This was a really interesting compendium of cryptids! There were so many cultures represented, and it was interesting to see how similar creatures evolved in varying areas. I thought it was very helpful that nearly every entry had trigger warnings on it. That is a great addition. I found the commentary on how outside forces (usually Christianity) affected the story of the cryptid to be fascinating. Many of their stories changed dramatically with the influx of Christianity and sin doctrine. It’s also very interesting how many cultures around the world have wronged women spirits/demons who lure men to their deaths. I liked all of the images, it was very helpful to bring them to life. I will note, they look a bit weird on a kindle. They were clearly meant to be viewed in color. I will probably go back and look at them on my phone so I can enjoy them as they were meant to be.

A really interesting and fun way to show how mythology and crytids are connected. I enjoyed the explanation to how lore changed based on region. I also really enjoyed the different regions that were covered in the book. It has many ive never heard of before and others i have with a twist. The art throughout the book was really pretty and cool as well. A super fun read.

Such a cute and informative book.
The illustrations are magical!
More of a reference book, bringing attention to a few critters I had never heard of.
Opens up the opportunity to deep dives and other cultures.

As a long-time lover of cryptids and cryptid books, it's always a treat to read a new one, especially one that introduces me to some cryptids I was not previously familiar with!

I enjoyed the art throughout the book, though I do think it would probably land better as a physical copy instead of digitally (as you lose the 2-page spread of art and text together in several places).

I also appreciate that the author was sensitive to their position as an outsider to a lot of these legends, and the prejudices that can seep into how they are portrayed. The introduction did a good job to show the care that Quinney seems to have put into organizing the structure and stories to be respectful towards the cultures and people these stories are pulled from - I am not part of any of the groups that could really speak to the success of this, but it seems at the very least a promising attempt.

I did appreciate the inclusion of content warnings throughout for some of the more grusome stories, though I did find it a little inconsistent (death probably could have been included on 50% of them, due to the nature of a lot of cryptids).

My only major gripe with the book is I feel like the information on a few of the cryptids was lacking - while some had multiple pages, others were limited to not even a full page, or simply described the appearance but didn't have much information on things like sightings, behavior, or stories. It is not too much of an issue if you're taking this as more of a beginners guide/overview, but I would have loved a little more info on some pages where there was already more room available on the page. Additionally, I agree with some points I've seen in other reviews that formatting some things like size or time period more consistently in a list like location was could help a little with placing some of the creatures into their context upfront. I also would have loved artist credits on the page for the guest artists - especially as some of them left comments on the page already! (They are credited fully in the back, it is just harder to flip back and forth in an e-book!)

Overall, I enjoyed it! Definitely recommend checking out a print copy to enjoy the art, and I will be researching some of the new creatures that I've learned about!

This digital ARC was provided by the publisher Andrews McMeel Publishing through NetGalley. This is an honest review.

Loved this book! Super cute nonfiction look at cryptids, creatures & critters! I would recommend for a lighthearted view at some of history most famous stories

Thank You to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for letting me read this, It reads like Field Guide. It's split into 3 sections... Cryptids, Folklore, & Mythology. If you are a cryptozoologists, this is a book for you. There were Cryptids in here I had never heard of before. Each description gives you just enough information. After which you can research your favorites.. The Illustrations are fun and colorful. I couldn't wait to see the next one. Thank you for letting me read an Advanced Reader's copy.

I love the illustrations in this book and how the author explains the history of the creatures as much as possible. This is such a cute book !!

If you're fascinated by the enigmatic figures of myths and legends, this book offers a comprehensive and enjoyable exploration.

This book introduces readers to the diverse realm of cryptids, monsters, and mythical stories. The enchanting illustrations not only elevate the narrative but also acquaint readers with lesser-known creatures.

The book is structured into three sections. The first section highlights cryptids, offering insights into their habitats, appearances, and legends. The second section uncovers various folklore interpretations of each creature. Lastly, the third section delves into worldwide mythologies, presenting captivating mythological beings.

The accompanying artwork for each creature is exceptionally beautiful, from detailed small sketches to expansive full-page illustrations.

A special thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for this enlightening read.

