(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Tom Mead. Supposed true stories of cryptids teach young readers to survive the North American wilderness. The twenty short tales of fearsome creatures inspired by American folklore read like the guidebook of an eccentric monster hunter. Johnson's snarky humor lightens the weird and genuinely scary stories; readers of all ages will cower at Mead's creepy glow-in-the-dark illustrations. An appendix contains "facts" about each creature.

Reviewer: Jenn Matters

(4) YA After Myron Horowitz, a horrifically scarred thirteen-year-old who looks eight, bests a bully at a school, he becomes the target of immortal shape-shifting animals who believe, correctly, that he's one of them. His resulting odyssey (kidnappings, secret societies, would-be world despots) is exciting if rather disjointed. Overly chatty narration and a violent tone may put off some readers; others will enjoy the wild ride.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam