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The Bigfoot Files
From the author of Hour of the Bees comes another captivating story that deftly blurs the line between reality and magic -- and will leave you wondering What if?
The Loch Ness Monster. The Frogman. Bigfoot. Twelve-year-old Miranda Cho used to believe in it all, used to love poring over every strange footprint, every stray hair, everything that proved that the world was full of wonders. But that was before her mother's obsession with monsters cost Miranda her friends and her perfect school record, before Miranda found the stack of unopened bills and notices of foreclosure in the silverware drawer. Now the fact that her mom's a cryptozoologist doesn't seem wonderful -- it's embarrassing and irresponsible, and it could cost them everything. So Miranda agrees to go on one last creature hunt, determined to use all her scientific know-how to prove to her mother, once and for all, that Bigfoot isn't real. Then her mom will have no choice but to grow up and get a real job -- one that will pay the mortgage and allow Miranda to attend the leadership camp of her dreams. But when the trip goes horribly awry, will it be Miranda who's forced to question everything she believes?
The Loch Ness Monster. The Frogman. Bigfoot. Twelve-year-old Miranda Cho used to believe in it all, used to love poring over every strange footprint, every stray hair, everything that proved that the world was full of wonders. But that was before her mother's obsession with monsters cost Miranda her friends and her perfect school record, before Miranda found the stack of unopened bills and notices of foreclosure in the silverware drawer. Now the fact that her mom's a cryptozoologist doesn't seem wonderful -- it's embarrassing and irresponsible, and it could cost them everything. So Miranda agrees to go on one last creature hunt, determined to use all her scientific know-how to prove to her mother, once and for all, that Bigfoot isn't real. Then her mom will have no choice but to grow up and get a real job -- one that will pay the mortgage and allow Miranda to attend the leadership camp of her dreams. But when the trip goes horribly awry, will it be Miranda who's forced to question everything she believes?
384 pages, Hardcover
First published September 19, 2018
21 people are currently reading
369 people want to read
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November 12, 2018
I love when a book unexpectedly surprises you and you discover an author you've never read before and knew little about, but find that you give yourself over to their writing with such trust because they are wonderful at weaving their tale. One does not see the cover and title of a book The Bigfoot Files and think: Mother-daughter relationships.
As a boy, like many kids, I was fascinated by all manner of legendary creatures: Loch Ness monster, Bigfoot, the Lizard Man (a South Carolina creature that I learned about at summer camp and cost me many sleepless nights that week I was there). My friends and I spent every moment that wasn't an activity required of us by the camp, searching for clues and any trace of the Lizard Man, but to no avail. My friends and I could find no proof that this Lizard Man even existed in anything but our overactive imaginations and tales told by campfires at night. Now, over forty years later, I look back on that time with nostalgia and fondness.
It is with such memories that I come to Lindsay Eagar's wondrous novel The Bigfoot Files. What would my life be like if I, as an adult, still searched for the Lizard Man? What would the life of my kids be like if I was obsessed with such a pursuit? Well, Miranda Cho's mother does. Her mother, Kat, a cryptozoologist, goes on sudden, spur-of-the-moment trips to remote wilderness locations in search of the elusive Bigfoot and drags her daughter with her. Her mother runs a blog - The Bigfoot Files.
"She and her mother had been hunting for years. She was ready to know . . . What if this is it? What if I turn the corner, around this pine, down this gulley, and I see him? What if we found Bigfoot?"
Miranda is tired of her mother's fruitless searches, of the endless trips, and the interruptions it has caused on her young life. She needs proof. She's tired of trying to find proof that isn't there. Miranda's tired of chasing shadows. All Miranda wants is a normal life but her mother's treks have taken that away from the girl. Lindsay Eagar excels at using both interior thoughts and exterior descriptions to put the reader in Miranda's place, to have us see and feel through the character, such as in this simple passage:
The oak leaves turned over, a soft breeze finding them above Miranda's head. And beside her, something rustled the well-manicured hedges trimmed along the junior high building. Her pulse spiked and her breathing slowed, her back straightening against the trunk, All involuntary reactions, her body triggered by the sound of twigs snapping and the smell of fresh air. It's nothing, she told herself. A squirrel or a bird.
Her mind knew there were no such things as monsters, but her body was slower to convince. When a pigeon hopped between bushes, she still exhaled harder than was necessary.
It was always nothing.
We see the struggle of a twelve-year-old girl who is having to be the adult to her own mother. A girl who is so stressed that she pulls out strands of her own hair. A girl who only wants to go to a leadership conference in Washington, DC but is in fear of losing even that dream because of all the days she's missed in school because of her mother's crazy trips to find Bigfoot.
So what happens when Miranda agrees to go on one last Bigfoot trip with the goal of simply proving her mother wrong once and for all? But we, the readers, watch and begin to question ourselves if magic is really real?
Lindsay Eagar's book is captivating and emotional. The relationship and the strain that comes from the tensions between mother and daughter as well as a child growing up really underpin this story. Eagar has a way of allowing the reader to see and feel what her characters are. She writes gorgeous prose that is poetic and yet is absolutely necessary for portraying the thoughts, feelings, and actions of Miranda. This is a glorious work of fiction.
As a boy, like many kids, I was fascinated by all manner of legendary creatures: Loch Ness monster, Bigfoot, the Lizard Man (a South Carolina creature that I learned about at summer camp and cost me many sleepless nights that week I was there). My friends and I spent every moment that wasn't an activity required of us by the camp, searching for clues and any trace of the Lizard Man, but to no avail. My friends and I could find no proof that this Lizard Man even existed in anything but our overactive imaginations and tales told by campfires at night. Now, over forty years later, I look back on that time with nostalgia and fondness.
It is with such memories that I come to Lindsay Eagar's wondrous novel The Bigfoot Files. What would my life be like if I, as an adult, still searched for the Lizard Man? What would the life of my kids be like if I was obsessed with such a pursuit? Well, Miranda Cho's mother does. Her mother, Kat, a cryptozoologist, goes on sudden, spur-of-the-moment trips to remote wilderness locations in search of the elusive Bigfoot and drags her daughter with her. Her mother runs a blog - The Bigfoot Files.
"She and her mother had been hunting for years. She was ready to know . . . What if this is it? What if I turn the corner, around this pine, down this gulley, and I see him? What if we found Bigfoot?"
Miranda is tired of her mother's fruitless searches, of the endless trips, and the interruptions it has caused on her young life. She needs proof. She's tired of trying to find proof that isn't there. Miranda's tired of chasing shadows. All Miranda wants is a normal life but her mother's treks have taken that away from the girl. Lindsay Eagar excels at using both interior thoughts and exterior descriptions to put the reader in Miranda's place, to have us see and feel through the character, such as in this simple passage:
The oak leaves turned over, a soft breeze finding them above Miranda's head. And beside her, something rustled the well-manicured hedges trimmed along the junior high building. Her pulse spiked and her breathing slowed, her back straightening against the trunk, All involuntary reactions, her body triggered by the sound of twigs snapping and the smell of fresh air. It's nothing, she told herself. A squirrel or a bird.
Her mind knew there were no such things as monsters, but her body was slower to convince. When a pigeon hopped between bushes, she still exhaled harder than was necessary.
It was always nothing.
We see the struggle of a twelve-year-old girl who is having to be the adult to her own mother. A girl who is so stressed that she pulls out strands of her own hair. A girl who only wants to go to a leadership conference in Washington, DC but is in fear of losing even that dream because of all the days she's missed in school because of her mother's crazy trips to find Bigfoot.
So what happens when Miranda agrees to go on one last Bigfoot trip with the goal of simply proving her mother wrong once and for all? But we, the readers, watch and begin to question ourselves if magic is really real?
Lindsay Eagar's book is captivating and emotional. The relationship and the strain that comes from the tensions between mother and daughter as well as a child growing up really underpin this story. Eagar has a way of allowing the reader to see and feel what her characters are. She writes gorgeous prose that is poetic and yet is absolutely necessary for portraying the thoughts, feelings, and actions of Miranda. This is a glorious work of fiction.
