Beast: Face-To-Face with the Florida Bigfoot

by Watt Key

Beast is a fast-paced adventure of guts and survival, this time with a paranormal twist, from acclaimed author Watt Key...

Adam says he can't remember where he was for the two months he went missing in a Florida swamp. That's not true. He does remember. The truth: He was driving with his parents, and the car crashed when his father swerved to avoid colliding with a giant Sasquatch-like creature standing in the highway.

Haunted by his parents' disappearance and hounded for claiming to have seen Bigfoot, Adam sets off into the deadly wilderness on a hunt for answers as to what really happened that night. The answer he finds is more terrifying--and more fascinating--than he could have imagined.

Genres: Survival, Middle Grade, Fantasy, Adventure, Mystery, Young Adult, Juvenile

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2020

Reviews

[Claude's Bookzone · Rating 2 out of 5]

CW: parents die in car crash, hunting and eating kill scenes

Well it was a quick read and will be good for NZ Y8 and Y9 adventure lovers and people interested in hunting mythological creatures.

I'm not any of the above but I can see that this conspiracy-theory, action-survival story will appeal to less experienced readers looking for an engaging but not challenging book. Just okay for me.

[McCaid Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Any book that takes a couple of sittings to finish, and one that I begin reading immediately after receiving, is one that I know I’ll love.
While different from Watt’s prior works, BEAST is just as emotionally resonant, intense, and gut-wrenching as his last. Though, this one can be described as a little more twisted.
This book is perfect for reluctant readers, even more so than Key’s others. It’s creepy and mysterious, just enough to keep the pages turning. And by the end, you won’t want the characters to go.
Of course, as with every new book that Watt releases, I find myself hoping it’ll be the next Alabama Moon or Fourmile (these are arguably his two strongest works) but this one hits on a different level, and not one I’ve come to expect from this author. I love seeing the variation in Watt’s books, as some lean more heavily into survival fiction than coming of age, but this one expertly combines both.
Without a doubt, any book that Watt writes at this point goes on my auto-buy list. And, as always, I’ll be eagerly anticipating whatever he writes next.

[Candice · Rating 5 out of 5]

BEAST combines the vivid descriptions of the woods along with the grit and self-reliance we expect and appreciate from Watt Key, though this time he twists the story by sending readers on a wild chase after the elusive cryptid, Bigfoot.

His 13 year-old protagonist, Adam Parks, is reeling after the unexpected death of his parents and the knowledge that the creature that caused the deadly car crash isn't supposed to exist. He has to find a way to live in a world that suddenly feels foreign. Once he meets Stanley, another Bigfoot eyewitness, he decides to go off in search of the swamp-ape for answers and to rediscover himself.

I thoroughly enjoyed this middle grade, even more so when I read in the back about the event that inspired Mr. Key to write this. The idea of infrasound is new to me but fascinating. Why wouldn't a species so similar to us develop a different way of using their brain? Maybe early humans had this telepathic ability too and we lost it.

Themes of self-reliance, survival, and persistence. Fabulous descriptions of panhandle Florida forests and springs. I got a kick out of recognizing one of his vignettes from BAY BOY woven into the backstory

[Theresa Grissom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Edelweiss Plus for an ARC of this book.

I LOVED Beast! As with all Key's other books, this was a fast paced, non-stop thriller. I had a hard time putting this one down, I really needed to see how this was going to turn out. This book will be a big hit with middle grade students, fans of Gary Paulsen and even reluctant readers.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to EdelweissPlus and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this title for review. All opinions are my own.

I have been a fan of Watt Key for awhile and when I saw this book come across Edelweiss, I knew I wanted to give it a chance. I am not normally a "wilderness/survival" type of reader, but his are always good and are usually VERY popular with my students. Then I read the description (BIGFOOT) and I knew was in. I am always on board for books that feature ghosts, vampires, creatures, etc. And this one was good. I am pretty sure that I am going to place this book with the rest of Key's novels in our library (the Adventure section) because while Bigfoot is a huge part of the story, I think the readers who will want to read this the most are those who like the idea of survival and living off the wilderness. Overall, this is a recommended purchase and suitable for grades 7-10.

Adam's parents were in a car crash and when he wakes up, no one believes his story. He knows he saw a creature on the road that caused the accident, and after reading an account of Sasquatch, he figures out that is what it was. But that's impossible, right? Bigfoot doesn't really exist. But until Adam can know for sure, he can't move on. So he sets out to find proof, find his family, and find a way to live with this new uncertainty in his life.

[Jeimy]

Interesting account of the lengths a young boy is willing to go through to prove that he truly did see Florida's infamous Swamp Ape.

