What do you think?
Rate this book
The United States of Cryptids: A Tour of American Myths and Monsters
6 hours 58 mins
Meet the monsters in our midst, from bigfoot to Mothman and beyond!
Welcome to the United States of Cryptids, where mysterious monsters lurk in the dark forests, deep lakes, and sticky swamps of all fifty states. From the infamous Jersey Devil to the obscure Snallygaster, travel writer and chronicler of the strange J. W. Ocker uncovers the bizarre stories of these creatures and investigates the ways in which communities embrace and celebrate their local cryptids. Readers will learn about:
• Batsquatch of Washington, a winged bigfoot that is said to have emerged from the eruption of Mount Saint Helens
• Nain Rouge of Michigan, a fierce red goblin that has been spotted before every major city disaster in Detroit
• Flatwoods Monster of West Virginia, a robotic extraterrestrial that crash-landed in rural Appalachia
• Lizard Man of South Carolina, a reptilian mutant that attacked a teenager in the summer of 1988
• Glocester Ghoul of Rhode Island, a fire-breathing dragon that guards a hoard of pirate treasure
• And many more!
Whether you believe in bigfoot or not, this fully illustrated compendium is a fun, frightening, fascinating tour through American folklore and history, exploring the stories we tell about monsters and what those stories say about us.
Meet the monsters in our midst, from bigfoot to Mothman and beyond!
Welcome to the United States of Cryptids, where mysterious monsters lurk in the dark forests, deep lakes, and sticky swamps of all fifty states. From the infamous Jersey Devil to the obscure Snallygaster, travel writer and chronicler of the strange J. W. Ocker uncovers the bizarre stories of these creatures and investigates the ways in which communities embrace and celebrate their local cryptids. Readers will learn about:
• Batsquatch of Washington, a winged bigfoot that is said to have emerged from the eruption of Mount Saint Helens
• Nain Rouge of Michigan, a fierce red goblin that has been spotted before every major city disaster in Detroit
• Flatwoods Monster of West Virginia, a robotic extraterrestrial that crash-landed in rural Appalachia
• Lizard Man of South Carolina, a reptilian mutant that attacked a teenager in the summer of 1988
• Glocester Ghoul of Rhode Island, a fire-breathing dragon that guards a hoard of pirate treasure
• And many more!
Whether you believe in bigfoot or not, this fully illustrated compendium is a fun, frightening, fascinating tour through American folklore and history, exploring the stories we tell about monsters and what those stories say about us.
1 pages, Audio CD
First published September 27, 2022
512 people are currently reading
6305 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 461 reviews
July 6, 2022
Author here. I cannot describe how much fun this book was to write. Hope you have even 10% of the fun reading it.
March 26, 2023
This wonderful book has one of my favorite ending paragraphs I've ever read:
Full review to come.
In the end, the charge of cryptozoology is not, "I swear I saw something," as it is often portrayed, but "keep searching!" Even if you don't find Bigfoot, you'll find something worthwhile. Guaranteed.
Full review to come.
November 21, 2024
The United States of Cryptids
By J.W. Ocker
This explores a lot more cryptids than I knew about! I learned a lot. I am not really into cryptids, but I heard this was a good book on the subject, and that was true. It explains how the stories may have originated, if known, and just about everything you would want to know about each one. I didn't know that some people call Bigfoot, "Wood Booger".🤣🤣🤣. That will have permanent residence in my brain forever now! 😅
By J.W. Ocker
This explores a lot more cryptids than I knew about! I learned a lot. I am not really into cryptids, but I heard this was a good book on the subject, and that was true. It explains how the stories may have originated, if known, and just about everything you would want to know about each one. I didn't know that some people call Bigfoot, "Wood Booger".🤣🤣🤣. That will have permanent residence in my brain forever now! 😅
September 30, 2024
Now before you run away thinking I believe in monsters and things that go bump in the night, let me be clear I don't believe in supernatural beings. However, it is the spooky season and I wanted to expand my horizons a little but by digging into The United States of Cryptids by J.W. Ocker. I am very glad I did!