December 28, 2018
I received an ARC copy from netgalley for my honest review, so thank you netgalley and publishers for offering me this book! ♡
The Loch Ness Monster. The Frogman. Bigfoot. Twelve-year-old Miranda Cho used to believe in it all, used to love poring over every strange footprint, every stray hair, everything that proved that the world was full of wonders. But that was before her mother’s obsession with monsters cost Miranda her friends and her perfect school record, before Miranda found the stack of unopened bills and notices of foreclosure in the silverware drawer. Now the fact that her mom’s a cryptozoologist doesn’t seem wonderful — it’s embarrassing and irresponsible, and it could cost them everything. So Miranda agrees to go on one last creature hunt, determined to use all her scientific know-how to prove to her mother, once and for all, that Bigfoot isn’t real. Then her mom will have no choice but to grow up and get a real job — one that will pay the mortgage and allow Miranda to attend the leadership camp of her dreams. But when the trip goes horribly awry, will it be Miranda who’s forced to question everything she believes?
The cover and title is what originally drew me to this book.
This is my first book by this author. It was alltogether an easy read. ♡ I give this book a
4 star rating!
The Loch Ness Monster. The Frogman. Bigfoot. Twelve-year-old Miranda Cho used to believe in it all, used to love poring over every strange footprint, every stray hair, everything that proved that the world was full of wonders. But that was before her mother’s obsession with monsters cost Miranda her friends and her perfect school record, before Miranda found the stack of unopened bills and notices of foreclosure in the silverware drawer. Now the fact that her mom’s a cryptozoologist doesn’t seem wonderful — it’s embarrassing and irresponsible, and it could cost them everything. So Miranda agrees to go on one last creature hunt, determined to use all her scientific know-how to prove to her mother, once and for all, that Bigfoot isn’t real. Then her mom will have no choice but to grow up and get a real job — one that will pay the mortgage and allow Miranda to attend the leadership camp of her dreams. But when the trip goes horribly awry, will it be Miranda who’s forced to question everything she believes?
The cover and title is what originally drew me to this book.
This is my first book by this author. It was alltogether an easy read. ♡ I give this book a
4 star rating!
August 29, 2018
**I received an ARC of this book - thanks so much to Candewick Press for sending me a copy but it didn't change my opinion!**
So, if you know me at all, you know I have to read allllllllllllllllllllllllllllll the YA and MG Bigfoot books. If I even see the hint of the big furry creature, this girl is 245% in. So, when I found a book that not only features my love AND other magical, crytozoological creatures? This girl had to put a lid on herself because she was about to spill over with the feels.
However, I didn't quite expect what I fully got with this book. Like, this was dark, emotional Bigfoot???? Like Bigfoot was Bigfoot but he was also a symbol of some dark, emotional things that were going on with Miranda's family situation. Like, I only thought I would be crying because I had too many Bigfoot feels, but I was crying because things were really sad and tense and panicky at parts??? Also this is magic realism that doesn't pop up until halfway in the book? They were changes that I didn't see coming with my innocent Bigfoot loving eyes, but it actually really really worked for this?
There was a lot going on in this little book, but it was all very intriguing and I was in deep with it. We're introduced to our 12 year old heroine, Miranda, who is class president, academically smart and all about making a plan and getting it down. Basically, a kid after my own heart because lists are epic. Miranda is crushed, though, by the embarrassment that her mom brings by the Critter Mobile loads, her quest for perfection, and how she deeply desires to have a friend who isn't scared off by her mom. When she finds a hidden drawer of stacked up bills with final notices, her panic goes in overdrive, and she sets up a plan to show her mom that if Miranda can't find Bigfoot, all hope is lost and it's time for Mom to give up the Bigfoot and grow up.
The characters were brilliant. I loved Miranda and Kat, her mother. I could easily see where both of them were coming from. I could see the desire to believe in the unexplained and do what makes you passionate, but also, I'm far more like Miranda where I see you have to go with your head instead of your heart. Miranda easily felt like the parent in the relationship, and my heart was so sad for all the stress on her. Yes, this book makes you feel so deeply with each of the characters that I literally am talking about these people like they're real and LIKE, WHAT IS THIS. WASN'T I JUST HERE FOR THE BIGFOOT? They also had such an interesting and realistic dynamic, and it was beautiful and heartbreaking to see the struggle and journey they had to go on.
The writing was quite good as well. This book read like a cross between a YA book and a middle grade book. As I said, it got really emotional and kind of dark in parts that I sometimes was like, wow, I would have not appreciated this fully as a kid. I definitely think YA readers would like this to cross over into the genre or if MG readers are looking to start reading YA books. But Eagar definitely knew how to create a flow and feelings and had some great pacing since I was never bored.
The setting was amazing, too. Like, the descriptions were just AMAZING. I totally felt that I was in the forest that Kat and Miranda were in. I could feel the mist and the humidity and just I loved being in the woods in this book. It was brilliant, and I was just so immersed.
I also love the fact that I could never really tell where we were going with the book. I mean, it takes us about halfway to get to the real action of the story. I never really figured out if we were just here for the Bigfoot fun or if there was like some big twist - and trust me, there is a twist of sorts and we switch genres and it actually was really really cool. This is a genre that I can get behind and it felt very organic to the story, which could have been really jarring had Eagar not flowed it so seamlessly.
Also, there was a great amount of Bigfoot action, and I was all for it.
Overall, this wasn't quite the book I thought I was getting, but it ended up being an emotional, magical book that I totally got behind. It was a quiet in its twists and turns, but I really connected with the characters, the writing, and the setting. There was just enough of a something to make it not a favorite for me - I think because of just how deeper and darker it was than I expected it to be - but it was still such a great read for me. 5 crowns and a Tiana rating!
So, if you know me at all, you know I have to read allllllllllllllllllllllllllllll the YA and MG Bigfoot books. If I even see the hint of the big furry creature, this girl is 245% in. So, when I found a book that not only features my love AND other magical, crytozoological creatures? This girl had to put a lid on herself because she was about to spill over with the feels.
However, I didn't quite expect what I fully got with this book. Like, this was dark, emotional Bigfoot???? Like Bigfoot was Bigfoot but he was also a symbol of some dark, emotional things that were going on with Miranda's family situation. Like, I only thought I would be crying because I had too many Bigfoot feels, but I was crying because things were really sad and tense and panicky at parts??? Also this is magic realism that doesn't pop up until halfway in the book? They were changes that I didn't see coming with my innocent Bigfoot loving eyes, but it actually really really worked for this?
There was a lot going on in this little book, but it was all very intriguing and I was in deep with it. We're introduced to our 12 year old heroine, Miranda, who is class president, academically smart and all about making a plan and getting it down. Basically, a kid after my own heart because lists are epic. Miranda is crushed, though, by the embarrassment that her mom brings by the Critter Mobile loads, her quest for perfection, and how she deeply desires to have a friend who isn't scared off by her mom. When she finds a hidden drawer of stacked up bills with final notices, her panic goes in overdrive, and she sets up a plan to show her mom that if Miranda can't find Bigfoot, all hope is lost and it's time for Mom to give up the Bigfoot and grow up.
The characters were brilliant. I loved Miranda and Kat, her mother. I could easily see where both of them were coming from. I could see the desire to believe in the unexplained and do what makes you passionate, but also, I'm far more like Miranda where I see you have to go with your head instead of your heart. Miranda easily felt like the parent in the relationship, and my heart was so sad for all the stress on her. Yes, this book makes you feel so deeply with each of the characters that I literally am talking about these people like they're real and LIKE, WHAT IS THIS. WASN'T I JUST HERE FOR THE BIGFOOT? They also had such an interesting and realistic dynamic, and it was beautiful and heartbreaking to see the struggle and journey they had to go on.
The writing was quite good as well. This book read like a cross between a YA book and a middle grade book. As I said, it got really emotional and kind of dark in parts that I sometimes was like, wow, I would have not appreciated this fully as a kid. I definitely think YA readers would like this to cross over into the genre or if MG readers are looking to start reading YA books. But Eagar definitely knew how to create a flow and feelings and had some great pacing since I was never bored.
The setting was amazing, too. Like, the descriptions were just AMAZING. I totally felt that I was in the forest that Kat and Miranda were in. I could feel the mist and the humidity and just I loved being in the woods in this book. It was brilliant, and I was just so immersed.
