Exploring The Monster

Legendary creatures such as Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster hold endless fascination for people around the globe. Do these creatures really exist? Countless eyewitnesses say yes, and scientists are discovering new animal species every year, so perhaps it isn’t impossible. But how would such large animals survive? Where would they live, and what would they eat? In Monster Hunt, Jim Arnosky presents mythical creatures of the past and gigantic prehistoric animals that have survived to the present. He examines accounts of Kraken, Bigfoot, and Nessie, and then invites readers to join him in exploring what might be living in the deep waters of Lake Champlain. With its combination of folklore, natural history, and field research, this beautifully illustrated book is ideal for anyone who is curious and enjoys a little mystery.

Monsters are real—and they're everywhere in nature! Animal Planet meets Godzilla in this nonfiction picture book that puts the "Ack!" into backyard science. Some people think monsters are the stuff of nightmares—the stuff of scary movies and Halloween. But monsters can also be found right in your backyard. Animals like aye-ayes, goblin sharks and vampire bats may look scary, but they pose no threat to humans. Others, such as the prairie dog, seem innocent—cute, even—yet their behavior could give you goose bumps. What makes a monster? Read this book to find out, if you dare. . . . Jess Keating and David DeGrand, the author illustrator team behind Pink Is for Blobfish will have readers shrieking with laughter at this latest installment to the World of Weird Animals series.

Explore the enigmatic waters of Loch Ness with this fascinating read. Delve into the world of cryptids and hidden creatures, and dive into eyewitness accounts, historical sightings, and scientific investigations. Uncover the truth behind the legend through sonar surveys, photographic evidence, and psychological impacts, leaving the curious spellbound by the mysteries that lurk beneath the surface.

He was the final addition to Universal's "royal family" of movie monsters: the Creature from the Black Lagoon. With his scaly armor, razor claws and a face only a mother octopus could love, this Amazon denizen was perhaps the most fearsome beast in the history of Hollywood's Studio of Horrors. But he also possessed a sympathetic quality which elevated him fathoms above the many aquatic monsters who swam in his wake. Everything you ever wanted to know about the Gill Man and his mid-1950s film career (Creature from the Black Lagoon, Revenge of the Creature, The Creature Walks Among Us) is collected in this book, packed to the gills with hour-by-hour production histories, cast bios, analyses, explorations of the music, script-to-screen comparisons, in-depth interviews and an ocean of fin-tastic photos.

Ms. Frizzle takes the class on a camping trip, but Arnold is worried about monsters, and sets out to create a "Monster Scaring Perimeter" powered by a generator to keep the lights on--and in the process the class learns about sources of clean energy (and maybe monsters)

Are You My Monster? is a colorful, funny, first monster book especially for babies and toddlers, inspired by the award-winning I Need My Monster. Can you help the little boy find the monster that matches his drawing so he can go to sleep? In Are You My Monster?, a monster-loving boy tries to find his monster. He compares his drawing—showing a green monster with a long tail, pointy nails, and big teeth—with an assortment of amusing monsters, until he finds the perfect match. This turns out to be his beloved STUFFED monster toy. Youngest children will love comparing colors, checking if tails are long or short, if nails are pointy or round, if teeth are big or small until they, too, find the monster who is a perfect match.

Monsters have been spotted everywhere, not just hiding under a child’s bed, lurking in the closet, or springing forth from folkloric tales. For many people, monsters are nothing more than myth, folklore, and legend combined. For others—and particularly those who have encountered monstrous forms surfacing and emerging from shadowy caves, from the dark waters of ancient lakes, and from the vast jungles and forests of our worlds—monsters are all too terrifyingly real. Werewolves, Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, the Chupacabra, Mothman, the Abominable Snowman, and sea serpents may represent the most famous monsters, but they are not alone. In fact, quite the opposite: monsters can be found all across the planet. Exploring the history, folklore, pop culture, and the world of the supernatural, The Monster Book: Creatures, Beasts, and Fiends of Nature is a comprehensive resource of the monster menagerie that exists on planet earth. This fascinating look at monsters has 120 photographs, drawings, and illustrations to bring the nearly 200 entries to life, including The Mongolian Death Worm; The Beast of Bray Road; The Owlman of England; The Yeren of China; Mokele Mbembe; Living Pterosaurs; The Flatwoods Monster; The Labynkyr Devil; Alien Big Cats; Lizard Man; Lake Worth Monster; The Beast of Gevaudan; Megalania, the Monstrous Monitor; South American Sasquatch; Nessie’s lesser known cousin; The Jersey Devil; Sea Serpents; Orang Pendek; and Phantom Black Dogs. Stories of these creatures are told around flickering campfires on chilly nights in the woods, before tucking excited kids into bed, on prime-time television documentaries, and on late-night radio talk shows. Tales of terrifying creatures that the world of science assures us don’t exist. But try telling that to the witnesses. This richly researched reference overflows with fascinating information to make readers think about—and reconsider—their next visit to the woods. This fascinating read also includes a helpful bibliography and an extensive index, adding to its usefulness.

What do you do when your inner "Want Monster" is out of control--again? This quirky, engaging picture book brings mindfulness practice to a problem that all kids--and even adults--can relate to. It's a scenario that is familiar to all parents: you and your child are in a toy store, or walking past an ice cream truck and instantaneously, your child's "want monster" kicks into high gear. Often, giving in only leads to more and more wanting. What to do? The Want Monsters takes a unique and humorous look at how one boy learns how to calm Oskar, his "Want Monster." He says that often Oskar is a fun and lively companion, urging him to push the envelope in all sorts of situations--eating too much ice cream, playing video games until his thumbs fall off, needing to be the center of attention "way too much." But the boy gets tired of the drama and fallout from it, and, after getting some advice from a wise worm, finds a way to tame Oskar without hurting his feelings--or destroying the good and motivating energy that "wanting" can also generate. This is a warm and relatable story for children ages 4-8, with beautiful, bright drawings that are executed with humor and subtlety.

A whimsical story about childhood imagination and the freedom to be oneself. Parents always tell their children to go play with other children on the playground. When the mother in Hello, Monster! tells her son to join another boy in the sandbox while he is happily playing by himself, he rebels. His mother never talks to strangers, and what if the other boy is a monster disguised as a child that will trap him in his underground kingdom with all the other children who cook his meals and look after his pet moles? The boy hatches a plan for all of them to escape, but when they do, they encounter a black panther. Luckily, the panther prefers to eat monsters over children, and after his dinner, he tells the children stories of the jungle until five in the morning. The children watch the sun rise as they return home to their worried parents, who feel guilty and let them stay home and eat cake all day, never telling them to “go play with that boy” ever again. With lively and whimsical illustrations, Hello, Monster! is a creative story about respect for the imagination, solitude, and children’s inner worlds.