I did wonder if I would be able to take seriously a book which tried to convince me of fictional monsters. Luckily, Ocker makes it clear immediately that he is not asking the reader to believe in the existence of cryptids. Instead, Ocker wants to celebrate the stories around these entities. No, dear reader, you don't need to believe in the Jersey Devil. However, wouldn't it be cool to read about where and when the story came about and how people still have fun with them? That's all Ocker does with this book. It's basically an encyclopedia of cryptids around the U.S. with the origin, description, and a current look at how the myth is either ignored or celebrated. I really enjoyed it. Ocker is passionate about these stories and it comes through in his writing. Each entry gives you just enough details without belaboring the point. In summary, even history nerds can enjoy a ghost story once in a while.
(One note: Other reviewers will point out an entry about skinwalkers and how Ocker should not have told the story about them as they are American Indian folklore and there is reticence about discussing them. Ocker gets his information directly from an American Indian and all of his other information seems to be publicly available. I think it is handled respectfully in my opinion.)
I did wonder if I would be able to take seriously a book which tried to convince me of fictional monsters. Luckily, Ocker makes it clear immediately that he is not asking the reader to believe in the existence of cryptids. Instead, Ocker wants to celebrate the stories around these entities. No, dear reader, you don't need to believe in the Jersey Devil. However, wouldn't it be cool to read about where and when the story came about and how people still have fun with them? That's all Ocker does with this book. It's basically an encyclopedia of cryptids around the U.S. with the origin, description, and a current look at how the myth is either ignored or celebrated. I really enjoyed it. Ocker is passionate about these stories and it comes through in his writing. Each entry gives you just enough details without belaboring the point. In summary, even history nerds can enjoy a ghost story once in a while.
(One note: Other reviewers will point out an entry about skinwalkers and how Ocker should not have told the story about them as they are American Indian folklore and there is reticence about discussing them. Ocker gets his information directly from an American Indian and all of his other information seems to be publicly available. I think it is handled respectfully in my opinion.)
October 20, 2024
My GR friend, Brendan, read this book and his review got me interested. Especially since the Mothman first appeared only 54 miles from me in WV and his golden statue stands tall in the town's main street.
I don't necessarily believe in myths and monsters and neither does the author. He does not poke fun at those who do but writes about each of the most famous with humor. Some of those he mentions are unfamiliar to me but, of course, he mentions Big Foot, Mothman, Skunk Ape, and Wampus Cat which continue to live on. He has visited almost all of the areas in which these entities appear and spoken with witnesses and historians in an attempt to separate fact from fiction (which isn't easy).
His conclusions are interesting as he determines that cryptids have significance beyond whether they physically exist; that they can rally a spiraling town by bestowing an identity and economy through festivals and celebrations; and that they preserve stories from history that would otherwise be lost.
An interesting and fun book.
I don't necessarily believe in myths and monsters and neither does the author. He does not poke fun at those who do but writes about each of the most famous with humor. Some of those he mentions are unfamiliar to me but, of course, he mentions Big Foot, Mothman, Skunk Ape, and Wampus Cat which continue to live on. He has visited almost all of the areas in which these entities appear and spoken with witnesses and historians in an attempt to separate fact from fiction (which isn't easy).
His conclusions are interesting as he determines that cryptids have significance beyond whether they physically exist; that they can rally a spiraling town by bestowing an identity and economy through festivals and celebrations; and that they preserve stories from history that would otherwise be lost.
An interesting and fun book.
August 28, 2022
4.0 stars
I previously read and loved this author's fiction work, so I was excited to finally read his non fiction.
I don't believe in BigFoot or any of the other mythical beings, but I was pleased that this book made for an engaging read. I often steer away from "true horror accounts" but this author takes a more fun perspective that doesn't require me to believe in the supernatural in order to enjoy the book. In fact, I would argue that a book like this may appeal most to Skeptics.
I would recommend this book to horror fans or anyone fascinated by supernatural tales. The physical copy of this book is gorgeous so this would also make for a great gift to a friend.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
I previously read and loved this author's fiction work, so I was excited to finally read his non fiction.
I don't believe in BigFoot or any of the other mythical beings, but I was pleased that this book made for an engaging read. I often steer away from "true horror accounts" but this author takes a more fun perspective that doesn't require me to believe in the supernatural in order to enjoy the book. In fact, I would argue that a book like this may appeal most to Skeptics.
I would recommend this book to horror fans or anyone fascinated by supernatural tales. The physical copy of this book is gorgeous so this would also make for a great gift to a friend.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
October 20, 2022
This was... fine. It's a pretty surface level summary of various cryptids, and there's totally a market for that, so I can appreciate it for what it is. I'm super not okay with the way creatures of significant cultural importance were handled, though. For example, Ocker met with a Navajo guide to get some research on Skinwalkers. That guide told him the Navajo don't like discussing Skinwalkers with outsiders, but for some reason that didn't cause Ocker to think that maybe he shouldn't include them in a book about whimsical cryptids. Similar gross factor with the chapter on Wendigos, and other Indigenous figures. It's just not respectful, and those few entries make the entire book problematic for me & I wouldn't recommend for that reason.
January 24, 2023
A lower end three stars.
Like this author's other books, this was a middling listen for me. [I still judge him for the story in the cursed objects book of secretly taking a supposedly cursed artifact on vacation with his family, btw.]
The format of this didn't work for me; I found the list just dragged on, the book neverending despite its brevity. It was broken up by region which, given the title I sort of understand, but I think I would have preferred them sorted by habitat, body type or something to keep a more cohesive theme to chapters.
While I found some new cryptids and stories in this, there was...an icky feeling when it came to Indigenous creatures of myth and such. One, I don't consider those cryptids the same way, and two, I didn't feel Ocker was the one to tell those tales.
On top of that, I find the author's jokes and irreverent tone too much at times. Meh.
Like this author's other books, this was a middling listen for me. [I still judge him for the story in the cursed objects book of secretly taking a supposedly cursed artifact on vacation with his family, btw.]
The format of this didn't work for me; I found the list just dragged on, the book neverending despite its brevity. It was broken up by region which, given the title I sort of understand, but I think I would have preferred them sorted by habitat, body type or something to keep a more cohesive theme to chapters.
While I found some new cryptids and stories in this, there was...an icky feeling when it came to Indigenous creatures of myth and such. One, I don't consider those cryptids the same way, and two, I didn't feel Ocker was the one to tell those tales.
On top of that, I find the author's jokes and irreverent tone too much at times. Meh.
October 20, 2024
Each cryptid is grouped by area. They also include the earliest siting and type of creature. There are so many included. Several I already knew about and others were brand new to me. I really enjoyed learning about all the cryptids; can't wait to go look for Batsquatch!
5 stars
5 stars
November 26, 2024
When one thinks of cryptids in the United States, Bigfoot is what usually comes to mind - but each state claims more bizarre and mysterious inhabitants, and each one tells a story about its community, whether it believes in them or not.
I have never seen a cryptid. (The closest I've ever come was witnessing the furryback half of a strange creature producing crunching noises from the pantry one bleary night - closer inspection revealed that it was my beagle illicitly gorging himself on barbecue chips.) I'm not sure that I even believe in them. But they certainly make for entertaining stories, and it turns out there are more strange tales of various kinds of cryptids throughout the United States than I'd ever heard of.
In this book Ocker takes us across the country to explore the stories of dozens of cryptids, ranging from your classic lake monsters and various Bigfoots to bizarre one-offs like an enormous turtle and an extraterrestrial robot in a dress. He does not invite you to believe in it all - is in fact a skeptic himself - but instead discusses the circumstances of the place and people where the cryptid was seen, and how those stories are thought of in those places today.
I enjoyed the humorous tone and the creepy-cute illustrations scattered throughout, as well as the occasional asides about the world of cryptid hunters and cryptozoologists. I did wish some stories went into more depth though - with just a couple pages per cryptid, more well-documented stories ended up more truncated that I'd have liked.
I have never seen a cryptid. (The closest I've ever come was witnessing the furryback half of a strange creature producing crunching noises from the pantry one bleary night - closer inspection revealed that it was my beagle illicitly gorging himself on barbecue chips.) I'm not sure that I even believe in them. But they certainly make for entertaining stories, and it turns out there are more strange tales of various kinds of cryptids throughout the United States than I'd ever heard of.