I also love the fact that I could never really tell where we were going with the book. I mean, it takes us about halfway to get to the real action of the story. I never really figured out if we were just here for the Bigfoot fun or if there was like some big twist - and trust me, there is a twist of sorts and we switch genres and it actually was really really cool. This is a genre that I can get behind and it felt very organic to the story, which could have been really jarring had Eagar not flowed it so seamlessly.
Also, there was a great amount of Bigfoot action, and I was all for it.
Overall, this wasn't quite the book I thought I was getting, but it ended up being an emotional, magical book that I totally got behind. It was a quiet in its twists and turns, but I really connected with the characters, the writing, and the setting. There was just enough of a something to make it not a favorite for me - I think because of just how deeper and darker it was than I expected it to be - but it was still such a great read for me. 5 crowns and a Tiana rating!
December 4, 2018
I am FEELING THINGS!!
THE BIGFOOT FILES is the story of Miranda, a hyper-practical girl dealing with her cryptozoologist mother. But there are so many threads to this book, including absent fathers, obsessive compulsive tendencies, friendship fallouts, money worries, school pressures...yet it manages to combat these AND keep a beautifully magical tone.
The scenes in the Fable Forest were my favourite. The imagery Eagar uses is so vivid and ethereal, and the bonding between Miranda and Kat was tenderly wrought. There was danger, monsters (or WERE they monsters?), and a fantastical combination of real-world and outlandish tensions. If I had one complaint, it was that the dynamic between Kat and Miranda felt a bit monotonous after a while, with the kooky/sensible dynamic being enforced again and again. But overall, I ADORED this book, the magic and the heart, and I'll be recommending it to MG fans of all genres!
Thank you to Netgalley and Candlewick Press for access.
THE BIGFOOT FILES is the story of Miranda, a hyper-practical girl dealing with her cryptozoologist mother. But there are so many threads to this book, including absent fathers, obsessive compulsive tendencies, friendship fallouts, money worries, school pressures...yet it manages to combat these AND keep a beautifully magical tone.
The scenes in the Fable Forest were my favourite. The imagery Eagar uses is so vivid and ethereal, and the bonding between Miranda and Kat was tenderly wrought. There was danger, monsters (or WERE they monsters?), and a fantastical combination of real-world and outlandish tensions. If I had one complaint, it was that the dynamic between Kat and Miranda felt a bit monotonous after a while, with the kooky/sensible dynamic being enforced again and again. But overall, I ADORED this book, the magic and the heart, and I'll be recommending it to MG fans of all genres!
Thank you to Netgalley and Candlewick Press for access.
June 17, 2018
The Bigfoot Files is a magical book that makes you want to believe! 12 year old Miranda has lost the magic of her childhood, and is dealing with some very grownup problems. From the pressure of middle school, to the loss of friends, a runaway father, and a mother who acts like a child, Miranda is so stressed she’s pulling out her own hair. She decides to take one last trip with her mom to get their life back on track. The trip turns out to be more of adventure than she bargained for as she strives to regain her belief in magic and regain her mother/daughter bond. I received an ARC of this book in a stack of adult novels. I chose this one from the stack because it seemed quirky and fun. I soon realized that is is actually a middle grade book, but it’s so well written I would highly recommend it to middle grade, teens, and adults.
October 20, 2018
This book has a lot in it. There is a lot to digest. I applaud the author for doing his with a middle grade novel. Middle grade is often known for its fun, it is whimsical and fantasy filled. Even the realistic fiction is presented this way. I would call this book magical realism. There is a suspension of belief. I mean the title tells you that we are dealing with Bigfoot, right? Miranda is a little girl going on 30 because she feels she has to be the adult to her mother's make believe. In this book you get a real portrayal of a troubled family, a troubled mother daughter relationship. You get self harm in the for of hair pulling. You watch friendships begin and end and begin again. You get all this and you sill end with hope. Maybe Kat is right. Maybe Bigfoot is real. I guess we'll never know.
June 15, 2019
Okay – if you are a fan of Bigfoot, Lochness monster, actually anything like that at all, you need to read this. Person I am a massive fan of anything like this, any animal conspiracies then I am all over it like a fat kid on grandma’s freshly baked cookies. Trust me – I am one of those weirdos that believes that there are still Megalodon’s alive, so receiving The Bigfoot Files in the post was honestly the best thing ever, so I had to read it asap!
This was also a little dark and emotional, and were symbolic to Miranda’s family situation. It was dark, harsh, and tense and wow, it was brilliant. I loved how Bigfoot was the symbol for Miranda’s family, and tense situation the family is in.
Our main character is Miranda, who was amazing, I loved her. Miranda is academically smart, organised and has a gorgeous heart. Though embarrassed by her mother Miranda, wishes for a friend that wouldn’t be embarrassed by her mother and what her mother does. And will they be able to find Bigfoot, or just give up?
The emotions of this book were intense and brilliant, I loved it. You go on an emotion rollercoaster with the characters, feel what they are going through with friendships, desire and relationships. Though it is depicted that Miranda is strong minded, you can see that her heart plays a heavy part in her choices.
Honestly, this is the kind of book that you pick up, start and finish in one sitting. Even though you may have the intention of reading a few pages before ‘being an adult’ kicks in and you have to bookmark the page and get up and adult, but you can’t. The writing and story draws you in and before you know it, you have finished the book. Trust me though, this book is well worth not adulting for.
This was also a little dark and emotional, and were symbolic to Miranda’s family situation. It was dark, harsh, and tense and wow, it was brilliant. I loved how Bigfoot was the symbol for Miranda’s family, and tense situation the family is in.
Our main character is Miranda, who was amazing, I loved her. Miranda is academically smart, organised and has a gorgeous heart. Though embarrassed by her mother Miranda, wishes for a friend that wouldn’t be embarrassed by her mother and what her mother does. And will they be able to find Bigfoot, or just give up?
The emotions of this book were intense and brilliant, I loved it. You go on an emotion rollercoaster with the characters, feel what they are going through with friendships, desire and relationships. Though it is depicted that Miranda is strong minded, you can see that her heart plays a heavy part in her choices.
Honestly, this is the kind of book that you pick up, start and finish in one sitting. Even though you may have the intention of reading a few pages before ‘being an adult’ kicks in and you have to bookmark the page and get up and adult, but you can’t. The writing and story draws you in and before you know it, you have finished the book. Trust me though, this book is well worth not adulting for.
March 13, 2019
Ok, I will admit it, I am fascinated by Bigfoot. Sea monsters, the Loch Ness monster, and all those other mythical creatures draw my attention because their identity is baffling. Do you believe it or do you not? Are those individuals who seek after them weird or are they unlucky? When I saw the title and the synopsis for this novel, I had to read it!
Miranda’s mother studies cryptozoology. Her mother investigates and organizes the hunts for legendary creatures, in the hopes of proving their existence. Charting the different sightings, she also manages a blog, and drives the most unique vehicle that you wouldn’t want to be seen in. This wouldn’t be such an issue except with no other relatives to fall back on, Miranda’s had no other choice but to tag along with her mother all these years.
Now that she’s twelve, Miranda is tired of playing along. She feels it’s all a big waste of time and she just wants a normal mom. It’s time to show her that “her big break” is not coming.
Meet Miranda, the overachiever. Miranda strives to be perfect, issue #1. Issue #2, Miranda stretches herself too thin by trying to do too much. Issue #3 Miranda overthinks – she over analyzes situations for which she has no control. When you put these all together with a mother who is trying to “find her big break,” it’s a recipe for disaster.
I really did like the character of Miranda because of the issues that she was dealing with. She thought she hid her frustration and anger but little-by-little, she was coming undone. There were times that I thought Miranda was going to lose control but somehow, she kept it together. I didn’t know what to think about the mom. She was a different and frustrating character to me. I thought she was flaky but then, when she needed to be a parent, she came through. Definitely an interesting read.
Miranda’s mother studies cryptozoology. Her mother investigates and organizes the hunts for legendary creatures, in the hopes of proving their existence. Charting the different sightings, she also manages a blog, and drives the most unique vehicle that you wouldn’t want to be seen in. This wouldn’t be such an issue except with no other relatives to fall back on, Miranda’s had no other choice but to tag along with her mother all these years.
Now that she’s twelve, Miranda is tired of playing along. She feels it’s all a big waste of time and she just wants a normal mom. It’s time to show her that “her big break” is not coming.
Meet Miranda, the overachiever. Miranda strives to be perfect, issue #1. Issue #2, Miranda stretches herself too thin by trying to do too much. Issue #3 Miranda overthinks – she over analyzes situations for which she has no control. When you put these all together with a mother who is trying to “find her big break,” it’s a recipe for disaster.
I really did like the character of Miranda because of the issues that she was dealing with. She thought she hid her frustration and anger but little-by-little, she was coming undone. There were times that I thought Miranda was going to lose control but somehow, she kept it together. I didn’t know what to think about the mom. She was a different and frustrating character to me. I thought she was flaky but then, when she needed to be a parent, she came through. Definitely an interesting read.
September 1, 2019
A fast paced, easy to follow read I would like to rate 3.5 out of 5 stars. I managed to read this overnight and I found this take on Big Foot was quite interesting. Whilst we are following a storyline of chasing big foot, we are also following a story of what it's like to be obsessed with hunting for big foot and the impact it can have with those around them. What I also enjoyed about this book is the big question of "What If" hanging over our heads the entire book. I picked this up as I have never actually read any books that relate to Big Foot - though the Sasquatch was always a creature I found fascinating due to its endless mystery and near discoveries. With special thanks to Walker Books for sending me a review copy of this book.
March 3, 2022
This was a really endearing story about a girl who wishes more than anything that her mother was normal. Although I was initially drawn to this book because I love anything to do with Bigfoot, I truly think this is such a lovely and accessible middle grade that touches on a lot of important issues that go on in parent-child relationships. I heavily identified with Miranda in several instances throughout the book when she felt like she had to be the parental figure or the more mature and independent one whilst Kat was off on another expedition, not fully taking the responsibility of being a parent seriously. This book said so much about tough conversations and the importance of defining familial roles. I really loved this story and seeing how Kat and Miranda's relationship evolved.
September 17, 2019
i really liked that book,it had so much drama and action.it was really enjoyable!
June 17, 2019
I started, intrigued by the story which seemed to boil down to the same basic bones as several other YA books - a teen who is forced to be the parent in the family thanks to an irresponsible adult. With that in mind I moved pretty quickly through the first half of the book as Miranda enacted her plan to shake her mother back to reality. Although really, I was already questioning what was supposed to happen there. Something on this one trip was suddenly going to open her mother's eyes to how crazy she had been? Why would this particular trip with no actual Bigfoot sighting be any different than all the other Bigfootless trips? But I was willing to go along with that idea to see where we ended up.
Then came the second half of the book which read, to me, more like the last 1000 pages of a something I wasn't enjoying. The endless descriptions of the trees and moss were a lot to take right off the bat but at least those were easily skipable. By 60% in I had no idea where we were going here. I suspected we were going to end up with Miranda seeing that her mom was more together than she believed, but does being able to make a fire negate the fact that they might lose their house to foreclosure? Was I going to find out that Miranda was actually in a mental institution? It was a LOOONNNNNNG slog to the end of the book and once I got there, the shift in attitude and resolution to all of Miranda's issues was stupidly quick. Definitely not the book for me!
Then came the second half of the book which read, to me, more like the last 1000 pages of a something I wasn't enjoying. The endless descriptions of the trees and moss were a lot to take right off the bat but at least those were easily skipable. By 60% in I had no idea where we were going here. I suspected we were going to end up with Miranda seeing that her mom was more together than she believed, but does being able to make a fire negate the fact that they might lose their house to foreclosure? Was I going to find out that Miranda was actually in a mental institution? It was a LOOONNNNNNG slog to the end of the book and once I got there, the shift in attitude and resolution to all of Miranda's issues was stupidly quick. Definitely not the book for me!
July 18, 2020
I did not come close to finishing this book, but I feel I need to warn off parents who, like me, think this might be a good fit for their 9 year old Bigfoot lovers. IT IS NOT.
Amazon recommends it for the 9-12 year old age range. I started listening to the audiobook with my kids, and chapter one had the protagonist engaging in minor self injurious behavior (pulling out her own hair) and describing how the momentary pain helps her block out the stress in her life. WTF? Nothing in the description made it sound like this book was attempting to handle youth anxiety, which is an area I admit could use some quality literature. Instead, the description and reviews only mention mother-child relationship issues.
Maybe it was amplified by the audiobook performer, but I couldn't stomach the melodrama in this one. Over the top.
This is the first book my kids have ever asked me to turn off.
This title is well reviewed here on Goodreads and has nothing below 4 🌟 on Amazon, so I recognize I'm in the minority here. But really, this is a good fit for 9 year olds???
Amazon recommends it for the 9-12 year old age range. I started listening to the audiobook with my kids, and chapter one had the protagonist engaging in minor self injurious behavior (pulling out her own hair) and describing how the momentary pain helps her block out the stress in her life. WTF? Nothing in the description made it sound like this book was attempting to handle youth anxiety, which is an area I admit could use some quality literature. Instead, the description and reviews only mention mother-child relationship issues.
Maybe it was amplified by the audiobook performer, but I couldn't stomach the melodrama in this one. Over the top.
This is the first book my kids have ever asked me to turn off.
This title is well reviewed here on Goodreads and has nothing below 4 🌟 on Amazon, so I recognize I'm in the minority here. But really, this is a good fit for 9 year olds???
September 22, 2018
I got this book via NetGalley.
This was a unique middle-grade, to say the least. I had never read a book about Bigfoot before, even though I used to be really into cryptozoology. But this is more than a book about Bigfoot.
The mother-daughter relationship was complicated and somehow really relatable. My mom doesn't chase after cyptids, nor have a car with the face of Bigfoot like a Cars (the movie) phenomenon. But it felt close. Miranda's mom's only job is being a freelancer cryptid blog writer, and for that she needs to travel a lot to look for cryptids. Which aren't a regular thing, mind you, since this is kind of contemporary. Miranda is made to go with her, missing school and losing friends and having to fight within herself with the urge to say to her mother that cryptids aren't real, there's no Bigfoot, please let's just go home I don't want to be in this muddy forest for the next four days for nothing.
First, I'd never choose a seventh grader for student council. This is a recurring thing in the contemporaries I've read recently for some reason and I just can't believe it.
Mother and daughter go on this trip to a forest where Bigfoot has been spotted (as if), and they get lost because of a bear chasing them. The book was okay up to that point, and then everything went downhill for me.
(There are spoilers from this point down)
In this forest, they begin to see things. The bear that chased them was particularly intelligent and didn't quite behave like a bear. They use a giant fish as a boat. They see a weird bug that eats tree cores, which Miranda says she's never heard of before, and she's made really extensive research to go on this trip with her mom. And then she sees fairies and dances with them and they change the color of her hair. But still she chooses not to believe in these creatures, firmly and annoyingly. Every second line is her saying fairies, big fishes and core eating bugs don't exist. She's in a constant bad mood even after these events take place because she can't believe her mother believes in these things that don't exist (even though she had been JUST dancing with fairies). And it's really, really annoying. I couldn't stand her for the second half of the book because of this.
And then they see Bigfoot, and they enter its cave, and Miranda is still in the brink of not believing and I swear to god I was so TIRED of her. Because of how much strength she puts on not believing, on making her mother look ridiculous, on screaming and throwing tantrums because these things aren't real. Not because she wants to go back home, or because they're lost, or because she's hungry. Just because her mother believes in these things (that now are palpable) and she doesn't. It drove me mad.
The end is kind of predictable, and choosing to believe at the last second possible still feels kind of unreal, but it was okay. A quick read nonetheless.
This was a unique middle-grade, to say the least. I had never read a book about Bigfoot before, even though I used to be really into cryptozoology. But this is more than a book about Bigfoot.
