Secrets of the Lost City by Sandra Markle - ADVISABLE

Secrets of the Lost City: a scientific adventure in the Honduran rain forest by Sandra Markle, 49 pages. NON-FICTION. Millbrook (Lerner), 2023. $32 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Rumors of a Lost City, La Ciudad Blanco, have circulated for decades through Honduras. The land around it, however, is the wildest rain forest in all the world. It isn’t until 2010 that scientist Steve Elkins puts together the money for a lidar (light detection and ranging) search of a small area of the rain forest and finds conclusive proof of ancient human habitation. Even with that proof, physical expeditions are expensive and dangerous. 

I was fascinated by the use of lidar in aiding archeological exploration in remote territory. The information on the scientists’ investigations in to the flora and fauna were also detailed enough to be valuable as supplemental material in almost any science class. 

Cindy Mitchell, Library Teacher, MLS