Tales of the Cryptids: Mysterious Creatures That May or May Not Exist (Darby Creek Publishing) [School & Library Binding]

Kelly Milner Halls (Author), Rick Spears (Author), Roxyanne Young (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up | Series: Darby Creek Publishing

Everyone loves the stories of legendary creatures that just might really exist. This book relies on the latest information from cryptozoologists, experts who study these mysterious beings, and the counter-arguments are explored from experts who strongly believe they do not exist. Stories from eyewitnesses are recounted, as well. Included in the book are Bigfoot (Sasquatch), Loch Ness monster, Mokele Mbembe (Africa), Kongamato, Shunka Warak’in, Mapinguari (South America), giant squids, mermaids, coelocanths, and more. An extensive "For Further Investigation" section, offering readers more places to find information, concludes the book.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-7–Most kids love monsters, and Halls, Spears, and Young obviously had a grand time pulling up creepy critters to feed readers' fertile imaginations. From old big leaguers like Bigfoot and his kin, and Nessie and her ilk, they pop down to the minors with Mokele-mbembe and Olitu, and on into the bush leagues with the Bunyip and the Caddy. To spice up the roster, the authors provide found information on former cryptids such as the coelacanth and the Chacoan peccary, and data on pure hoaxes like the Piltdown Man and the Cardiff Giant. Pure scientists will bridle at cryptozoology passing itself off as anything but a pseudoscience, but readers will scramble to find data on such eerie apparitions as the Chupacabra and the Mongolian Death Worm. The conversational text makes for fun reading, and a plethora of pictures (photos and drawings in both color and black and white) will prove enticing. A cryptidictionary provides a full roster of mysterious creatures that may or may not exist in tidy alphabetical order, complete with a reality index rating for each one. For a personal reality check after all this engaging hoopla, try Sally M. Walker's super Fossil Fish Found Alive (Carolrhoda, 2002), Richard Ellis's readable The Search for the Giant Squid (Lyons, 1998), and Kathy Darling's exciting Komodo Dragon on Location (Lothrop, 1997), or, for a truly icky experience, Christopher Maynard's Micromonsters (DK, 1999), which deals with human parasites (not for the squeamish!).–Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Lots of pictures, photos, drawings, and sketches fill the pages of this middle-grade look at cryptozoology--the study of legendary animals, called cryptids. Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster,^B and others are grouped in four sections. The authors have made a valiant attempt to find what is true and provable (not much), and their keen interest in the topic is evident in their earnest but ironic tone. Each chapter begins with a florid introduction ("Imagine . . . a night as dark as it is quiet"), followed by whatever facts are available, including claimed sightings. The "Cryptidictionary," which describes and illustrates each of the 55 or so creatures mentioned and rates them on a reality index, is fun, as are the plaster impressions of the right foot of each of the authors. A bibliography is appended. GraceAnne DeCandido
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• School & Library Binding: 72 pages
• Publisher: Darby Creek Pub (September 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581960492
• ISBN-13: 978-1581960495
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 11.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #109,995 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #35 in Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Mystery & Wonders

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bravo! Bravo! Bravo!, October 20, 2006

By 

Loree Griffin Burns "www.loreeburns.com" (Massachusetts, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tales of the Cryptids: Mysterious Creatures That May or May Not Exist (Darby Creek Publishing) (School & Library Binding)

I am always on the prowl for books that will excite my eight-year-old sons, particularly if they don't have to do with underpants or wizards. With apologies to Dav Pilkey and J.K. Rowling, both of whom write fantastic books, I need a little variety. And so I was ecstatic to find TALES OF THE CRYPTIDS on the new non-fiction shelf in the library children's room. So ecstatic, in fact, that I kept the book hidden in my office until I had a chance to sit down and read it myself. It is fabulous, fabulous, fabulous (that's one for each of the book's three co-creators).

This meaty middle-grade non-fiction title takes readers on an adventure in cryptozoology. "Crypto-What?" asks the opening chapter title. Cryptozoology, "the study of and searching for legendary animals--called cryptids--to find out if there's any possibility that these mysterious animals people say they've seen really exist." From Bigfoot to the Loch Ness Monster to prehistoric cryptids you may never have heard of, this book tells readers what is true, what is not, and what scientists just can't be sure about.

In addition to being plain interesting, the book is designed well and is illustrated with a nice blend of photographs and drawings. The authors include a "Reality Index" to help readers tease hoaxes from reality as well as a thorough bibliography of books, articles and web sites for readers who want to continue their cryptid studies. I love that the authors had the courage to turn an objective eye to a fabulously interesting topic that happens to be fraught with doubt and disbelief. The result is a book that helps young readers to realize that all scientific investigation, cryptozoology included, requires a careful balance of skepticism and open-mindedness.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cryptozoology's Top Expert, June 8, 2006

By 

Freelance Writer (Spokane, Washington United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tales of the Cryptids: Mysterious Creatures That May or May Not Exist (Darby Creek Publishing) (School & Library Binding)

This is what Loren Coleman said about our book:

"CRYPTID is worthy of being in every children's library in the world. It is time for cryptozoology to be seen as the new frontier of learning it is, and Kelly Milner Halls's book is one I would highly recommend for kids."

Loren Coleman, the world's greatest living cryptozoologist and author of over 25 books, including "Becoming a Cryptozoologist."

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mysterious, fun Cryptids!, September 14, 2006

By 

Candie Moonshower "Candie Moonshower" (Nashville, TN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tales of the Cryptids: Mysterious Creatures That May or May Not Exist (Darby Creek Publishing) (School & Library Binding)

This book is a gem for anyone interested in cryptozoology. And what kid isn't fascinated by tales of Sasquatch and the Loch Ness Monster and other such creatures that are shrouded in mystery and legend? In TALES OF THE CRYPTIDS, Halls, Spears and Young have done a fine job of presenting the stories of various cryptids. A fun read!