The mother-daughter relationship was complicated and somehow really relatable. My mom doesn't chase after cyptids, nor have a car with the face of Bigfoot like a Cars (the movie) phenomenon. But it felt close. Miranda's mom's only job is being a freelancer cryptid blog writer, and for that she needs to travel a lot to look for cryptids. Which aren't a regular thing, mind you, since this is kind of contemporary. Miranda is made to go with her, missing school and losing friends and having to fight within herself with the urge to say to her mother that cryptids aren't real, there's no Bigfoot, please let's just go home I don't want to be in this muddy forest for the next four days for nothing.
First, I'd never choose a seventh grader for student council. This is a recurring thing in the contemporaries I've read recently for some reason and I just can't believe it.
Mother and daughter go on this trip to a forest where Bigfoot has been spotted (as if), and they get lost because of a bear chasing them. The book was okay up to that point, and then everything went downhill for me.
(There are spoilers from this point down)
In this forest, they begin to see things. The bear that chased them was particularly intelligent and didn't quite behave like a bear. They use a giant fish as a boat. They see a weird bug that eats tree cores, which Miranda says she's never heard of before, and she's made really extensive research to go on this trip with her mom. And then she sees fairies and dances with them and they change the color of her hair. But still she chooses not to believe in these creatures, firmly and annoyingly. Every second line is her saying fairies, big fishes and core eating bugs don't exist. She's in a constant bad mood even after these events take place because she can't believe her mother believes in these things that don't exist (even though she had been JUST dancing with fairies). And it's really, really annoying. I couldn't stand her for the second half of the book because of this.
And then they see Bigfoot, and they enter its cave, and Miranda is still in the brink of not believing and I swear to god I was so TIRED of her. Because of how much strength she puts on not believing, on making her mother look ridiculous, on screaming and throwing tantrums because these things aren't real. Not because she wants to go back home, or because they're lost, or because she's hungry. Just because her mother believes in these things (that now are palpable) and she doesn't. It drove me mad.
The end is kind of predictable, and choosing to believe at the last second possible still feels kind of unreal, but it was okay. A quick read nonetheless.
October 6, 2018
Mirando Cho is tired of being the parent. The 12-year-old student council president is dead set on securing a spot in a leadership camp this summer that will get her out of the house and away from her cryptozoolist mom, Kat. Kat's obsession with mythical monsters, especially the ever-elusive Bigfoot, has taken center stage in her life: bills have gone unpaid, the house is in danger of foreclosure, and neither her father nor her grandmother is interested in helping out. It's time for Kat to grow up, and Miranda has a plan to make it happen. The two set off together for another Bigfoot hunt, where Miranda plans to confront her mother with everything; once she breaks her down, she'll help her get back on track to being a responsible adult. But nature has a different plan, and Kat and Miranda end up lost in the woods together. Miranda may have a thing or two to learn about magic after all.
The Bigfoot Files is an interesting take on the "irresponsible single parent, stressed out smart kid" story. We've got a mom who still has that spark of magic in her, but she's let it take over her life, to the detriment of her daughter and the family finances. She's always ready for the big score: the picture of Bigfoot, the big research grant, the one moment where the proof will magically appear. Miranda has overcompensated for her mother's flightiness by becoming an overachiever with compulsive tendencies - she pulls her hair out to soothe herself and obsessively focuses on her planning, research, and lists, lists, lists. Kat is frustrating, and Miranda isn't always sympathetic, which - let's be real - is spot on. Both parties need to give a little to get somewhere, hence the trip into the woods. And that's where things get interesting. Miranda is the ultimate skeptic - and as readers, so are we - until a pivotal moment that threatens to turn everything upside down. We get a touch of the speculative in our realistic fiction, inviting readers to keep the faith; there is magic to be found out there, if you're willing to find it. Ultimately, readers and our characters come to a compromise and understand that somewhere in the middle lies the best way to go: bills still need to be paid, and magic can still exist.
There are some solid mother-daughter conversations here. The relationship between Miranda and Kat swings to extremes, and the pacing sometimes becomes frustrating as Kat belabors the point on several "finds" along the way, but overall The Bigfoot Files is a read to give middle graders who like a little fantasy in their realistic fiction.
The Bigfoot Files is an interesting take on the "irresponsible single parent, stressed out smart kid" story. We've got a mom who still has that spark of magic in her, but she's let it take over her life, to the detriment of her daughter and the family finances. She's always ready for the big score: the picture of Bigfoot, the big research grant, the one moment where the proof will magically appear. Miranda has overcompensated for her mother's flightiness by becoming an overachiever with compulsive tendencies - she pulls her hair out to soothe herself and obsessively focuses on her planning, research, and lists, lists, lists. Kat is frustrating, and Miranda isn't always sympathetic, which - let's be real - is spot on. Both parties need to give a little to get somewhere, hence the trip into the woods. And that's where things get interesting. Miranda is the ultimate skeptic - and as readers, so are we - until a pivotal moment that threatens to turn everything upside down. We get a touch of the speculative in our realistic fiction, inviting readers to keep the faith; there is magic to be found out there, if you're willing to find it. Ultimately, readers and our characters come to a compromise and understand that somewhere in the middle lies the best way to go: bills still need to be paid, and magic can still exist.
There are some solid mother-daughter conversations here. The relationship between Miranda and Kat swings to extremes, and the pacing sometimes becomes frustrating as Kat belabors the point on several "finds" along the way, but overall The Bigfoot Files is a read to give middle graders who like a little fantasy in their realistic fiction.
August 27, 2018
I received a free advanced copy of this book from the LibraryThing Early Reviewers giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
Miranda Cho is an overachieving teen who is extremely embarrassed by her mother Kat’s career as a cryptozoologist. Don’t know what a cryptozoologist is? They are people who search for the existence of mythical creatures...AKA Bigfoot hunters. Told from Miranda’s point of view, we learn that she is super organized, lives by her lists, is student council president and working to attend a leadership camp in DC, all so she can eventually “escape” her mother. One day Miranda comes across a pile of unopened bills in a drawer and realizes her mother hasn’t been paying the mortgage so they are close to losing their home. Miranda decides she’s going to be the responsible one and solve all her mom’s problems by getting her to go on one more failed Bigfoot hunting trip to finally realize Bigfoot isn’t real. Miranda also plans to confront her mother about the unpaid bills and convince her to get a “real” job. But nothing goes as planned, because on the trip Miranda and her mother get lost in the woods and what happens during their journey home is a magical story of a mother and daughter finding an understanding of each other.
The heart of this story is really something it’s safe to say every teen goes through, growing up and questioning if the magic and fantasy stories you believed in as a child are real and if you are ready to give it up. You learn from Miranda that she used to believe in her mother’s stories, she believed in fairies and loved going Bigfoot hunting with her mother. That all changed when one of Miranda’s friends came over and saw Miranda’s room filled with pictures of mythical creatures and fairies. Then Kat tries to get the friend to help identify creature poop samples. After that, Miranda decides she will give up childhood fantasy and be a responsible grown up. Eventually though, after some unexplained encounters while lost in the woods, she finds out that you are never too old to believe in a little magic. I really enjoyed this story and think the mother/daughter relationship with resonate with tween/teen girls especially. I will be purchasing this for our middle school library’s collection.
Miranda Cho is an overachieving teen who is extremely embarrassed by her mother Kat’s career as a cryptozoologist. Don’t know what a cryptozoologist is? They are people who search for the existence of mythical creatures...AKA Bigfoot hunters. Told from Miranda’s point of view, we learn that she is super organized, lives by her lists, is student council president and working to attend a leadership camp in DC, all so she can eventually “escape” her mother. One day Miranda comes across a pile of unopened bills in a drawer and realizes her mother hasn’t been paying the mortgage so they are close to losing their home. Miranda decides she’s going to be the responsible one and solve all her mom’s problems by getting her to go on one more failed Bigfoot hunting trip to finally realize Bigfoot isn’t real. Miranda also plans to confront her mother about the unpaid bills and convince her to get a “real” job. But nothing goes as planned, because on the trip Miranda and her mother get lost in the woods and what happens during their journey home is a magical story of a mother and daughter finding an understanding of each other.