One night, as Adam and his parents are driving back to the panhandle from Orlando, his father swerves to avoid a mysterious creature standing in the middle of the road. While Adam survives the crash, his parents' bodies are never recovered and when he goes back to school, he finds that a classmate is mocking him because of what he claimed he saw.

Adam starts researching encounters with the Swamp Ape and discovers that one such sighting happened in a neighboring town. He sets off at night and walks over 20 miles to meet the man who shares this singular experience with him and hear his tale. What he encounters is a madman who has lost almost everything due to his relentless pursuit of gathering proof that the Swamp Ape is real.

Although he intends to run away from the lunatic, and hopefully avoid that fate, Adam finds himself following the man's footsteps into Swamp Ape habitat. The book chronicles Adam's adventures in the wilderness, including how he managed to survive, as he waits to see if the elusive creatures will show themselves.

I picked this up because I had read of the Skunk Ape (the Everglades version of the Skunk Ape) in Dave Barry's Best. State. Ever.: A Florida Man Defends His Homeland and was curious to see what a YA author would do with such a creature. I found myself riveted and read the short book in one sitting. I hope this is a book my students will be inspired to pick up as they will learn not only of Florida lore, but also of our state's geological and ecological treasures.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Challenge: Creature Feature Extravaganza October 2020 - Cryptid/Bigfoot (4). My favorite 'unguilty' pleasure was satisfied reading this book, the first I have read by this author. Very interesting explanations of why these creatures are hard to find, why they are seen, when they are seen, who gets to see them, and how they take care of their dead. The creatures are encountered first hand when a boy searches for his missing parents and learns about himself, how to survive, and how these creatures survive. A touching story about what 'wild' really is and what it demands of all living creatures. I look forward to reading more of this paranormal survivalist series.

[emmareadsya · Rating 3 out of 5]

content warning for parental death

though a bit heavy, this survival story contains elements of the supernatural that are sure to please reluctant readers and lovers of the survival genre in general. especially fun for readers in florida as the scenery will be recognizable.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What would you do to find your missing parents? Would you go into the deepest parts of the swamps of Florida and live off of only the things of nature? Adam and his parents were driving home from Disney World late one night when something stepped out in front of their car, causing them to crash. When Adam woke up, he was in the hospital and his parents were missing. He described what he saw, no one believed him - not the police and not even his Uncle John. It wasn't a human and it wasn't a bear. The newspaper report called it a "Sasquatch-like creature" and that's when he knew he had to start telling people he didn't remember anything from that night. Adam moves in with his Uncle John and has to start a new school. When he gets into trouble on day one for fighting a student makes fun of him for seeing Bigfoot, he knows he can't go on like this. He has to do something! He starts searching for Bigfoot sighting and he finds a man that lives just about 20 miles from where he is. He sneaks away and walks the 20 miles until he finds the house described in the article. Adam finds out that Stanley lost his wife and his daughter because of his Bigfoot sighting and is now an old miserable man. Stanley tells Adam to forget what he was and move on with his life, but that is hard for Adam to do since he knows his parents are missing. He has to either find his parents, or get a great picture of a Bigfoot so that people will know he is not crazy. He fills his backpack full of supplies that he finds in Stanley's barn, he takes his boat, and he heads to the Suwannee River. Not long after he sets off in the rickety old boat does he lose most of his food and supplies, thanks to an enormous sturgeon, he loses the boat. Adam is now deep in the swamp with only his pocketknife and a penlight, he has to learn how to survive off of nature. Adam lives in the swamp for two months. Does he ever find the elusive Bigfoot? If he does find one, can he get a picture to prove he is not crazy? After two months, does Adam ever find his parents? Does Adam even survive? Read this incredible book to find out these answers!

Watt Key is one of my favorite authors! His books will keep you on the edge-of-your-seat right from the beginning. If you love action and adventure survival stories, you will love this book! I admire Adam for his determination to find his parents and his, his bravery to face down a deadly creature, and cleverness for living off of the land and trying to survive at all costs. This is a must read!!!

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[Valerie McEnroe · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the first Watt Key book to totally miss the mark for me. It's unbelievable, unrelatable, and at times, boring.

Adam's parents are missing after a car crash involving a large Sasquatch type creature. He's haunted by what he saw and can't rest until he gets to the bottom of what happened. He needs to talk to someone who can relate, so he sets out on a 20 mile walk to meet a guy who claims to have seen a similar creature.

Mr. Stanley turns out to be a reclusive type, mentally damaged from years of seeking the truth about the Florida Swamp Ape (aka Bigfoot), and not being believed. He comes off a little too deranged, so Adam steals some supplies and takes off on his own down the Suwannee River. It's not long before he capsizes and must hoof it through a vast Florida swamp. He survives by building a palm shelter and catching gar in a nearby spring. Throughout the two month ordeal, he interacts with a family of swamp apes. At times they appear to help him, at other times he fears for his life. Once again, he ends up unconscious and rescued.

