In Search of Sasquatch [Hardcover]

Kelly Milner Halls (Author)

Book Description

Release date: October 25, 2011 | Age Range: 9 and up | Lexile Measure: 1090L (What's this?)

What is Sasquatch? Thousands of people believe in it. Hundreds say they have seen it. But the
mystery of Sasquatch has not been solved . . .

Sasquatch, also known as Bigfoot, is a cryptid—a creature of cryptozoology. Cryptozoology is the study of creatures not recognized by traditional science, and it is the quest to understand things that cannot be proven via ordinary channels. Kelly Milner Halls interviews cryptozoologists, linguistics experts, anthropologists, biologists, and regular people like us who have seen, heard, or maybe stumbled across evidence leading them to believe that Sasquatch is real. Serious Sasquatch seekers are as skeptical as unbelievers. They are not out to collect great stories. They are out to put together facts. The difference is, they are willing to keep an open mind. Do you believe in Sasquatch?

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

In this impressive one-stop shop for Sasquatch enthusiasts, Halls has assembled a record of the apelike cryptid in the lore of Native Peoples, a history of major missions to find a specimen, the best existing pieces of evidence, and the various ways to embark upon an expedition as well as how new technology is advancing the methods of determined diehards. Halls hits the big points (like the famous Patterson-Gimlin footage) but does not leave out double-take-worthy, lesser-known stories, such as when actor Jimmy Stewart smuggled a mummified Yeti finger out of Tibet by hiding it in his wife’s underwear. (Yes, the finger was eventually lost—sadly, a common occurrence in the field of cryptozoology.) The layout is filled with historical shots; artists’ renderings; footprint casts; maps showing state-by-state sightings (Washington leads, with 487); and bizarro sidebars—believe it or not, some Sasquatch hunters set their adventures to music. It can all get a bit starry-eyed, but the rigors of scientific analysis and skepticism prevail. Suggested readings, source notes, and a glossary fill out the back matter. Grades 5-8. --Daniel Kraus

Review

"[An] impressive one-stop shop for Sasquatch enthusiasts...Halls hits the big points but does not leave out double-take worthy, lesser-known stories." --Booklist

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children (October 25, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0547257619
• ISBN-13: 978-0547257617
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 11.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #93,609 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #41 in Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Mystery & Wonders

More About the Author

For the past 15 years, Kelly Milner Halls has crafted high interest nonfiction books and articles for young readers. Known for quirky but well researched topics, Halls delights in drawing even reluctant readers into the realm of discovery through the explorations of dinosaurs, Sasquatch, UFO's or dozens of other unusual themes. She makes her home in Spokane, WA with two daughters, one Pug, too many cats and a 4 foot iguana named Gigantor. She speaks at schools and conferences all over the country. Halls also works as YA novelist Chris Crutcher's assistant.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Is Sasquatch real? You decide! Crammed with interesting facts. January 22, 2012

By Laurie Thompson

Format:Hardcover

When I was a kid, one of my favorite books was Bigfoot: Man, Monster, or Myth? by Carrie Carmichael (Raintree, 1977). I've always been an animal lover, and I loved the possibility that there was one (or more?) out there clever enough to remain a mystery to us. I lived in rural northern Wisconsin and spent a lot of time in the woods, but, sadly, never saw any Sasquatch signs.

When my son told me he thought it'd be cool to be a cryptozoologist (nice!), I knew I had to get him this book. It didn't disappoint. He's read it several times cover to cover, and I'm loving the facts and critical thinking skills he's demonstrating as a result.

My first thought when I opened the book was how beautiful it is. The full-bleed forest spread with the quotes overlaying the trees pulls you right into the world of the sasquatch from the very first page turn (and the final one, as well). The beauty continues with beautiful photography, elegant illustrations, and well-done layout and design throughout.

Halls combines various myths and legends with expert opinions and eyewitness accounts to weave a cleverly crafted and compelling case for the existence of sasquatch. She doesn't come right out and tell us that it does or doesn't exist, though. In the end, it's up to the reader to decide if they've been convinced or not.

This is a great book to hand to any kid with an interest in cryptids or other mysteries, and animal lovers and budding young scientists will also enjoy it....

FUN FACT: "According to experts at the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO), credible witnesses have reported seeing Sasquatch in every state in the United States of America except Hawaii, as well as most Canadian provinces."

There is a dedication, table of contents, additional resources, photo and illustration credits, bibliography and source notes, glossary, and index.

SIDE NOTE: When asked her opinion of the book, my daughter answered, "I LOVED how she crammed so many facts into this book, yet still kept it completely interesting!" My answer: "Ahem. <cough> `YET STILL?' Have I told you what I do? I am a nonfiction author, and FACTS ARE INTERESTING!" I have failed as a parent. Read more ›

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars In Search of Sasquatch October 29, 2011

By Missy

Format:Hardcover

This book is very informative, it makes you think, it makes you ''ponder''. It still lets you make up your own mind if there is a Sasquatch or not. I especially like the history of the Indian's stories and the pictures. I also liked the first hand accounts, I loved the "scientists" either proving or disproving they gave facts and left it up to the reader to decide for themselves. Excellent Book, Good Reading!!!

4.0 out of 5 stars Good big foot learning tool March 29, 2013

By jongigliotti

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

It was agood book with lots of good information I enjoyed very much . I higly recomend this book to all who want to learn of bigfoot

2.0 out of 5 stars Bought for someone else March 10, 2013

By Lonna Holt

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Bought this for my son who is fascinated by Bigfoot. Not really my thing though. I will say that my seven-year-old is so pleased with it that he has to hide it from himself (very scary).

3.0 out of 5 stars Review of In Search Of Sasquatch February 5, 2013

By Daniel Perez

Format:Hardcover

Halls, Kelly Milner. In Search Of Sasquatch. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 215 Park Avenue South, New York, New York 10003; 47 pages, 2011 publication. $16.99; 11.25" X 9.25" hardback; ISBN: 978-0-547-25761-7; color photos, illustrations, maps, further reading, photo credits, bibliography and index; [...]

This oversized juvenile book on the topic is a sheer visual delight with every page saturated with either an illustration or picture. Said the author of her work: "I never believed Sasquatch could be real until I dug deep in the research."
Kelly Milner Halls was in attendance for the Bigfoot Round-Up in 2009, an event held in Yakima, Washington, but I have no recollection of meeting her there. It is very clear as you thumb through the pages of this work the inspiration for this book grew as a result of attending this meeting.

For the juvenile reader this is a fine introduction to the mystery and the Native American tradition of wild hairy men in the woods is something we just take for granted. Tribes from the Cherokee to the Zuni have names for these creatures that go back long ago in time. Surely these so-called mythical legends have some truth behind them.

The introduction of the book is fine, but Kelly Milner Halls continues to spread the myth that Dr. Bernard Heuvelmans coined the term "cryptozoolgy," when in fact he did not. He just took credit for it but did indeed put the term into wide circulation. Ludien Blancou actually coined the term in 1959 in his book: "Bernard Heuvelmans, master of cryptozoolgy."

Heuvelmans originally thought Ivan T. Sanderson was the mastermind behind it.... When Sanderson died in 1973 surely he could not rebuttal what Heuvelmans would write in the premiere issue of the journal Cryptozoology in 1982: "I coined the term `cryptozoology'..." Okay...

On page 8 is a proud picture of the Pangboche Yeti hand but the reader, juvenile or adult, is hardly briefed on the full story.
In a nutshell: Peter Byrne saw the so called mummified hand but was unable to bring it out of Nepal for scientific analysis. So he swapped a finger bone from the Pangboche hand and replaced it with a human bone.
In late December 2011 a bone from the Yeti hand was tested and headlines screamed words to the effect the Yeti fragment had failed a DNA test. The result was the sample came back as human.
What the press didn't tell the world was that Peter Byrne had swapped a Yeti finger bone with a human finger bone. So if they tested the human finger bone that is exactly what the resultant would be: a human finger bone. But why spoil a great story for the world's highly controlled media.
The original hand, once in a Pangboche monastery, was stolen and no one has seen it since.

On page 17 the author states Dr. Jeff Meldrum examined fresh Bigfoot tracks, "the first, in 1997..." That was in 1996, thank you. The picture on page 18 has trouble as well: "Sasquatch track expert Bob Titmus cast this track in 1962." Try 1967.
On page 32 we learn that Tom Biscardi cut a check for $50,000 to secure the hoaxed Bigfoot body from Georgia. Try William (Bill) W. Lett, Jr. instead of Biscardi. On page 38 we learn that Forge Books released Dr. Jeff Meldrum's book in 2007. Try 2006.

In terms of eye candy, Kelly Milner Halls' book scores big points but in terms of factual information she or her editors have failed miserably. Had they combed through the manuscript a little more thoroughly, perhaps these errors could have been avoided.

-Daniel Perez Read more ›

5.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting January 29, 2013

By Karen R. Adams

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I bought the book for my grandson who is a bigfoot BELIEVER. I looked at it before wrapping it for Christmas and had to show it to my husband. It had more information than I thought a child's book would have and it even had a list of what several Indian tribes have named the creature. Wonderful!

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT 'Squatch book for ALL ages!!!!!! January 17, 2013

By H.M. 2005

Format:Hardcover

This book by a Spokane, Washington schoolteacher and author is great for kids-of ALL ages!!! It gives us a basic rundown of some past history of sightings, as well as profiling researchers like Paul Graves, Finding Bigfoot's Cliff Barackman, Derek Randles of the Olympic Project, Dr. Jeff Meldrum, Bob Gimlin, Tom Yamarone and other researchers. It also looks at modern technologies being used in the search, as well as looking at tree twists and breaks attributed to 'Squatches, along with the famous Patterson/Gimlin Film and Bill Munns' research into it. There is also the language consideration via R. Scott Nelson. There is also some great color photography, with several pictures from the Yakima Bigfoot Round-Up, which Kelly attended. All in all, a short but sweet book, one that I highly recommend, especially since I know about 95% of the people profiled in the book!!! This one gets a 10 out of 10!!!