In this book Ocker takes us across the country to explore the stories of dozens of cryptids, ranging from your classic lake monsters and various Bigfoots to bizarre one-offs like an enormous turtle and an extraterrestrial robot in a dress. He does not invite you to believe in it all - is in fact a skeptic himself - but instead discusses the circumstances of the place and people where the cryptid was seen, and how those stories are thought of in those places today.
I enjoyed the humorous tone and the creepy-cute illustrations scattered throughout, as well as the occasional asides about the world of cryptid hunters and cryptozoologists. I did wish some stories went into more depth though - with just a couple pages per cryptid, more well-documented stories ended up more truncated that I'd have liked.
November 22, 2025
A most entertaining read, especially since I've been interested in cryptozoology since I was a little kid. Of course, as a kid, I didn't call them cryptids, but simply "monsters." I read a lot about the yeti and Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster--and other critters. This was all during my school years. Finally, after college, I took a trip to Scotland and tramped along the shores of Loch Ness ( on an unusually hot summer day) hoping to catch a glimpse of "Nessie." I think I saw a dog swimming in the loch on that hot day--and that was it.
This book has reignited my interest in the monsters because as the author points out--they're out there! Many towns throughout the US commemorate their cryptids with sculptures and other artwork--and local museums and festivals. They bring in the tourist dollars so the monsters certainly have their value (the city of Inverness got some of my money as, after all, if they didn't have Nessie, I wouldn't have been there!). Now, I realize there are the "cryptid towns" throughout the USA to visit to see their monsters. I think a good example is the town of Point Pleasure, West Virginia, with its Mothman. He is one of my favorite cryptids because I liked the 2002 movie with Richard Gere. Anyway, in the middle of town, there's a 12-foot tall statue of Mothman and next to that is the Mothman Museum ( complete with props from the movie). And every September ( since 2002 except for the pandemic time), there's been a Mothman Festival. And don't forget to pick up your Mothman T-shirt or mug at the museum gift shop. And if you're really lucky, you just might encounter Mothman himself!
A lot of monsters are covered in this book although not all have statues or festivals. There's "Champ," America's Nessie residing in Lake Champlain ( I have been there and didn't even see a dog in the lake). There's Bigfoot, who's got statues in a number of states. But have you heard of "Skunk Ape?" He's a big hairy biped with a horrible smell running about in the Florida swamps. If there's a hoaxer involved, he or she is doing a fantastic job. Anyway, there is a Skunk Ape Research Headquarters in Florida. I googled for a skunk ape update and discovered there's now a Skunk Ape 100 Mile Endurance Run ( wonder if Skunk Ape will register?).
In this book, you'll find a lot of monsters with crazy names--the Altamaha-ha, the Wampahoofus, the Rougarou, the Pascagoula Elephant Man, Batsquatch, the Jackalope ( you may have heard of that one, the jackrabbit with antlers)... The author even includes the Grey Alien, beloved by the town of Roswell, NM, with its International UFO Museum and Research Center and UFO Festival--and a McDonald's shaped like a flying saucer. Technically, he's an E.T. (extraterrestrial), not a cryptid. But then maybe some cryptids are ETs.
This book is lot of fun as well as informative. And nicely illustrated, too!
This book has reignited my interest in the monsters because as the author points out--they're out there! Many towns throughout the US commemorate their cryptids with sculptures and other artwork--and local museums and festivals. They bring in the tourist dollars so the monsters certainly have their value (the city of Inverness got some of my money as, after all, if they didn't have Nessie, I wouldn't have been there!). Now, I realize there are the "cryptid towns" throughout the USA to visit to see their monsters. I think a good example is the town of Point Pleasure, West Virginia, with its Mothman. He is one of my favorite cryptids because I liked the 2002 movie with Richard Gere. Anyway, in the middle of town, there's a 12-foot tall statue of Mothman and next to that is the Mothman Museum ( complete with props from the movie). And every September ( since 2002 except for the pandemic time), there's been a Mothman Festival. And don't forget to pick up your Mothman T-shirt or mug at the museum gift shop. And if you're really lucky, you just might encounter Mothman himself!