An introduction to cryptids, monsters, and mythos..
The art in this book is really lovely, and it introduced me to many creatures I've never heard of. I did feel like the information given was inconsistent and could have been organized better on the page. For example: each creature had "location" and "category" listed under its name but i wish it had also included information like "size" and "appearance" so those things werent just thrown randomly in the text..
I think this book would be better enjoyed in physical form as opposed to digital. I also feel like it's better to buy this book for the art and not for educational purposes.

3.5* rounded up

This was a fun introduction into the world of mythical creatures and Cryptids but I felt it sometimes lacked a bit more information. Or maybe a better layout to each page. Maybe separating the physical details from the myths/ powers. Overall loved the art and it was a fun book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Andrew McMeel Publishing for granting me access in exchange for an honest review.

This is a cute jumping off point for those who enjoy cryptozoology, mythology, and folklore. Thoughtfully illustrated. The only thing I would have added would be a pronunciation guide - I was struggling. Still, lots of creatures I’ve never heard of. Would recommend to a friend. Thanks to #netgalley for my copy of this book.

A super interesting read! I've always been a fan of crypts, so I knew I had to read this when I stumbled across it on Netgalley. This book did a great job of combining information on super popular cryptids like Bigfoot and Mothman as well as cryptids I either hadn't heard of or knew very little about. The writing is super accessible, and this feels like a great guide for anyone interested in learning more about folklore and mythology from around the world. I adored the illustrations as well!

Cryptids, Creatures And Critters
is an absolutely beautiful book with incredible illustrations and wonderful stories!
Perfect conversation starters,
Ever heard of Wulver? Leshy? Miengu?
Maybe you've heard of Bigfoot? Nessie? Cat sídhe?
Wether you've heard about all of them or none at all this book offers so many more creatures for you to learn about with quick introductions easy enough to remember and reference later.
I have read through it multiple times loving it a bit more each time I'd highly recommend this title to any and all of my mythos, folklore, and monster admiring friends.
(this is an arc review, all opinions are my own and honest)

This is a beautifully illustrated book about all sorts of potential mythical creatures!

Each creature gets 2 pages, one page for the illustration, the other for the information about it.

The drawings were beautiful and I learned a lot about creatures I've never heard of!

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Andrews McMeel Publishing for an advance copy of this book that works as both a field guide and a character handbook listing many of the fantastical creatures thought to be living and thriving all over the world.

When I was a young reader I was addicted to anything that dealt with Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, aliens or really anything that went bump in the night, or that people thought they saw bumping around in the night. My library had a great selection of nonfiction books for kids, and among them were books on the supernatural, the paranormal, and what has grown into cryptids. I was constantly checking them out, reading and rereading, taking little notes to myself, about what I would look for if I found one, and how I would react. My parents later gifted me with a flea market find of the Time-Life Mysteries of the Unknown, which was probably a gateway drug for many pre-X-Files. I loved those books. Magic, majick, ESP, aliens, Jersey Devils, and ghosts, all with the imprimatur of Time-Life. That was legitimate, so this stuff had to be real. Little me would have loved this book, Cryptids, Creatures & Critters: A Manual of Monsters & Mythos from Around the World by artist, writer and educator Rachel Quinney.

The book features over 90 different mysteries from all over the world. The book is divided into tree sections, cryptid, mythology and folklore, with alphabetical listings of the creatures in each section, starting of course with my favourite Bigfoot. The descriptions give locations that these have been spotted, if it is humanoid, or monster, or something else, possibly alien. All have illustrations either drawn by the author, or by guest artists, who might add their own reflections or thoughts about the creatures. There is a good mix of demons, from all over the world, Mothman, Owlman, native myths, and much more.

I enjoyed this book alot. Most of the information might not be new to most cryptid readers, but it is nice to have everything in one place. Also there were a lot of creatures I have never heard of and that was exciting. The art really helps bring the creatures to life, and while I enjoyed all the art, the ones that were done by Quinney were some of my favorites. In addition to being a fine illustrator, Quinney has a really good grasp of the subject and how to present it. A mix of these are real, with a healthy dose of skepticism, as many of these just sound like ways to get more people to come to small towns and spend money. Maybe.

Recommended for people just getting into cryptids, or for people like me who love all these books and can't get enough. Also a nice gift for people just getting into podcasting, as podcasters love cryptid tales. Also this would be a good reference for writers to get ideas, and for role players to add to adventures.

