(2) 4-6 A prehistoric monster was sighted in Loch Ness! People say they have seen it. Newspapers have reported it. But does it really exist? Fleming involves readers in the hunt: “You are an investigator for the Black Swan Scientific Investigation (BSSI) team. Your job is to unravel -- if you can -- the natural world’s greatest mysteries. Ghosts. Sea serpents. Aliens from outer space. You’ve tackled them all by asking the right questions and looking for evidence.” In the untangling of this famous mystery, Fleming lets readers in on the tools of historical detection and narrative nonfiction writing, of which she is a master. Reader-sleuths learn the difference between direct and circumstantial evidence, and between evidence and proof. It turns out there’s plenty of evidence, but is there proof? In the years since the first sightings almost a century ago, people have tried many ways to locate the monster: submarines, sonar, underwater cameras, infrared cameras, and even a gigantic comb raked through the water. But “no definitive evidence has been found.” Sightings continue today, and “Nessie swims on, swift and elusive, in the imagination of millions.” Back matter includes an extensive bibliography and source notes.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2025

(2) 4-6 Twins Allie and Jay's family needs help from the boggart, his cousin Nessie, and other creatures from Scottish folklore to thwart a real-estate developer's plans for a resort hotel. The juxtaposition of modern science and old magic, the boggart's mischievous humor, and the warm family relationships are big draws for readers. Though this new adventure stands on its own, it will surely send readers looking for The Boggart and The Boggart and the Monster.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2018

(4) 4-6 Monster Mania series. A wide-range of legendary "monsters" are discussed in this series. Each volume focuses on a specific category and details stories from ancient times up through modern pop culture. Color illustrations and photographs feature various depictions of the creatures. The occasionally crammed paragraphs and hurried texts still provide lots of information for curious readers. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Monster Mania titles: Sea Monsters, Beastly Monsters, Magic Monsters, and Undead Monsters.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) K-3 Bolt: Strange...but True? series. This hi-lo series explores the history behind paranormal phenomena and why some people believe in them and others believe they're fantasy or hoaxes; ultimately, readers are asked to decide for themselves. Each slight discussion is illustrated with a jarring mix of photos and computer renderings and includes a short "Believe It or Not?" quiz. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Bolt: Strange...but True? titles: Area 51, Crop Circles, Loch Ness Monster, Vampires, and Werewolves.

Reviewer: Lauren Chambers

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Garry Parsons. Whether at Eddie's birthday party, on an island, or even in London, Uncle Morton's pet dragons, Ziggy and Arthur, wreak havoc for dragonsitter Eddie. Somehow everything always works out, though Uncle Morton avoids helping at all costs. Told in email exchanges and plentiful black-and-white illustrations, Eddie's humorous adventures make for engaging light fantasy. Review covers these titles: The Dragonsitter to the Rescue, The Dragonsitter's Island, and The Dragonsitter's Party.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) K-3 Unexplained: What's the Evidence? series. The intriguing questions remain (necessarily) unanswered in these slim books. Still, the paranormal-mystery topics are perennially popular, and the books' copious illustrations and photographs, accessible texts, and clear organization satisfy some requirements of report-writing...as long as no conclusions must be drawn. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Unexplained: What's the Evidence? titles: Are Crop Circles Real?, Is the Bermuda Triangle Real?, and Is the Loch Ness Monster Real?.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(4) 1-3 Yeti Files series. In their second adventure, yeti Blizz and the cryptids trek to Scotland and then travel back to the time of the dinosaurs to help the Loch Ness Monster "find others like her." The design, featuring cartoony black-and-white illustrations, isn't always easy to follow but may draw in reluctant readers. What the story lacks in depth, it makes up for in goofy, slapstick humor.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) 4-6 Cryptid Files series. Vanessa shares her late mother's interest in cryptozoology. In Loch Ness, aiming to continue her mom's research, Vanessa travels to Scotland and has a dangerous encounter with Nessie. Chupacabra finds Vanessa in Mexico, dealing with inexplicable animal deaths, strange visions, and dark secrets. Brief, informative contextual notes open each chapter. Character development is sacrificed for fast-paced action, but this series should interest reluctant readers curious about legends and cryptozoology. Review covers these Cryptid Files titles: The Chupacabra and The Loch Ness Monster.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) 4-6 Enduring Mysteries series. Karst explores mysteries that linger prominently in our culture. Could Bigfoot and Nessie be real? Could aliens have visited Earth? Is there something supernatural about the Bermuda Triangle? These books present balanced views that include modern-day scientific inquiry while still leaving room for kids to use their imaginations. The accessible texts are well punctuated with glossy photos and maps. Websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Enduring Mysteries titles: Area 51, Bermuda Triangle, Bigfoot, and Loch Ness Monster.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Lynn Munsinger. Legendary monster Nessie's son Angus is banished to his room for being messy. When his personal junk pile bursts through the surface of the loch, one look at "land-monsters"--a goat, duck, and cow--scares Angus into cleaning up and remaining in the lake's depths where he belongs. Munsinger's watercolors further the silly humor. A Scottish glossary is included.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Andy Harkness. Based on a Disney animated short film, this is the tale of how sea monster Nessie is forced from her home by a mini-golf-course developer. This sad event leads to many tears, which results in formation of her own loch. It's not much of a story, but Nessie's pluck and the Scots-inflected rhymes are uplifting. The Disneyfied art is smooth, assured, and obviously made by pros.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) 4-6 Mysterious & Unknown series. This information-packed volume covers early Nessie anecdotes and the buildup of the Loch Ness legend. It also describes search expeditions and hoaxes (suspected and confirmed) centered on this elusive creature, as well as theories about what animal or natural phenomena it might actually be. Photos, illustrations, pull-quotes, and sidebars break up the dense text (though some could be better placed). Reading list, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Sethany Rancier Alongi

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Scott Magoon. On a trip to Scotland, oatmeal-loathing Katerina-Elizabeth tosses her breakfast overboard--to the delight of a pursuing ocean worm, who eats it and grows to become the Loch Ness Monster. Gorey-esque typeface and sepia, olive, and sea-green illustrations of a fin-de-siècle ocean crossing lend a delicious darkness to the lighthearted story, which concludes with a scientific note on picky eaters.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) K-3 Kellogg has created new illustrations for and rewritten his story of Louis's mysterious tadpole that grows into a Loch Ness monster. The humor and exaggeration are still intact, and both the energetic, newly colorful art and the text contains more dialogue. This increased clarity comes at the expense of the nuances and surprises of the original edition.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian | Horn Book Magazine Issue: February, 1978

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Will Hillenbrand. St. Patrick helps create the Loch Ness Monster in this hybrid tale. He charms all of Ireland's snakes into the sea, except for one sneaky red one, which he locks in a box and sinks into Loch Ness, where it grows and grows. Droll mixed-media illustrations of the face-off between wily snake and determined saint carry off this ridiculous tall tale.

Reviewer: Pamela McCuen