Fearsome Creatures of the Lumberwoods: 20 Chilling Tales from the Wilderness

Described as a “reimagining” of an early 20th-century book of the same name by William Cox, this delightful collection of tall tales stands on its own as an exploration of weird creatures from American folklore. From the giant land fish known as the slide-rock bolter to the long-limbed acropelter, “closely related to the African baboon but slightly more evil,” animals of myth and legend populate the pages, making Johnson’s (Immortal Lycanthropes) collection a perfect way to introduce younger readers to cryptozoology. An unnamed narrator spins cautionary tales in which unwary travelers, unwise hunters, and unexpected historical figures encounter cactus cats, hodags, hoop snakes, squonks, and more—each entry stranger and more tongue-in-cheek than the one before. Off-kilter typography gives the stories an additional air of sur­reality, while Mead renders the creatures with expressive detail, bringing them (or the unfortunate aftermaths of their encounters) to life in creepy b&w cartoons. These are stories to be read late at night to an audience willing to be surprised, startled, and kept up wondering about what might lurk nearby. Ages 9–12. (Sept.)