Grouped by genre, this collection of short stories introduces students to a range of fiction genres. Each group includes an introduction to the genre, an example of pre-20th century fiction and reading and writing assignments - helping students explore the characteristics of each genre.

Fourteen Mind-Boggling Tales from the Badger State Was Joe Davis, Civil War veteran and Menominee Indian, really the son of Confederate president Jefferson Davis? What really happened the night that banker H. C. Mead was murdered inside the Exchange Bank of Waupaca? Did a flying saucer really land in Joe Simonton’s yard, and did the aliens aboard ask for a jug of water and serve him pancakes? From pirate ships to pancakes from outer space, Myths and Mysteries of Wisconsin makes history fun and pulls back the curtain on some of the state’s most fascinating and compelling stories.

This selection of 12 stories from Michigan's past explores some of the Great Lakes State's most compelling mysteries and debunks some of its most famous myths.

“One of America’s most notorious murder cases inspires this feverish debut” novel that goes inside the mind of Lizzie Borden (The Guardian). On the morning of August 4, 1892, Lizzie Borden calls out to her maid: Someone’s killed Father. The brutal ax-murder of Andrew and Abby Borden in their home in Fall River, Massachusetts, leaves little evidence and many unanswered questions. In this riveting debut novel, Sarah Schmidt reimagines the day of the infamous murders as an intimate story of a family devoid of love. While neighbors struggle to understand why anyone would want to harm the respected Bordens, those close to the family have a different tale to tell―of a father with an explosive temper, a spiteful stepmother, and two spinster sisters desperate for their independence. As the police search for clues, Lizzie’s memories of that morning flash in scattered fragments. Had she been in the barn or the pear arbor to escape the stifling heat of the house? When did she last speak to her stepmother? Were they really gone and would everything be better now? Shifting among the perspectives of the unreliable Lizzie, her older sister Emma, the housemaid Bridget, and the enigmatic stranger Benjamin, the events of that fateful day are slowly revealed through a high-wire feat of storytelling.

How much of what we know about the history of the Old West is true? In this new book, author Michael Rutter looks at the legend and lore behind such notorious figures as Billy the Kid and Calamity Jane and the stories of famous gun fights and battles, telling what really happened. Truth may be stranger than fiction, but these 12 legends stand up to scrutiny, and this book will be a must-read for all western history buffs.

Crimes never solved, eerie sightings never explained and paranormal events that stretch the limits of the mind--these mysteries continue to baffle British Columbians to this day: * Ogopogo has its roots in Native mythology, and numerous sightings dating back to the 1870s have only fuelled the legend. Could a monster really dwell in Okanagan Lake? * Lindsay Buziak, a young real estate agent from Victoria, was brutally murdered in 2008 after being lured to a home by two people posing as potential clients. Will her killers ever be brought to justice? * In 1991, four-year-old Michael Dunahee was playing only metres away from his parents when he vanished without a trace in Victoria. Even with new leads, will we ever know what happened to him? * Camels in BC? The stuff of legends, especially to Tanas Johnny, who thought he had seen the devil and died of fright. * Dozens of unexplained sightings in recent years have occurred in the Houston-Smithers-Terrace region, creating a BC UFO Triangle. Why is the area the UFO capital of Canada? * Charismatic Doukhobor leader Peter Verigin was killed in a massive train explosion between Castlegar and Grand Forks in 1924. Was his death a tragic accident or a sinister murder plot?

Part of the Myths and Mysteries series, Myths and Mysteries of Pennsylvania explores unusual phenomena, strange events, and mysteries in Pennsylvania’s history. Each episode included in the book is a story unto itself, and the tone and style of the book is lively and easy to read for a general audience interested in Pennsylvania's history.