I loved this book. I love cryptids so I loved learning more about them. But the best thing about the book is that the author incorporated real world information into the book so that you can learn more about the science world. Such as telling the reader about vehicles that have be created to explore the deep parts of the ocean to further scientific knowledge and the likelihood that they can be used to find cryptids. Such a fun and interesting book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Running Press Kids for this ARC.

Catching Cryptids is the most fun way to look at cryptids. The author makes a strong case for why they could all be real, while educating the reader about various similar animals in nature. She also goes over the technology that can be used to catch the cryptid and why that technology works for that particular cryptid. On her site, there is a workbook to go along with the book for teachers who want to use the book as a science lesson. I would absolutely recommend this book to anybody who is into cryptids and believing in things that are magical.

A really fun and distinctive all-ages read regarding cryptids – the Bigfoots, Nessies and so on of our world. Each chapter picks up on one distinct example, tells us who has seen it and where and to what effect, and then goes into the modern science of trying to capture it – as the introduction has already told us, copious animals thought lost or extinct have been spotted, although if an animal wants to stay hidden it can generally succeed in that, as all the new discoveries of even major critters can prove. We then see other examples the book could have given us – for instance, with the first chapter being on the Kraken, we look at how we discovered the giant squid, and see a few things in the same category of beastie.

Where this wins is oddly its ability to be fluid and flowing. It looks like it's branching each chapter off into box-outs, but it's not – the text runs properly and narratively from one chunk to another, and even when we get what are basically frame-less tables the text is still coherent and easily absorbed. If anything the shtick where the author builds up a plan for "us" to scientifically hunt for the cryptids is a bit naff and cheesy, ignoring budget and a lot of feasibility, but that poor career advice aside the book is very serious in its science, and a very welcome approach to the Fortean subjects. And it almost does work as a way to marry biology with STEM science and research; it just lacks a touch of common sense restraint and sensibility. All told, this is a strong four stars.

Catching Cryptids is a great overview of many well-known (and not so well-known) cryptids. It provides as much science as possible for a pseudoscience like cryptozoology and includes interesting information such as the ranges of times between when animals were thought to be extent to when they were rediscovered. It also provides a list of additional resources at the end of the book for further reading. This is a great introduction to cryptids for any curious kid!

“Catching Cryptids: The Scientific Search for Mysterious Creatures” is a fun, yet somewhat serious peek into the world of cryptids. Kim Long does an excellent job balancing the legends and science.

I particularly liked the chart near the beginning of the book that shows how long humans have gone without seeing some animals (so we believed they were extinct). It’s pretty surprising. I liked the explanations about how scientists use the latest gadgets to learn more about animal behavior and habitat. There’s a good discussion on using technology to collect DNA samples to learn more about which animals are where.

This book is great for kids who are interested in cryptids and animal science.

I received an advance review copy for free from Running Press Kids, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The idea of cryptids is so cool to me and so I was thrilled to get the opportunity to leaf through this book, courtesy of Netgalley. It focuses on historical evidence of cryptids, as well as types of cryptids around the world. A super cute book for kids and kids-at-heart alike!

This book is very complete in its approach to cryptids. In addition to the expected material, including sightings, reports, and descriptions, the author brings in science to identify possible suspects that we already know about. There is a search protocol for each cryptid in its section, lots of evidence to support the existence of cryptids in general, as well as the specific featured cryptids, and tons of info about a variety of tech (and identified traits of the creature) available to use in search and identification (Medusa, BRUVS, Sonar, onboard cameras, etc.)

This is the most science-based book about cryptids that I have ever encountered; and I’ve read a lot of them! Even with how many of them I have read, this one still managed to introduce ones I haven’t heard of; lots of them in fact!
Though the focus of this book is fantastical, unconfirmed creatures, it is full of scientific information about known animals, research techniques, technological advances, and various scientific fields of study/jobs. There is even a list of jobs that readers can aim for to help the environment, discover new species, and protect those species we already know about. Catching Cryptids is a great book to get otherwise uninterested children captivated by science, STEM, animals, and our planet.
I really loved the information about all of the technology being used by scientists to study our world and all of the creatures on it. It is truly amazing how much we are still discovering and learning - and how much we still have left to find.

Fantastic nonfiction title for middle grade readers! Great mix of high interest topic (Cryptids) and research based STEM integration! Kids are going to love reading this one!

My students would love this book! This book is full of cryptids that would interest kids. I love the use of scientific investigation. I would use this in a research project.

“Catching Cryptids” is a fun alternative to a standard STEM book for children. It incorporates all the aspects of scientific discovery and study, but in a more fantastic way that adds a level of whimsy and magic that may be enticing for kids. The book offers history on the cryptid, sighting information, profiles of similar cryptids around the world, and includes scientific investigation of the cryptids through study of similar known animals. I have two critiques. One, the cryptids that are focused on are lesser known and may not grab the attention of a child with little prior knowledge. Two, the illustrations are lack luster and do not draw the reader in. Overall, an interesting spin on a traditional children’s STEM book. 3 stars.

I got this for the Loch Ness Monster section, but the rest was fun to skim through. Great for fans of cryptozoology.

This is so fun! I had a hard time putting it down. It covers a few creatures in depth, hypothesizing about what animals they might be related to and providing justification and background information about how scientists study those animals. Each section ends with a search protocol rooted in the scientific method. There is not a big emphasis on folklore, which feels unique for a book about cryptids.
The publisher suggested age range is 8-12 years, but it was delightful enough for me as an adult that I'm still considering it for my middle schoolers. Hand it to a young Fox Mulder.

This is such a fun read! It manages to keep the magic of cryptozoology alive and well while remaining logical and scientific. It truly covers the gamut of cryptids, from those we know and love like Nessie and Bigfoot to many others you may have never heard of before. *Perfect* for your local cryptid-crazed kiddo (we all know one.)

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Learn all about cryptids and how scientists search for and identify mysterious creatures from this book. Curious kids will get a kick out of figuring out how scientists track unknown creatures, setting them up to dream of their own creature tracking adventures. My favourite feature in this book was the creature search protocol at the back of each section. Adventurers beware. this book is text heavy.