The Search for Sasquatch (A Wild Thing Book)

This book was such a treat. Krantz is a natural storyteller and able to engage readers in her search for the truth about Bigfoot. This book uses a unique lens to look at the world around us- how do we know things are real? What can we use as proof? Why should we care? She then takes us on a journey with her as she tries to answer these questions. It is an interesting and easy to read and understand blend of anthropology, evolution, genetics, and eye witness accounts - all leading us to think critically about life on earth. While the target age is late elementary/ middle school, I think it is a great book for both adults and kids interested in the natural world.

This is an absolutely fantastic book! My 10 year old has a hard time with anything that’s not a graphic novel, but he picked up The Search for Sasquatch and couldn’t put it down. I loved it too. I love the way the author weaves a fascinating scientific mystery with information about the scientific method and journalism. My kids tend to reject books that feel too educational, but this book had them both hooked. It’s just a fascinating read that makes you stop and go “woah, what?” so many times. The author is a wonderful storyteller. Everyone in our family has now read The Search for Sasquatch and it has led to some fantastic dinner conversations. I highly recommend it for kids and adults alike.

Readers use Sasquatch as the medium to learn about the Scientific Method and about what qualifies as evidence verses belief, all while being highly entertaining and engaging. I loved the stories, the illustrations and the exploration of WHY people believe or want to believe in Bigfoot.From my 11 year old reader: "Bigfoot, Sasquatch, Mr./Mrs./Ms. S., if you will. All of these are different names for a big hairy creator that fascinates… and terrifies people to this day. In this book “The Search for Sasquatch” by Laura Krantz you learn all about Mr. S., his fans and what evidence exists. You will explore evidence, DNA, eye-witness accounts, and a lot of science. On the whole, it's a really amazing book and I really enjoyed reading it! I highly recommend getting this book for kids aged 8 - 80!"

Over the summer, while my daughter and I were browsing through the children's section of Powell's City of Books, I stumbled across The Search for Sasquatch. My curiosity piqued, I leafed through the pages, recognized it would be age-appropriate for my eight-year-old, and bought the book on a whim. I'm not a cryptozoologist by any means, but I figured that The Search for Sasquatch would be a fun, thematically appropriate book to read while we were visiting family in Oregon. Needless to say, I lucked out.At the time, I didn't know anything about Laura Krantz or the Wild Thing podcast that she's been producing for a few years now. However, while reading The Search for Sasquatch, I was delighted by the author's conversational tone and the wide variety of scientific topics that she addresses. A kid's book that tackles DNA, evolution, the scientific method, and the taxonomic system in easy-to-understand terms? I was sold.Krantz starts her book with a brief anecdote about how and why she started her sasquatch journey: it turns out that a long-dead distant relative (second cousin, twice removed?), Grover Krantz, was once the world's foremost scientific expert on Bigfoot. As Laura plunges down the rabbit hole of sasquatch-obsession, she encounters a colorful cast of characters: park rangers sharing eyewitness accounts, skeptical scientists intent on debunking Bigfoot as a hoax, accommodating experts who explain complex scientific issues, and even one of the men who filmed the infamous "Patterson-Gimlin" video in 1967. Along the way, she also learns about "squatching," "blob-squatches," and the "Woo" (if you read the book, it will all make sense). It's a deep dive into a unique, quirky American subculture - and the journey is exquisitely enjoyable.As an "optimistic skeptic," I was delighted to find that Laura Krantz is (like me) someone who requires scientific proof before wholeheartedly supporting the existence of mythical creatures. However, Krantz never lets her doubts supersede her curiosity; rather, she excitedly hurdles every roadblock and muddy footprint that she finds in her path. Throughout the book, Krantz's earnest enthusiasm is absolutely contagious, and her fanatical fascination emanates from each and every page.After finishing The Search for Sasquatch, I downloaded all three seasons of Krantz's podcast, “Wild Thing,” and listened attentively to every single episode. If you haven't tried the podcast yet, you won't regret it: the show is absolutely addicting. Even if my doubts about sasquatch remain, I firmly believe that Laura Krantz is a true treasure.Does Bigfoot really exist? Probably not.But Laura Krantz REALLY hopes so. And so do I.

This book is an absolute delight! It's compelling, inviting storytelling with quiet wit, that also delivers accessible hard science. I cannot think of another book for this age set that so beautifully demonstrates - showing not telling - the scientific method at work. Also Bigfoot is pretty awesome. My 8yo and 10yo were hungry for every chapter. (I was pretty into it, too!)