In Search of Sasquatch
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