The heart of this story is really something it’s safe to say every teen goes through, growing up and questioning if the magic and fantasy stories you believed in as a child are real and if you are ready to give it up. You learn from Miranda that she used to believe in her mother’s stories, she believed in fairies and loved going Bigfoot hunting with her mother. That all changed when one of Miranda’s friends came over and saw Miranda’s room filled with pictures of mythical creatures and fairies. Then Kat tries to get the friend to help identify creature poop samples. After that, Miranda decides she will give up childhood fantasy and be a responsible grown up. Eventually though, after some unexplained encounters while lost in the woods, she finds out that you are never too old to believe in a little magic. I really enjoyed this story and think the mother/daughter relationship with resonate with tween/teen girls especially. I will be purchasing this for our middle school library’s collection.
November 11, 2018
Thanks to Candlewick, I've read this latest book by Lindsay Eagar, out in October. I have previously loved Lindsay's Hour of The Bees, then Race To The Bottom of The Sea, all three realistic family stories of girls struggling to overcome personal (inside family) challenges, brushed with the magic of both believers and non-believers. In The Bigfoot Files, there happens to be a television show that follows and documents those thought-to-be-crazed searchers and believers of beings in our world like the Loch Ness Monster, or Bigfoot! Twelve-year-old Miranda Cho had always believed it all, believed her mother's obsession with monsters, her life filled with talk of sightings, overnight camping trips with others using night vision to capture a first look, and stories from her mother she asked for with the words "Tell Me A Monster." At twelve, a skeptical, want-to-prove-it Miranda has emerged, especially when her quirky mother, Kat, embarrasses her before a friend, now lost, and hides unopened bills and notices of foreclosure in a silverware drawer. Her eyerolls and words of disgust say it all. She wants proof like every scientist. Miranda agrees to go on one last creature hunt and plans to prove once and for all that her mother is wrong, wrong, wrong. It's time to grow up and be a real mother.
Detail by detail, I felt the sadness and tension of a young girl who really just wanted a mom who remembered to turn in library books, who didn't drive a crazy-looking "Critter Mobile", one who paid the bills. Sadly, she also wants a mom who hadn't driven away her father. Miranda tries so hard to be perfect. She's an A student, she's recently been elected to be Student Council President. And when she needs inner strength, she pulls out one more hair. In this final trip that goes terribly wrong, Miranda learns her mother's own belief, one that it appears Lindsay Eager loves teaching all of us readers, that "some things are true whether you believe them or not." It's a terrific story with love for all kinds of families.
Detail by detail, I felt the sadness and tension of a young girl who really just wanted a mom who remembered to turn in library books, who didn't drive a crazy-looking "Critter Mobile", one who paid the bills. Sadly, she also wants a mom who hadn't driven away her father. Miranda tries so hard to be perfect. She's an A student, she's recently been elected to be Student Council President. And when she needs inner strength, she pulls out one more hair. In this final trip that goes terribly wrong, Miranda learns her mother's own belief, one that it appears Lindsay Eager loves teaching all of us readers, that "some things are true whether you believe them or not." It's a terrific story with love for all kinds of families.
April 1, 2019
What if? Miranda has always been surrounded by cryptozoology -the study and belief of Bigfoot, Fairies, Werewolves and all manner of other creatures. Her house is full of her mum's (Kat) collection of hairs, footprint casts, fairy figurines and photos.
Miranda would share her mum's excitement on their trips around the country, following recent sightings and clues, but lately something's changed. What if it's all fantasy?
Their van, 'the Critter Mobile', is plastered with Kat's website 'The Bigfoot Files' which consumes all Kat's time and embarrasses Miranda immensely. Kat's obsession has lost Miranda a best friend, and the unorganised, haphazard way they live has moulded Miranda to be the complete opposite of her mum. Miranda is a list maker, a high-achiever and student president of her school. The stress of this causes her to pull her hair out - literally.
The last straw for Miranda is a pile of un-opened bills, and her frustration and anger helps her plot a plan to make Kat see the truth of her obsession, once and for all.
Being a fan of Cryptozoology and Lindsay Eager, I had to read this book. Miranda is a likeable character, and her own obsession of order, productivity and achievement is very real. She feels she is the adult in the household and even though she was raised on the magical, unseen things in life, she has had to grow up too fast.
Her constant 'what if's' are a result of wavering belief in her mother's dreams and also from real fears while growing up - school, friends, and her future.
As children grow and understand more of the world around them, they can begin to question their parents and everything they've been told. This story tackles that uncertainty wonderfully.
The relationship between Miranda and her mum is tested during Miranda's plan and she swings from being the reliable one to relying on her mum to survive. Loved it!
Miranda would share her mum's excitement on their trips around the country, following recent sightings and clues, but lately something's changed. What if it's all fantasy?
Their van, 'the Critter Mobile', is plastered with Kat's website 'The Bigfoot Files' which consumes all Kat's time and embarrasses Miranda immensely. Kat's obsession has lost Miranda a best friend, and the unorganised, haphazard way they live has moulded Miranda to be the complete opposite of her mum. Miranda is a list maker, a high-achiever and student president of her school. The stress of this causes her to pull her hair out - literally.
The last straw for Miranda is a pile of un-opened bills, and her frustration and anger helps her plot a plan to make Kat see the truth of her obsession, once and for all.
Being a fan of Cryptozoology and Lindsay Eager, I had to read this book. Miranda is a likeable character, and her own obsession of order, productivity and achievement is very real. She feels she is the adult in the household and even though she was raised on the magical, unseen things in life, she has had to grow up too fast.
Her constant 'what if's' are a result of wavering belief in her mother's dreams and also from real fears while growing up - school, friends, and her future.
As children grow and understand more of the world around them, they can begin to question their parents and everything they've been told. This story tackles that uncertainty wonderfully.
The relationship between Miranda and her mum is tested during Miranda's plan and she swings from being the reliable one to relying on her mum to survive. Loved it!
October 24, 2018
This review and many more are available on
Read Till Dawn
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Um . . . okay.
I mean, I don't believe in the Loch Ness Monster or the Frogman or Bigfoot or any other fantastic creature for that matter. I like books that play with their existence, or that work them into the plot, but I don't believe they're real.
Miranda's mother does, and she's gone really nuts about proving that they are. And that's great and all, and the book is a nice story about mother-daughter bonding, but at the same time I still don't really agree with the mother at all.
Like, just because something exists doesn't mean you need to prove it's real (especially when it's clearly trying so hard to stay hidden). And you definitely should not be dragging your young daughter around to do it, continually disrupting her education and messing with her plans and making her panic your failing finances just because you need to go on yet another search for a crazy creature. But somehow they both think that if these creatures are real, what Miranda's mother has done make sense. It doesn't.
I couldn't really get over that. I also thought that Miranda's attempts at using the scientific method were kind of spotty, and I actually really related to her love for list-making but even I thought her approach to planning everything down to the nano-detail was a bit much.
It was an interesting enough read, but for my tastes it was a little too zany to be a good realistic novel and a little too realistic to be a fun zany novel. By all means do give it a go if you're curious about it, though.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Um . . . okay.
I mean, I don't believe in the Loch Ness Monster or the Frogman or Bigfoot or any other fantastic creature for that matter. I like books that play with their existence, or that work them into the plot, but I don't believe they're real.
Miranda's mother does, and she's gone really nuts about proving that they are. And that's great and all, and the book is a nice story about mother-daughter bonding, but at the same time I still don't really agree with the mother at all.
Like, just because something exists doesn't mean you need to prove it's real (especially when it's clearly trying so hard to stay hidden). And you definitely should not be dragging your young daughter around to do it, continually disrupting her education and messing with her plans and making her panic your failing finances just because you need to go on yet another search for a crazy creature. But somehow they both think that if these creatures are real, what Miranda's mother has done make sense. It doesn't.
I couldn't really get over that. I also thought that Miranda's attempts at using the scientific method were kind of spotty, and I actually really related to her love for list-making but even I thought her approach to planning everything down to the nano-detail was a bit much.
