.

The unsolved mysteries include Kaspar Hauser, Spontaneous Human Combustion and the Bermuda Triangle, as well as less well-known phenomena, such as the treasure pit of Oak Island, which has swallowed all the resources poured into its attempted exploitation. Throughout this book, Daniel Cohen takes a shrewdly sceptical approach.

These straightforwardly written books will appeal to a universal appetite for mystery, and provide a good resource for inspiring discussion and writing amongst children.