A lot of monsters are covered in this book although not all have statues or festivals. There's "Champ," America's Nessie residing in Lake Champlain ( I have been there and didn't even see a dog in the lake). There's Bigfoot, who's got statues in a number of states. But have you heard of "Skunk Ape?" He's a big hairy biped with a horrible smell running about in the Florida swamps. If there's a hoaxer involved, he or she is doing a fantastic job. Anyway, there is a Skunk Ape Research Headquarters in Florida. I googled for a skunk ape update and discovered there's now a Skunk Ape 100 Mile Endurance Run ( wonder if Skunk Ape will register?).
In this book, you'll find a lot of monsters with crazy names--the Altamaha-ha, the Wampahoofus, the Rougarou, the Pascagoula Elephant Man, Batsquatch, the Jackalope ( you may have heard of that one, the jackrabbit with antlers)... The author even includes the Grey Alien, beloved by the town of Roswell, NM, with its International UFO Museum and Research Center and UFO Festival--and a McDonald's shaped like a flying saucer. Technically, he's an E.T. (extraterrestrial), not a cryptid. But then maybe some cryptids are ETs.
This book is lot of fun as well as informative. And nicely illustrated, too!
October 26, 2022
TITLE: The United States of Cryptids: A Tour of American Myths and Monsters
AUTHOR: J W Ocker
PUB DATE: 10.11.2022 Now Available
Cryptids is the perfect book for the season!
What the heck’s a cryptid you ask? According to author JW Ocker, “A cryptid is a creature or species whose existence is scientifically unproven”. Ocker is one of the experts in the bizarre, the strange and the obscure. In this fully illustrated compendium, we learn about these mysterious monsters, and where they lurk. I found it so much fun - whether you believe in these oddities or not, Ocker writes a compelling read that is fun and enjoyable.
This one is a winner!
AUTHOR: J W Ocker
PUB DATE: 10.11.2022 Now Available
Cryptids is the perfect book for the season!
What the heck’s a cryptid you ask? According to author JW Ocker, “A cryptid is a creature or species whose existence is scientifically unproven”. Ocker is one of the experts in the bizarre, the strange and the obscure. In this fully illustrated compendium, we learn about these mysterious monsters, and where they lurk. I found it so much fun - whether you believe in these oddities or not, Ocker writes a compelling read that is fun and enjoyable.
This one is a winner!
October 27, 2022
The United States of Cryptids was an OK book, and I had great hopes for it going in, but ultimately it failed to engage with me as much as I'd hoped...
Author J.W. Ocker is the Lowell Thomas- and Edgar Award-winning writer of macabre travelogues, spooky kid’s books, and horror novels. His books include A Season with the Witch, Twelve Nights at Rotter House, The Black Slide, and this one. Ocker lives in New Hampshire. Visit him at oddthingsiveseen.com.
J.W. Ocker:
This is my second from the author, after his 2020 book Cursed Objects: Strange but True Stories of the World's Most Infamous Items, which I enjoyed. Ocker typically writes fiction, which I rarely read.
I tend to read a lot of nonfiction books in the genres of the sciences and history. Every once and a while, it's nice to change things up, and throw a title like this into the mix. Unfortunately, this one did not meet my expectations...
While Ocker tried to liven up the writing here with some humorous tongue-in-cheek asides, I felt that the final product was just not up to snuff.
As its title implies, the book covers numerous cryptids from The United States; dozens of them. Sadly, and despite the author's best efforts; the inclusion of such a vast array of various different creatures left little room to build an overarching narrative, or go into too much detail about any one.
IMHO, "spooky" stories and mysteries like this only work when you build up the story, and expose the intrigue as you go. You have to get the reader to become invested in the mystery somehow. Sadly, this book did not manage to achieve that. The sheer volume of subject matter covered here necessitated that each mystery be covered in a very cursory manner. This had the effect of making the book read like a long-form encyclopedia article. I found my attention wandering numerous times...
**********************
This was a somewhat interesting book, but for the reasons listed above; it fell flat for me.
2.5 stars.