It was an interesting enough read, but for my tastes it was a little too zany to be a good realistic novel and a little too realistic to be a fun zany novel. By all means do give it a go if you're curious about it, though.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
October 18, 2018
Lindsay Eagar has a way with words. A way of making you feel and see what is happening in and around her characters. It feels magical to me, and I can appreciate what she is doing. This style of writing, explaining things in multiple ways, some literal, many figurative, can bog down a reader not wanting to get lost in the writing. I'd hand this story to a reader that isn't in a rush, one that wants to wander alongside Miranda, finding out who she is and what makes her so, in her own good time.
When we meet twelve-year-old Miranda Cho she is fed up with her mother's obsession and job as a cryptozoologist. Miranda is bitter and resentful. She is also a perfectionist that is trying desperately to control what she can in her own life. But what she doesn't see is that she is searching, believing, in something as elusive as her mother's Bigfoot. Miranda is searching for a connection with her father, the man that walked out of her life when she was five-years-old.
This story is one of understanding what motivates people, what can catch them up and fascinate them, and a story of finding. Finding answers, finding questions, and finding out what makes us who we are, which can take the hardest searching of all.
Are you wondering if Bigfoot is real in the story? He's there on the cover, so is this a Bigfoot story? As hard as Miranda's mother Kat searches, there is no way that I will spoil whether or not her searching pays off. But I will remind you that Eagars does like to mix a touch of fantasy and mystery and mystical possibility into her realistic writing. Have fun on the hunt!
When we meet twelve-year-old Miranda Cho she is fed up with her mother's obsession and job as a cryptozoologist. Miranda is bitter and resentful. She is also a perfectionist that is trying desperately to control what she can in her own life. But what she doesn't see is that she is searching, believing, in something as elusive as her mother's Bigfoot. Miranda is searching for a connection with her father, the man that walked out of her life when she was five-years-old.
This story is one of understanding what motivates people, what can catch them up and fascinate them, and a story of finding. Finding answers, finding questions, and finding out what makes us who we are, which can take the hardest searching of all.
Are you wondering if Bigfoot is real in the story? He's there on the cover, so is this a Bigfoot story? As hard as Miranda's mother Kat searches, there is no way that I will spoil whether or not her searching pays off. But I will remind you that Eagars does like to mix a touch of fantasy and mystery and mystical possibility into her realistic writing. Have fun on the hunt!
Read
March 11, 2020Miranda grew up chasing after mythical creatures with her quirky scientist-like mother. Her father left when she was young and she's not sure why or if she'll ever learn the truth about him. As Miranda grows up, she finds herself questioning her mother's beliefs and dreads when she is dragged along on her mother's explorations. She loved tagging along when she was younger, but things have changed now that she is in high school and has more important things like grades and being president of the student council to deal with. She needs more than footprints, scat, and people retelling the sightings they've had. Ever since her mother has been taking her on adventures and losing money in the process, Miranda is worried her grades will fail and she won't get into or be able to pay for summer science camp. She needs proof, once and for all, to know that her mother is a kook and that she can move on with her normal high school life. In order to prove to her mother that bigfoot isn't real and that her mom needs to get a real job that will pay for camp, Miranda agrees to go on one last trip. During the trip, things continuously go wrong and strange things begin to happen in the woods. Miranda gets lost from her mother and it'll take all of her strength to find out the truth about bigfoot, find her mom, learn about her dad, and discover the truth about who she is inside.
November 25, 2018
MY THOUGHTS:
I received this book in exchange for my honest review.
If you believe in fairies–clap your hands!
If you believe in bigfoot–stomp your feet!
Okay, okay… I did both :)
We all want to believe in magical creatures, mysterious monsters and lore, like bigfoot.
So when I saw this book on the for new publications, I had to have it!
This author has an incredible talent in weaving a tale, drawing in the reader, and making it all seem possible just by using words. You will want to believe by the time you’re done reading.
In this story, there’s a twelve year old girl who must be the parent since her mother is lost in fantasy land. Craving a normal life from the one her mother provides, she is determined to show her mother that bigfoot does not exist. However, this trip turns out to be more than what she bargained for.
This is the story of Miranda, her faltering relationship with her mother, a young girl dealing with adult problems, a mother who isn’t being a parent to her, all the while trying to hang onto her own childhood.
The author takes you on an emotional and magical journey with a beautiful writing style and author voice. Fantastic read, I enjoyed this one immensely!
I received this book in exchange for my honest review.
If you believe in fairies–clap your hands!
If you believe in bigfoot–stomp your feet!
Okay, okay… I did both :)
We all want to believe in magical creatures, mysterious monsters and lore, like bigfoot.
So when I saw this book on the for new publications, I had to have it!
This author has an incredible talent in weaving a tale, drawing in the reader, and making it all seem possible just by using words. You will want to believe by the time you’re done reading.
In this story, there’s a twelve year old girl who must be the parent since her mother is lost in fantasy land. Craving a normal life from the one her mother provides, she is determined to show her mother that bigfoot does not exist. However, this trip turns out to be more than what she bargained for.
This is the story of Miranda, her faltering relationship with her mother, a young girl dealing with adult problems, a mother who isn’t being a parent to her, all the while trying to hang onto her own childhood.
The author takes you on an emotional and magical journey with a beautiful writing style and author voice. Fantastic read, I enjoyed this one immensely!
February 1, 2019
The Bigfoot Files by Lindsay Eagar, 371 pages. Candlewick, 2018. $17
Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G; Violence: G.
BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Miranda is the middle school student body president and is looking forward to the summer leadership camp she has worked so hard for. There is just one thing standing in her way - her mom. Her mom keeps pulling her out of school to go on cryptozoologist expeditions and if Miranda misses any more school she will have to do summer school and miss her camp. Miranda hatches a plan to get her mom to stop looking for big foot and be more responsible. This plan involves going on one last expedition.
I enjoyed this book, especially the relationship between a type-A daughter and free-spirited mom. I didn’t enjoy the writing though. It was lovely, but much to descriptive for a book that hung mostly on the plot. You get a good feel for the inner-landscape of Miranda, but it really slows down the book. Miranda copes with her stress by pulling out her hair, which may open dialogue for some students who have self-harm habits, but it is never resolved in the book.
Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G; Violence: G.
BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Miranda is the middle school student body president and is looking forward to the summer leadership camp she has worked so hard for. There is just one thing standing in her way - her mom. Her mom keeps pulling her out of school to go on cryptozoologist expeditions and if Miranda misses any more school she will have to do summer school and miss her camp. Miranda hatches a plan to get her mom to stop looking for big foot and be more responsible. This plan involves going on one last expedition.
I enjoyed this book, especially the relationship between a type-A daughter and free-spirited mom. I didn’t enjoy the writing though. It was lovely, but much to descriptive for a book that hung mostly on the plot. You get a good feel for the inner-landscape of Miranda, but it really slows down the book. Miranda copes with her stress by pulling out her hair, which may open dialogue for some students who have self-harm habits, but it is never resolved in the book.
Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
August 15, 2018
Are you a believer? When you’re flipping through channels on your TV, do you stop when you find mention of Chupacabra, Nessie, or the granddaddy of them all, Bigfoot? Do you yearn to be a Cryptozoologist? If you answered yes to any of these questions, or even if you just like a good story with a sense of wonder, then I strongly suggest that you read The Bigfoot Files by Lindsay Eagar, which comes out October 9, 2018, from Candlewick Press.
It’s the story of twelve-year-old Miranda, a smart girl, student body president, and on the verge of winning a summer in Washington, D.C., a chance to get away from her Bigfoot hunting mother. When she was young, Miranda believed her mother’s stories, and had an affinity for fairies, but now that she’s older, lost a friend, and found out her mother is on the verge of financial ruin, everything changes. When her mother announces her newest venture to find Bigfoot, Miranda decides to take matters into her own hands.
Aimed towards a younger audience, The Bigfoot Files is enjoyable for all ages, and will remind you a little of the magic that author Matthew Quick infuses in his young adult books.
It’s the story of twelve-year-old Miranda, a smart girl, student body president, and on the verge of winning a summer in Washington, D.C., a chance to get away from her Bigfoot hunting mother. When she was young, Miranda believed her mother’s stories, and had an affinity for fairies, but now that she’s older, lost a friend, and found out her mother is on the verge of financial ruin, everything changes. When her mother announces her newest venture to find Bigfoot, Miranda decides to take matters into her own hands.
