Chilling with ghosts, p.1
Chilling with Ghosts, page 1
Copyright © 2023 by Quirk Productions, Inc.
All rights reserved. Except as authorized under U.S. copyright law, no part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Fitzpatrick, Insha, author. | Bölecz, Lilla, illustrator.
Title: Chilling with ghosts : a totally factual field guide to the supernatural / by Insha Fitzpatrick; illustrations by Lilla Bölecz.
Description: Philadelphia : Quirk Books, [2023] | Includes bibliographical references. | Audience: Ages 8-12 | Audience: Grades 4-6 | Summary: “An illustrated nonfiction guide to ghosts in history, legend, and pop culture”— Provided by publisher.
Identifiers: LCCN 2022060117 (print) | LCCN 2022060118 (ebook) | ISBN 9781683693451 (paperback) | ISBN 9781683693468 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Ghosts—Juvenile literature.
Classification: LCC BF1461 .F588 2023 (print) | LCC BF1461 (ebook) | DDC 133.1—dc23/eng/20230214
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022060117
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022060118
ISBN : 9781683693451
Ebook ISBN : 9781683693468
Typeset in Black Magic, Freight, Fright Night, and Wolfsbane
Designed by Andie Reid
Illustrations by Lilla Bölecz
Production management by John J. McGurk
Quirk Books
215 Church Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
quirkbooks.com
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CONTENTS
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Introduction
Boo! Do you believe in ghosts?
Chapter 1: Ghosts 101
Hey, what’s the deal with ghosts, anyway?
Chapter 2: How to Bust a Ghost
In case of haunting, open book.
Chapter 3: Phantoms of the Past
Uncover the spooky history of ghosts. Beware!
Chapter 4: Dead Men Tell No Tales
Or do they? Read up on ghosts from literature and campfire stories.
Chapter 5: Haunted Houses and Spooky Spots
Not too scared to explore haunts around the world, are you?
Chapter 6: Facing Your Ghosts
Facing ghosts and facing fears? Totally not scary. Wink.
Conclusion
So, do YOU believe in ghosts?
Bibliography
About the Author
Introduction
DO YOU BELIEVE IN GHOSTS?
BOO! Scared you, didn’t I? No? You’re a tough one, I can tell. (But for the record, it’s totally okay and perfectly normal to be scared sometimes. That’s just life.) Since you’re here, pull up a log and join me by the campfire. Okay, so there’s no campfire. Just imagine one—flickering flames, a starry sky, and the smell of toasted marshmallows. Get ready for some thrills and chills—we’re here to talk all things ghosts!
WHO ARE YOU, AGAIN?
Nice to meet you, [insert super cool name here]. I’m your personal guide to the awesome, scary, and weird world of the supernatural. In this book, we’ll be covering everything you need to know about ghosts. We’ll explore haunting history, spooky science, and terrifying tales. Along the way, we’ll whip up ghostly snacks, craft our own ghost stories, and so much more.
Dig Out the Dictionary!
According to our friend Merriam-Webster, a ghost is “a disembodied soul; especially the soul of a dead person believed to be an inhabitant of the unseen world or to appear to the living in bodily likeness.” When we talk about ghosts in this guide, we’ll be discussing the spirit of a deceased person that haunts a place, person, or object.
HOLD YOUR PHANTOMS! ARE GHOSTS REAL?!
You might be thinking, “Hang on, are ghosts even real? Why is this book in the nonfiction section? And what’s for lunch again?” Before we step onto the spectral plane, let’s set things straight.
Throughout this guide, we’ll be covering facts and legends about ghosts—tales of haunted locales, ghosts in literature and media, real-life history and science, and much more. But are ghosts real? Well, here’s the thing: Beliefs regarding ghosts and death are incredibly personal and rooted in culture, religion, and values. The question isn’t if ghosts are real. The question is do you believe in them?
You, dear reader, might be a believer. Maybe you’ve even had a ghost encounter! Or you might be a skeptic, a.k.a. someone who doubts the existence of ghosts but isn’t totally sure. Or you might be firmly in the camp of “there’s absolutely no way ghosts exist.” Whatever you think, I welcome you on this supernatural quest for knowledge.
According to Science
In a 2021 YouGov survey of one thousand people, 41 percent of the survey group said that they believed in the existence of ghosts…and 20 percent said that they had personally encountered a ghost!
Ghosts represent a lot to many people. Their stories can connect us to the past, tell us about our fears, and help us understand the unknown. So let’s pull out our flashlights and shine a light on the unseen world of ghosts. We’ll answer questions like: What do ghosts symbolize? What role do ghosts play in different cultures? Can bathrooms be haunted?
Ready to answer some questions? Turn the page…if you dare!
Welcome to Ghosts 101! On the syllabus we’ve got all the spectral basics: What makes a ghost a ghost? How do you identify a ghost? What are the different types of ghosts? Where do ghosts like to hang out? Pick up that lantern over there and come with me as we step into the night.