Author J.W. Ocker is the Lowell Thomas- and Edgar Award-winning writer of macabre travelogues, spooky kid’s books, and horror novels. His books include A Season with the Witch, Twelve Nights at Rotter House, The Black Slide, and this one. Ocker lives in New Hampshire. Visit him at oddthingsiveseen.com.
J.W. Ocker:
This is my second from the author, after his 2020 book Cursed Objects: Strange but True Stories of the World's Most Infamous Items, which I enjoyed. Ocker typically writes fiction, which I rarely read.
I tend to read a lot of nonfiction books in the genres of the sciences and history. Every once and a while, it's nice to change things up, and throw a title like this into the mix. Unfortunately, this one did not meet my expectations...
While Ocker tried to liven up the writing here with some humorous tongue-in-cheek asides, I felt that the final product was just not up to snuff.
As its title implies, the book covers numerous cryptids from The United States; dozens of them. Sadly, and despite the author's best efforts; the inclusion of such a vast array of various different creatures left little room to build an overarching narrative, or go into too much detail about any one.
IMHO, "spooky" stories and mysteries like this only work when you build up the story, and expose the intrigue as you go. You have to get the reader to become invested in the mystery somehow. Sadly, this book did not manage to achieve that. The sheer volume of subject matter covered here necessitated that each mystery be covered in a very cursory manner. This had the effect of making the book read like a long-form encyclopedia article. I found my attention wandering numerous times...
**********************
This was a somewhat interesting book, but for the reasons listed above; it fell flat for me.
2.5 stars.
March 28, 2023
There are so many weird cryptids in here, I love it! I've read several books on cryptids and this one had a lot of new ones that I had never heard of before. I really enjoyed how it was sectioned into the different parts of the country and where these weird things can be found. I also thought it was cool that Ocker has included different cryptid festivals, museums, and statues. Because with all this info you could plan a really cool cryptid road trip.
January 11, 2024
I’ve decided to DNF
I don’t care no more
I don’t care no more
January 29, 2023
- How a book about cryptids and cryptid tourism could be this dry and dull baffles me. I've never fallen asleep so many times while reading a single book.
- Took over 2 months to get through to prevent skimming and zoning out.
- Tone confused me; couldn't decide if he enjoys the subject matter or was being nasty, sarcastic about it.
- 100% disagree with his Choice to put indigenous creatures in this book and had the gaul to mention that the tribes they belong to do not like to talk about them with outsiders—maybe don't make money off of other people's cultures. They're trying to survive this Capitalist hellscape; you have the option not to take advantage.
If you want to read this one, go the library route.
May 20, 2023
"Cryptids are hopeful concepts: hope that the world is still a diverse place full of discovery."
This book is great, if you have any interest in the strange and unusual I would definitely recommend it. I loved the illustrations and the writing. It gave me big time Gravity Falls vibes, which is an added bonus in my opinion.
This book is great, if you have any interest in the strange and unusual I would definitely recommend it. I loved the illustrations and the writing. It gave me big time Gravity Falls vibes, which is an added bonus in my opinion.
June 19, 2025
Urban legends and hyper-local word-of-mouth stories have always interested me, and what are cryptids but a smaller niche of that already limited subculture? I had thought that I was well-versed in all the different kinds of critters that may or may not be roaming this country and going bump in the night, but apparently there are a lot more than I realized!
I did enjoy the premise of this book more than the execution however. There are interesting glimpses at why some towns embrace their local cryptids with annual festivals and statues, whereas others are embarrassed by supposed sightings from decades ago. I wish there was more exploration into the anthropological and cultural aspects of how unsubstantiated creatures can affect local communities, but chapters were too short and there was too much ground to cover to really allow for that kind of deeper analysis. Just when things were getting interesting, the chapter would end and we'd be launched into another anecdote starting with teenage boys riding around the backwood roads of their small town in the middle of the night (a surprising number of cryptid sightings begin this way).
This also felt like it was aimed towards maybe a slightly younger audience than I was expecting, so I'd recommend this for younger readers or just anyone looking for a broad but shallow understanding of Bigfoot, Mothman, the Jersey Devil, and the rest of the gang. Anything more substantial than that, maybe look elsewhere.