Aimed towards a younger audience, The Bigfoot Files is enjoyable for all ages, and will remind you a little of the magic that author Matthew Quick infuses in his young adult books.
August 13, 2019
When I was growing up, my dad would take me and my little brother into the woods to look for Bigfoot. I wrote an essay in college about my memories of searching for clues, finding deer tracks, and following after my dad as we trekked along. Looking for Bigfoot wasn't all that serious- or else Dad wouldn't have brought his two children along- but it was interesting. The mystery of Bigfoot drew us in. Was he or she out there somewhere? We weren't sure, but we liked visiting the woods anyway.
It's because of my background in Bigfoot searching that The Bigfoot Files caught my eye.
Miranda has "to make things perfect. Even if other elements of her life threatened to ruin everything." She struggles with Trichotillomania, a hair-pulling disorder, and her anxiety is often worsened by her mom's inconstancy. Miranda's desire to do her best, coupled with her fractured home life, make her a sympathetic character. She's only 12, and yet she feels like she has the whole world on her shoulders.
This book is for anyone who enjoys biology and botany- the nature descriptions are spot-on- and those who like stories about mothers and daughters with a little mystery thrown in.
It's because of my background in Bigfoot searching that The Bigfoot Files caught my eye.
Miranda has "to make things perfect. Even if other elements of her life threatened to ruin everything." She struggles with Trichotillomania, a hair-pulling disorder, and her anxiety is often worsened by her mom's inconstancy. Miranda's desire to do her best, coupled with her fractured home life, make her a sympathetic character. She's only 12, and yet she feels like she has the whole world on her shoulders.
This book is for anyone who enjoys biology and botany- the nature descriptions are spot-on- and those who like stories about mothers and daughters with a little mystery thrown in.
September 10, 2018
What does it take to believe in the impossible? For Miranda it's proof; scientific proof and nothing else. When you have a cryptozoologist as a mother, it's hard to keep your life orderly. Miranda is forced to join her mother, Kat, on trips all over the country trying to find evidence of Bigfoot, fairies, and other creatures most don't believe exist. Miranda is a worrier, a perfectionist, and an ex-believer. She agrees to one last Bigfoot expedition, with the plan to finally make her mother admit that there is no such thing. This book had a lot of ups and downs, with a realistic portrayal of a mother-daughter relationship. There was some magical realism throughout the book as well. The character descriptions are pretty basic (hair color, height) but the last name Cho implies an Asian heritage. I would hand this to anyone who is looking for a middle grade novel about searching for answers and embracing the unknown.
January 23, 2022
One of the main reasons I love to read is that reading allows me to be someone else for a while and let my imagination run wild. When an author describes scenery, I cannot always picture what it looks like. But with Lindsay Eager I am always able to picture what the characters see.
The way she describes everything is remarkable and she always paints a picture for her readers. One of my favorite examples of this is in chapter 9 when she describes the forest, the way she words everything paints a beautiful picture that I can vividly see.
I loved how she brought character to the forest, "any one of these spruces could secretly be a wizard, turning his piney cloak around himself in plain sight".
I really enjoyed reading the Bigfoot Files and it will remain one of my favourites to read. It was easy to read and I really recommend reading this if you enjoy light reading that doesnt require much effort except the ability to let your imagination run wild.
The way she describes everything is remarkable and she always paints a picture for her readers. One of my favorite examples of this is in chapter 9 when she describes the forest, the way she words everything paints a beautiful picture that I can vividly see.
I loved how she brought character to the forest, "any one of these spruces could secretly be a wizard, turning his piney cloak around himself in plain sight".
I really enjoyed reading the Bigfoot Files and it will remain one of my favourites to read. It was easy to read and I really recommend reading this if you enjoy light reading that doesnt require much effort except the ability to let your imagination run wild.
August 30, 2019
I picked up this book because of how much I enjoyed The Hour of the Bees, and because my brother told me he saw Bigfoot . . . well, he called him Sasquatch. He lived ten miles up a dirt road in the northern California mountains, alone in his traditional teepee, back in the day. His hikes took him deep in the woods, and I have no reason to doubt his word. So I was curious about this book and wondered what Eagar's attitude is towards the shy and often sought creature. Well, the author did not disappoint . . . except for what seemed like a really slow start to the meat of the adventure. I almost set this book aside, until one night I turned the page and there it was! A sighting, of a truly elusive creature that kept me up reading well past my bedtime. Eagar weaves the story of mother and daughter seamlessly with the search for supernatural. What if? What if . . .
August 21, 2024
Bookish library serendipity! Discovered thanks to OPL and their Bigfoot display!
MIranda is a 12 year old girl with big dreams. Dreams that don’t involve fairies, werebears or Bigfoot. She wants to go to a summer leadership academy…..but her mom’s profession is making her miss school. Miranda’s mom believes in the unknown and takes her hunting for Big Foot…..and other mystical creatures.
At the heart of this novel is the complicated dynamics of a mother-daughter relationship. Miranda is embarrassed by her mother and afraid that they will lose their house. She avoids bringing friends over to the house. But she also doesn’t give friends a chance to make their own decisions about her mom.
This is also about believing in things we can’t see. who knows, maybe some of these things really do exist. Why are there so many books about fairies and vampires, if somewhere along the way a real human didn’t interact with them? Humans are creative with good imaginations….but are we that creative?
Miranda and her mom go on one final trip. At least that’s Miranda’s hope. Along the way things go horribly awry. They encounter dangerous situations that force Miranda to trust her mom. She also encounters potential proof of magical creatures and must decide what she really believes.
This was a fantastic exploration of the mother-daughter relationship. Most of us experienced some embarrassment of our parents when we were growing up. They weren’t as cool as other parents, cared too much, and wore the wrong clothing. But none of that really matters, what matters is a parent taking care of their child. This story gets to the heart of that. It also involves Miranda growing up a little bit.
Fantastic library find that I definitely recommend.
MIranda is a 12 year old girl with big dreams. Dreams that don’t involve fairies, werebears or Bigfoot. She wants to go to a summer leadership academy…..but her mom’s profession is making her miss school. Miranda’s mom believes in the unknown and takes her hunting for Big Foot…..and other mystical creatures.
At the heart of this novel is the complicated dynamics of a mother-daughter relationship. Miranda is embarrassed by her mother and afraid that they will lose their house. She avoids bringing friends over to the house. But she also doesn’t give friends a chance to make their own decisions about her mom.
This is also about believing in things we can’t see. who knows, maybe some of these things really do exist. Why are there so many books about fairies and vampires, if somewhere along the way a real human didn’t interact with them? Humans are creative with good imaginations….but are we that creative?
Miranda and her mom go on one final trip. At least that’s Miranda’s hope. Along the way things go horribly awry. They encounter dangerous situations that force Miranda to trust her mom. She also encounters potential proof of magical creatures and must decide what she really believes.
This was a fantastic exploration of the mother-daughter relationship. Most of us experienced some embarrassment of our parents when we were growing up. They weren’t as cool as other parents, cared too much, and wore the wrong clothing. But none of that really matters, what matters is a parent taking care of their child. This story gets to the heart of that. It also involves Miranda growing up a little bit.
Fantastic library find that I definitely recommend.
December 8, 2018
Miranda has had an unusual childhood. Her mother, Kat, is a cryptozoologist. They have traveled all over looking for monsters like Bigfoot. Now, Miranda has grown into a highly organized, highly tense pre-teen. She struggles for perfection, hoping that nobody will notice her very unconventional home life.
I mostly enjoyed this story of how we judge unfairly, even the people closest to us, and how sometimes the thing we are looking for is right in front of us, if we will only choose to see it. I am fairly sure that the things I didn't enjoy had mostly to do with seeing through the eyes of a pre-teen in a snit, and so will refrain from judging those too harshly.
I mostly enjoyed this story of how we judge unfairly, even the people closest to us, and how sometimes the thing we are looking for is right in front of us, if we will only choose to see it. I am fairly sure that the things I didn't enjoy had mostly to do with seeing through the eyes of a pre-teen in a snit, and so will refrain from judging those too harshly.
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