A comprehensive guide to cryptids and other things creatures that are found around the world. There’s enough information to whet the appetite and give a generalized overview of each one, which is a good starting point to doing more research on your own – I am always interested in potential sightings and these are not included in the book. However, the explanations are well written and the illustrations make are a good representation without making them overly scary. There were a few that were new to me and I enjoyed learning about them.

While most of this is information I already knew it is definitely a good starting point for those who may not have a hyperfixation on this topic and the art for each creature is amazing.

Wonderfully informative and a great place for mythology fans, writers, artists, and general readers to start with their research creatures from a global variety of mythologies. Could have been more comprehensive, but since this was a group-created Kickstarter originally, it still was quite impressive.

If you like the strange creatures that exist in mythology and legend, you'll like this book. It's both light-hearted and comprehensive, which is a tough balance to hit. It's laid out in three main sections: Cryptids, Folklore, and Mythology. The introduction includes an interesting little list that defines the classifications in the book (classifications here meaning the "physical form of the creature") as: monster, spirit, humanoid, shapeshifter, and alien. Each entry gets at least a full page, most two, with a full-color illustration and interesting facts about what the creature is said to do (especially, of course, its interactions with or impact on us humans).

On to some of my new favorites! The Tatzelwurm (an Alpine snake with clawed front legs and the head of a cat) might top the list. The Bake-Kujira (a spectral whale skeleton seen in Japan) is a close follow, along with the Buschgroßmutter (the "shrub grandmother"), the Lusca (a Bahamian chimera that is half shark and either half eel or octopus - two of my favorite animals), and the Skvader (a winged rabbit that resides in Sweden).
And let us not forget about the Tizzie-Whizie, an English cryptic with the body of a hedgehog, the wings of a dragon, the antennae of a bee or butterfly, and the tail of a squirrel. It can be coaxed and soothed with warm milk and ginger biscuits. Actually, perhaps that's my new favorite.

There are a few things that keep this from being 5 stars for me. Firstly, the art pieces (which are all wonderful individually) are done in such a wide variety of styles that it's almost disconcerting. As you flip between pages, you're first looking at images that are detailed and eerie, then suddenly cutesy and cuddly, then suddenly stylized angular. There doesn't seem to be any consideration given to which art style was paired with which creature, which could have gone a long way to offset this issue. In many places there's a huge mismatch between the illustration and the creature being illustrated. Case in point: the Zheng, which is described as "a ferocious and malevolent beast." The accompanying illustration looks like the cutest, friendliest leopard-inspired furry that you've ever seen. It's an odd choice, to put it mildly. But to be fair, many of the illustrations are perfect pairings with the creatures, like the enormous skeleton striding through a moonlit forest, depicting the Gashadokuro. A special shout-out for the illustration of the Enfield Horror that looks extremely inspired by the rat-creatures in the gorgeous Bone graphic novels (that's a big compliment, if you don't know Bone).
My second little quibble is that the descriptions don't always bother to give any information on time periods, i.e. when legends began of the specific creature. I know it's not easy to nail this sort of thing down, but even a general statement like "sometime in the Edo period" or "during the Middle Ages" would have been nice, as some kind of reference point. For the cryptids, there's often not even a mention of where or how the creatures have entered into folklore. More details, please! Is this a common legend? Has it been around forever? Is it very new? Is it extremely area-specific??
But as I said, these are small quibbles. Overall this is a wonderful book and will be a great addition to the collection of anyone who enjoys these sorts of creatures.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this eARC for unbiased review.

I. LOVE. This book!

I tend to love all things cryptid anyway so that part is easy. But this book is fantastic. It’s set up like a great little dictionary of creatures, some you have heard of and some that may be new to you. It seriously covers a great range. Each section is accompanied by fantastic art of the creature.

The book split into 3 sections. It starts with the cryptid section, which has info on the cryptid, from where it is located, to variations in look, to stories about the cryptid. Part 2 is folklore, which tells you all sorts of variations on each creature it presents to you. Part 3 is mythology and delves into fascinating mythological creatures from around the world.

All of the art with each of these creatures is absolutely beautiful. A moment for the artist/artists (as I understand it, the author drew most of them, though there are also some guest artists) each and every one is great, from the small ones hanging out on the bottom of a page to the large full page pieces!

I seriously love this book so much I have now ordered it, I want a permanent hard copy in my library (I read it digitally on an advance from netgalley).