I did enjoy the premise of this book more than the execution however. There are interesting glimpses at why some towns embrace their local cryptids with annual festivals and statues, whereas others are embarrassed by supposed sightings from decades ago. I wish there was more exploration into the anthropological and cultural aspects of how unsubstantiated creatures can affect local communities, but chapters were too short and there was too much ground to cover to really allow for that kind of deeper analysis. Just when things were getting interesting, the chapter would end and we'd be launched into another anecdote starting with teenage boys riding around the backwood roads of their small town in the middle of the night (a surprising number of cryptid sightings begin this way).
This also felt like it was aimed towards maybe a slightly younger audience than I was expecting, so I'd recommend this for younger readers or just anyone looking for a broad but shallow understanding of Bigfoot, Mothman, the Jersey Devil, and the rest of the gang. Anything more substantial than that, maybe look elsewhere.
January 26, 2023
What a perfect (US) Cryptid Compendium!
November 1, 2025
I’ve always been a timid soul who steered clear of cryptid tales, but I absolutely loved this book! J.W. Ocker knows what he’s doing and is a passionate and witty, yet respectful and thorough storyteller. This book provides an interesting overview of a plethora of cryptid creatures throughout history and across regions of the U.S.A. Rather than going for shock or scare value (although there are plenty of shocking and scary details), the book aims to connect cryptid folklore to community identity. While many cryptids are covered - so many from which to choose; it must have been a task! - each cryptid is given just the right amount of coverage so that it neither seems rapid-fire nor repetitive. I listened to this on audio, so I got to spend lots of time going down internet rabbit holes to look up photos of the creatures and learn about the local festivals where many of these furry, feathered, fiery, finned, and/or fanged, etc., myths and legends are celebrated to the present day.
October 4, 2023
If you’re looking for a crypto tourism book, this is the one for you. Outright ignores the cultures a lot of these creatures come from. And has a weird focus on the capitalization of cryptids. If you want a respectful look into cryptids, and their cultural significance, look elsewhere. Also why does this guy have so much beef with big foot?
February 16, 2023
This book is really neat. I would highly recommend it. Easy to follow and has cool illustrations. Beautiful book all around.
Thank you Quirk Books for the gifted copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you Quirk Books for the gifted copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 29, 2023
Rating: 4 stars.
A fun collection of cryptids from throughout the United States, grouped by region. Each cryptid gets at least a few pages or so dedicated to their story and, every now and again, there's an accompanying illustration by artist Derek Quinlan. These pictures were all great—the book would have probably gotten five stars if there'd been more of them!
This would make a good intro to cryptozoology, getting a lot of cryptids in by page count, though it means that sometimes the stories are a little light—and a little repetitive. That's not necessarily Ocker's fault; there's only so many ways to say "People saw a shape in a lake" or "Teens saw aowl monster while driving". Ocker isn't too credulous, which is nice, though he doesn't take a skeptical tone either. His unique angle, since he travelled the USA to research this book, is to talk about how many of the monsters have become local mascots, which is a fun concept he continually champions. You can also see his frustrations with bigfoot's popularity overwhelming every other cryptid bleeding through, which I was both amused by and sympathetic to.
If I only had one major fault it's how he handles anything Native American-related. There's no questioning people appropriating their myths to back-up their cryptids, and several serious Native American figures like the wendigo and skinwalker aren't given any additional respect for being part of a living culture's religious beliefs. They're just presented as another fun monster for non-indigenous Americans chat about, despite often being a taboo subject within their own culture's practices. Disappointing, but not surprising. Hopefully something that books on these subjects will be better about in future decades.
A fun collection of cryptids from throughout the United States, grouped by region. Each cryptid gets at least a few pages or so dedicated to their story and, every now and again, there's an accompanying illustration by artist Derek Quinlan. These pictures were all great—the book would have probably gotten five stars if there'd been more of them!