HOW TO IDENTIFY A GHOST
When you imagine a ghost, what do you think of? Do you picture someone draped in white bedsheets with two cut-outs for eyes, trick- or-treating on the street? Or do you envision a ghastly apparition dripping with green ectoplasm (a.k.a. a paranormal substance said to allow spirits to materialize)? Maybe you’re thinking of a translucent version of a regular person who looks just like you and me.
According to Lisa Morton, author of the book Ghosts: A Haunted History, “the shape the undead spirit takes varies according to the particular society’s collective imagination.” What you think a ghost looks like depends on your context! But in general, Western ghost stories have a few key traits in common. Let’s go over these key ghostly characteristics.
Noncorporeal
I’m corporeal. You’re corporeal—or at least I hope you are! Being corporeal means that you have a physical body. Ghosts are spirits, and they don’t have a physical body. That’s why in ghost stories, they are often depicted as semitransparent and able to float through walls. For the most part, ghosts can’t interact with the physical world. You’re probably not going to catch one scarfing down a bag of chips or playing the piano…but of course, there are exceptions. (More on that later!)
Ye Olde History
What is a soul? You can define a soul in a variety of ways, and countless philosophers have grappled with this question. Philosophers of the past such as Aristotle, Immanuel Kant, René Descartes, and Plato all have different theories on what a soul is and if souls are even real. A simple definition of the soul is the spiritual essence of a person (or animal!) that is a core part of them that sticks around after their physical body dies. Here’s one more philosopher for you: Pythagoras. Born in 570 BCE, Pythagoras was a Greek philosopher who believed that when a person dies, their soul leaves their body and jumps into a whole new body. But he wasn’t just famous for his theories on the soul. The Pythagorean theorem (a2 + b2 = c2) is named after him!
Haunting Appearance
Ghosts are generally spooky looking. They might appear as they did when they passed away. Or they might look like whatever appearance captures their essence. They might not even look like a human—they might resemble a see-through zombie or a ball of light!
Ability to Float or Fly
Given that ghosts are noncorporeal, gravity doesn’t exactly apply to them. In most tales, ghosts can walk through walls, float above the ground, and even fly.
Limited Interaction with the Physical World
Generally, ghosts can’t interact with the physical world, but there are exceptions. Depending on the account, some ghosts can speak, move objects, or influence the environment in various ways, such as creating cold spots or giving off spooky vibes.
Terrifying Tales
Ever been to a haunted house? There’s one in Atchison, Kansas, called the Sallie House. Built in the mid-1800s, the house was owned by a physician who operated on many patients. Sadly, some of these patients passed away inside the house, including a young girl named Sallie. Throughout the years, people visiting the Sallie House have claimed to see objects move, experience eerily cold spots, or feel an unseen presence scratch them.
SENSING GHOSTS
Have you heard the saying “seeing is believing”? With ghosts, it’s the opposite—believing is seeing. If you believe in ghosts, you’re more likely to see a spirit than someone who doesn’t believe in them.
Some people have made a living out of interacting with the supernatural. Mediums are people who claim to be able to communicate between the living and the dead. They play a role in a variety of relig ions and cultural practices, including Shamanism and Spiritualism. Some people believe that mediums have real abilities, whereas others argue that it’s all smoke and mirrors…A phenomenon called confirmation bias can influence whether or not someone believes everything a medium says.
According to Science
Don’t you love being right? Confirmation bias is when you believe something to be true and you seek evidence or interpret information that proves you right. Basically, it’s when you favor, or are biased toward, information that confirms your belief. But confirmation bias can lead to incorrect assumptions and dangerous conclusions. How can you beat confirmation bias? Make sure you get your news and facts from reliable, unbiased, and trusted sources…and keep your mind open!
But do you have to be a medium to see a ghost? According to most ghost lore, no! All types of people can have encounters of the spectral kind: relatives of the deceased, random bystanders, or people who are extra sensitive when it comes to the supernatural. It helps to have a deep connection to the ghost, or to strongly believe in the existence of ghosts.
Of course, seeing isn’t everything. You might walk into a cold spot and feel a chill. You might get bopped with a floating object. You might hear a spooky wail. You might smell the smoke of candles suddenly snuffing out. There are many ways to sense a ghost.
According to Science
When you squeeze your eyes closed, do you ever see spots of light or color? Those spots are called phosphenes! Phosphenes can result when your retina, optic nerve, or visual cortex gets stimulated in some way. You might see phosphenes when you rub your eyes, cough really hard, blow your nose, or experience head trauma (please, please see a doctor if you experience head trauma). Talk about seeing stars!
TYPES OF GHOSTS
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s talk about the various types of ghosts, depending on the ghost story.
Ghosts That Haunt
Some ghosts haunt the same places and do the same thing every day—kind of like a video on loop. This phenomenon is also known as residual haunting. You might’ve heard about these kinds of ghosts around a campfire or read a museum plaque about legends of a ghost haunting a battleground. These ghosts may have unfinished business or have died a wrongful, traumatic death. Signs that a residual ghost is hanging around include repetitive and mysterious noises such as footsteps, knocking, or strange voices.