I have many problems with this book. It starts off well enough but then turns lectury as we are given commentary on Bigfoot. Yawn. There had to be a better way. Adventure mode sets in when Adam goes in search of a man who might be able to provide answers. This part isn't bad, but I had a hard time believing a kid would do such a thing, walking down a deserted Florida highway in the middle of the night with a creature on the loose. Then we have a little interaction with the old codger, and finally he's on his own. This is where it drags. No dialogue, unrealistic survival skills, and 100% unbelievable interaction with not one, but four Bigfoot creatures. It was all just a telling. A straightforward recounting of detail without an emotional grab. I didn't feel wowed by anything I was reading because the description was just so surface level. He definitely needed a friend with him to add interesting dialogue.

Maybe there's a kid who would read this, but not many.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

On their way home from Disney World in Orlando, his father sees a Bigfoot in the middle of the road. He swerves and the car ends up off the road. The trooper asked Adam in the hospital if he remembered what cause the accident. When Adam gives him the explanation of Bigfoot in the road, the trooper tries to change Adam’s memory. Adam doesn’t. He finds out from the trooper his parents are missing. They are continuing to search for his parents. His relative Uncle John takes him to Adam’s home to get clothes. Uncle John takes him to stay at his uncle’s home. It’s in another town. When Adam goes to his new school, a classmate says you’re the boy who saw Bigfoot and starts laughing at him. Later he fights the kid and gets told to stay home for one day from school as his punishment. On the ride home, he is told by Uncle John that they have called off the search for his parents. What will Adam do? Adam finally decides to go to a town called Yellow Jacket to find the person who has seen Bigfoot too. Will he find him? What will happen?

The author has written a compelling cryptid fantasy. The novel is realistic survival fiction. I couldn’t stop reading this book as I had to know what Adam was going to do. I also wanted to know if he would be successful. After Adam finds out the “truth” and realizes that he can’t always trust what has been told to him. It is a scary, page-turning adventure.

[Mallory · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a weird and bizarre book. The summary is exactly what the plot of this book is. I just wish there was more of a story about the main character learning to deal with grief and learning to manage obsessions as a coping mechanism. Instead, this book is entirely about waiting for and observing Bigfoots (Bigfeets?) in the Florida wetlands. But if that is what you are here for - this book delivers that! The most interesting parts of the book are when Adam is interacting with the only other character who has seen Bigfoot and became obsessed with it (and his obsession destroyed his life) and when he finally shared his grief with his caring uncle near the end. I think some kid who has an interest in cryptozoology will like this book, but for others looking for a good story with fascinating characters also searching for Bigfoot, check out the book Lemons by Melissa Savage instead.

[Zane · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the book Beast by Watt Key, Adam the main character goes on a mission into the Florida swamp. He sets out to find clues about both of his parents who went missing after being in a car wreck. He was in the car when the wreck happened, and could faintly remember the car striking something walking upright. Adam is faced with many difficult decisions and is all alone. He is laughed at for saying they hit a bigfoot and feels he must prove himself and figure out his parents whereabouts. After searching for what he feels like is forever, something in the night decides to reveal itself.
This book was wonderful, and I would recommend it to anyone who finds anything about the outdoors interesting. I've read several books by Watt Key and they have all been good. With that being said I would give this book five stars.

[Daisey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Watt Key's books are pretty much always a hit in my 6th-8th grade class library, and I think this one will be popular as well. It was a bit different with a supernatural spin not included in his other books, but it also had some of the intense moments I expect in his writing. Adam heads into the Florida wilderness alone after a car wreck during which his parents disappeared and also that he believes was caused by a Bigfoot. He hopes to find evidence of these creatures' existence and ends up in a fight for survival. This book has some slower moments during which Adam is just waiting and watching, but I feel those are definitely outweighed by the intense moments of suspense and action.

* I received a free electronic copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

No one believes Adam when he claims he saw a huge, ape-like creature on the road the night his family was in a massive car accident, and his parents disappeared. He can't get the creature out of his mind, and haunted by sadness and despair, he sets out into the deep woods of Northwest Florida to prove, to himself and to the world, that the beast exists. I'm not one to believe Sasquatch/Bigfoot stories, so it was a big surprise to me just how much I loved this book. The writing is taut and suspenseful, and the author does an incredible job creating believable creatures, and explaining how Adam survives for two months, alone in the swampy, inhospitable forest. I can't wait to buy more by Watt Key. My students are going to eat this up!