This would make a good intro to cryptozoology, getting a lot of cryptids in by page count, though it means that sometimes the stories are a little light—and a little repetitive. That's not necessarily Ocker's fault; there's only so many ways to say "People saw a shape in a lake" or "Teens saw a
If I only had one major fault it's how he handles anything Native American-related. There's no questioning people appropriating their myths to back-up their cryptids, and several serious Native American figures like the wendigo and skinwalker aren't given any additional respect for being part of a living culture's religious beliefs. They're just presented as another fun monster for non-indigenous Americans chat about, despite often being a taboo subject within their own culture's practices. Disappointing, but not surprising. Hopefully something that books on these subjects will be better about in future decades.
July 15, 2023
I honestly enjoyed this more than I expected to. I think the wry humor paired with a focus on the cultural significance of cryptids made this book compelling. Instead of being adamant that these creatures exist, the author instead presents cryptids as a slice of micro-history for the state or city said creature originated. There’s a wide array of cryptids discussed in here across almost all 50 states of the US, going from the deserts of Arizona to the frozen forests of Wisconsin. Some creatures are amusing and some are scary, but almost all will impact a community of people in some way whether real or not. I think conveying the idea that cryptids are influential and a beneficial concept for our current society was done well. I would definitely recommend this book as I think there is something to gain from the information presented.
“I hope that you find some value in the idea that cryptids have significance beyond whether or not they physically exist: that they are symbols of hope that our planet is capable of unlimited surprises; that they can rally a spiraling town by bestowing both an identity and an economy; that they help preserve stories from history that would otherwise be lost.”
“I hope that you find some value in the idea that cryptids have significance beyond whether or not they physically exist: that they are symbols of hope that our planet is capable of unlimited surprises; that they can rally a spiraling town by bestowing both an identity and an economy; that they help preserve stories from history that would otherwise be lost.”
May 2, 2023
This was fun! I loved all the small town stories of these creatures, the cautionary tales and the celebration of them. This covers Big Foot to the Fresno Nightcrawlers
Ocker is funny, he has a chapter called "Oops I crypted again" in relation to the O.O.P.S an "out of place species," hilarious. Though a lot of these stories are ridiculous, I was invested and entertained. The audiobook was great, but the physical book would be a great as a reference for cryptids other then Bigfoot, I had no idea the sheer volume and while I don't believe in most of them, it is a totally fun read.
Ocker is funny, he has a chapter called "Oops I crypted again" in relation to the O.O.P.S an "out of place species," hilarious. Though a lot of these stories are ridiculous, I was invested and entertained. The audiobook was great, but the physical book would be a great as a reference for cryptids other then Bigfoot, I had no idea the sheer volume and while I don't believe in most of them, it is a totally fun read.
July 29, 2024
This book takes us on a journey across the US, exploring all of the wild and wonderful cryptids that may or may not call America home. I enjoyed a good portion of this book and learned about a few creatures I had never heard of! I also really loved the illustrations.
I deducted a star for the inclusion of statues/sculptures. To add, there were numerous misspellings in the book. Example A: the town that hosts the Wendigo Festival is Manitowoc, Wisconsin not Manitowac.
Overall, a solid 4 star read! I’m looking forward to picking up this author’s book on cursed objects.
I deducted a star for the inclusion of statues/sculptures. To add, there were numerous misspellings in the book. Example A: the town that hosts the Wendigo Festival is Manitowoc, Wisconsin not Manitowac.
Overall, a solid 4 star read! I’m looking forward to picking up this author’s book on cursed objects.
October 28, 2022
Fun Halloween non-fiction! The author really knows their monster myths and sightings! This will be a required guide if I ever drive cross country. There are murals, statues, and museums that are begging to be visited! And I definitely need to attend one of these monster festivals before I die. I have long lamented the lack of mega-fauna in this country, but apparently I was looking in all the wrong places.
May 28, 2025
This book is not just a collection of cryptids, but really a collection of American folklore and mythology. I like the way the ideas were presented: whether or not these creatures physically exist, they’re real because groups of people collectively agree that they are and are brought together because of them. It was also very well written and at times had me laughing out loud!
December 2, 2025
the true beauty in life is enjoying the fun and whimsy that is cryptids and i will die on that hill
March 22, 2023
God I love cryptids
Displaying 1 - 30 of 461 reviews