Read All About It
The stone tape theory is the theory that stones and other objects in an environment can store and replay major emotional events—resulting in residual hauntings. The idea is that these hauntings play out like a cassette tape recording, a.k.a. a type of audio recording popular in the 1970s. This theory was popularized by the 1972 BBC drama The Stone Tape. The film takes place in an old haunted mansion, where scientists realize that the mansion’s stones have recorded a terrible death.
Poltergeists
Poltergeist is German for “noisy spirit,” and for a good reason: when poltergeists make their presence known, they do it with a bang! They’re known for causing major disturbances—loud noises in the night, unexpected fires, and levitating furniture. They’re even said to scratch, bite, or hit people! Yikes.
Ghost Lights
Ghost lights are described in ghost stories as little balls of light that appear seemingly from nowhere. Types of ghost lights include will-o’-the-wisp, or corpse lights, and onibi. Will-o’-the-wisp is said to appear at night in remote areas such as marshes or bogs. And according to Japanese folklore, onibi are blue ghost lights that come from corpses.
According to Science
Bioluminescence (light emitted by living organisms) and chemiluminescence (light produced by chemical reactions) are two possible explanations for sightings of mysterious ghost lights. One example of bioluminescence is the Noctiluca scintillans, also called sea sparkle or sea ghost, which is a type of sea-dwelling plankton. (Specifically, it’s a species of dinoflagellate, a single-celled marine microorganism.) They light up when they’re disturbed by any kind of movement, like a crashing wave or someone walking in the water. The result is a bright blue light that can sometimes be seen at night.
These are just a few of the forms ghosts have taken in spooky stories and haunting legends. But there are more, such as:
• Mists: Mist is the result of water vapor meeting cold air and transforming from a gas into water droplets. Some people have claimed to glimpse ghostly faces in mist.
• Orbs of light: Unexplained spots of light in photos or seen in real life have been attributed to ghosts taking this form.
• Possessed objects: In some ghost stories, ghosts are said to possess objects…or even people (creepy!).
• Shadow figures: Ghosts in this form appear as (surprise, surprise) shadowy figures. You might see one out of the corner of your eye or captured in a photograph. (Seeing shadow figures has been attributed to a variety of conditions, such as hallucinations occurring during sleep paralysis.)
• Funnel ghosts: Brrrr! Anyone feel a chill? Funnel ghosts take the form of a swirling light or funnel and often leave a chilly spot in their wake.
• Ghost pets: If people can be ghosts, why not pets? Plenty of ghost stories feature animal ghosts, including pets. Scary or cute? You decide.
FAVORITE HAUNTS AND HANGOUTS
As we’ve established, ghosts usually haunt a particular place. You don’t often hear of ghosts hopping on planes and flying to Paris for vacation! But why do they stick to one spot? Common explanations include:
• The ghost haunts its final resting place.
• The ghost tragically died in the place that it haunts.
• The ghost lingers in an area where it has unfinished business to attend to.
• The site the ghost is haunting has deep meaning for them, and they don’t want to leave.
Any place can be haunted—yes, even the bathroom. Of course, some places are linked to far more ghost sightings and stories than others. Following are the top destinations for ghosts.
Cemeteries
Since ghosts are known for haunting their final resting place, cemeteries and graveyards are where many tales of ghost sightings are set. (What’s the difference between a cemetery and a graveyard? A cemetery is a burial ground, whereas a graveyard is a burial place near or inside a churchyard.) The St. Louis Cemetery No.1, the oldest cemetery in New Orleans, is notorious for being haunted. A number of notable figures are buried there, including Marie Laveau, a famous Voodoo practitioner from the 1800s. Even the actor Nicolas Cage wants to be buried there. He’s already bought himself a pyramid mausoleum!
Homes
Home is where the heart is—and where the ghost haunts! Ghosts may linger in their homes because they’re attached to them, or because they have unfinished business there, or because they died tragically there. Homes can include all types of places, even giant mansions and old castles. Some famously haunted homes include Burg Wolfsegg, a castle in Germany, and Raynham Hall, a mansion in England.
Read All About It
One famous poltergeist tale takes place in Amityville, New York, and is described in a 1977 novel, The Amityville Horror, by an American writer named Jay Anson. He based the book on the real-life murder of a family in New York and the terrifying paranormal events experienced by the next family that moved into the vacated home.
Battlefields
In some ghost stories, hauntings are attributed to trauma and tragic deaths. Battlefields are places of conflict, injustice, and tragedy—and they appear in many legends of the spectral kind. A few sites of battle that are said to be haunted include:
• The Alamo Mission in San Antonio, Texas: the site of the Battle of the Alamo, which lasted thirteen days in 1836 during the Texas Revolution