[Tylers · Rating 5 out of 5]

BEAST
Face to face with the Florida Bigfoot By Watt Key
Beast by Watt Key. The first part of the book is a little sad. The book is about a kid named Adam who was in a car crash and lost his parents. He goes looking for them then he meets Bigfoot and he stays in the woods with them for a long time then he falls asleep. And when he woke up he was in the Emergency room. He tried to tell his uncle what happened but he did not listen.


The reason I like the book is because I like sad and mystery books so if you were around 11-12 and you like sad but mystery books then I think you will like it. So I will give this book a 10-10. It is amazing!

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am always eager to read what Watt Key writes. This latest novel is very different from Alabama Moon which many would argue is his best novel. In Beast, a young boy has an encounter with Bigfoot on a dark road. Of course, no one believes him. The story is about the extreme lengths he goes to in order to prove the existence of Bigfoot. As in most of Key's novels, there are great descriptions of nature and survival in the wilderness.
I think this will appeal to young readers-maybe 5th grade to 9th in particular.

[Janelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never read a Big Foot book before. This story was so interesting perhaps because it was different, but it was very well-written, too. I particularly like how Watt Key uses all the senses to craft the terrifying experience of survival-- physically and emotionally. I live in southern Alabama and have been to swampy areas so it was fun to experience the gripping tale that Adam experienced in Florida.

I've read all of Watt Key's fiction novels and have enjoyed each one. I have been able to get many middle school reluctant readers to enjoy reading because of his novels.

[Samantha · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a case of "not the reader for this book." I had a really hard time putting myself in Adam's shoes and spent the whole time being like "this kid" and "isn't that convenient."

However, if you have a 4th-7th grade student who loves cryptids or survival stories in the Everglades, I bet they will love it. I have a first grader at my library I would love to give this to in a few years (if he's still obsessed with Bigfoot then.)

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you believe in Bigfoot? What if it’s what caused the accident your parents died in? Would you chase the Sasquatch? Adam had to. He knew what he saw, even if no one else will believe him.
•
I absolutely loved this book! @wattkeysofficial did a phenomenal job of hooking me right from the beginning and the pages were turning fast!! I’ll be recommending this one to any of my 7-12 readers who are looking for adventure or #cryptids!

[Julia Bodwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read and enjoyed Deep Water, I suggested this to my students for our book club. It was well-written, fast-paced and full of adventure. The descriptions of Sasquatch were strong and made visualizing the creatures easy. I enjoyed the story overall and will be recommending this to my students, as well as anyone else who likes a quick middle-grade adventure story with a touch of the supernatural. 👣👣👣👣 out of 5 Bigfoot footprints.

[Christopher Reed]

I've gotta say, it's a great book. But I've hit an age where, while reading it I'm more concerned about his dumb choices. Like his uncle has just had his sister and brother-in-law die in a car accident, and is now left as the guardian of his nephew, and while he's at work the nephew just leaves a note that's like I've gone off to find answers. He then is gone for two months, like I'm shocked the uncle didn't end up killing himself, or becoming an alcoholic.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adam sets off into the Florida swamp to find answers after his parents' disappearance following a late night car crash. Did Adam see some kind of creature just after the accident? Did he encounter a Bigfoot? What happened to his parents? This adventure and survival story will have you on the edge of your seat!

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A creepy, suspenseful, tight novel. Adam's parents have been killed in a car crash, when they apparently hit a Swamp Monster or Florida Bigfoot. A trippy search to find the truth leads him into the deep, dank shores of the Suwannee River. Hand this one to your reluctant readers---they won't be able to put it down!

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

First book I read by this author and won't surely be the last as I loved it.
It's fast paced, well written and I couldn't put it down.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Erin *BookDragon_Library* · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little bit supernatural with a side of survival story. It was alright. Might interest kids more than me reading as an adult. I thought the writing in the beginning was a little choppy and jumping around. Almost like filler to get to the action section.

[Henry T · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was expecting a little bit more... but it was still a good book! It didn't have a whole lot of action. I was a little bit disappointed, but I would still recommend it to anyone who likes Watt Key's books.

[Margaret McGuire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will be a big hit with fans of Hatchet as well as the monster hunting crew. The sense of place and mood are really well developed and I thought the ending was satisfying. It's a little dark, and early scenes with a Stanley were kind of scary but nothing over the top.

[Emily Shields · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were 5 curse words. Quite unnecessary.

It was a story I'm sure teenage boys would enjoy. Engaging and suspenseful. The main character struggled with depression from loosing his parents in an accident. It was a good description of the raw emotions associated with such a loss.

[Emily Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

My reluctant high school readers (mainly boys) eat up anything by Watt Key. This one will be a hit. I love the suspenseful and almost scary nature of this book. The back author's note will give you cold chills too!
Upper Middle School - High School