As we get close to Halloween, I thought I'd explore some of the less popular scary things in our world. Normally around this time, all the talk is about witches, demons, vampires, zombies, and ghosts. Don't get me wrong - I totally have ghosts in here too, but I thought I'd hit on the topics of urban legends and cryptids. Some of the lines between these categories blur a little, so you'll probably see a good amount of crossover between categories.
You may not know what an urban legend is, but odds are someone has definitely told you one. The person who did so many drugs they thought they were a glass of orange juice and then screamed whenever someone pulled out a straw? I've heard that one. The twins named Lemonjello and Oranjello - because lemon and orange jello were all their mother could stand to eat while pregnant? Yep, that's another one. How about "Aren't you glad you didn't turn on the lights?" I'm guilty of telling that one - of course, I knew it wasn't true when I told it and I always told it like it happened to me. These are all classic examples of urban legends - stories passed by word of mouth that the teller will swear are true - they heard it from their mom's cousin's best friend who worked with the uncle of the person it happened to. The point is, they are very much not true and some of them can be really scary. In fact there was a horror movie back in the 90s called Urban Legend. And Slenderman? Another new urban legend that has had some horrific real-life consequences (and has also been made into a movie).
I Know What I Saw: Modern-day Encounters with Monsters of New Urban Legend and Ancient Lore by Linda S. Godfrey - The monsters of ancient mythology, folklore, and more contemporary urban legend have long captured the popular imagination. While most people in America today relegate monsters to just that--our imaginations--we continue to be fascinated by the unknown. Linda Godfrey is one of the country's leading authorities on modern-day monsters and has interviewed countless eyewitnesses to strange phenomena. Monsters evolve, taking on both new and familiar forms over time and across cultures. In this well-researched book, Godfrey explores uncanny encounters with werewolves, goatmen, Bigfoot, and more.(Penguin Putnam)
Picture Yourself Legend-Tripping: Your Complete Guide to Finding UFOS, Monsters, Ghosts, and Urban Legends in Your Own Backyard by Jeff Belanger - First there was a story: a legend that was born and grew because people had unexplained experiences and shared what they saw, heard, and felt. In Picture Yourself Legend Tripping: Your Complete Guide to Finding UFOs, Monsters, Ghosts, and Urban Legends in Your Own Backyard, you'll learn how to find, explore, and document these amazing, and often paranormal, occurrences. And you don't need expensive equipment or training, because this book will show you how to have an incredible adventure in your own backyard this weekend. Bring your open mind and your sense of wonder. Get ready for legend tripping! (Cengage Learning)
Spine-tingling Urban Legends by Karen Latchana Kenney (JNF) - Ever hear a scary story and wonder if it really happened? Your friend's cousin swears it's true. But are there actually alligators lurking in the sewers? Or ghostly hitchhikers haunting lonely roads at night? Read on to learn about more creepy urban legends—from Bigfoot to Bloody Mary—and find out the truth!(Baker & Taylor)
Urban Legends: 666 Absolutely True Stories That Happened to a Friend-- of a Friend-- of a Friend by Thomas J Craughwell - We’ve all heard the one about the alligators that roam New York City’s sewers, or how “Mikey” of Life Cereal fame died from ingesting Pop Rocks and Coke, or about the flustered parents who left their baby on the car roof. But, did you hear the one about the scuba diver who was found in the middle of a forest after a fire? These and other favorites are here in all of their creepy glory—guaranteed to amuse, enlighten, intrigue, and most of all, stick in the mind forever.(Workman Press)
Ah, cryptids. Again - while you might not be familiar with the term, you have definitely heard of some cryptids before. Ever hear of Bigfoot? How about Nessie? Yep, both cryptids. Cryptid is an umbrella term used to describe all manner of supernatural creatures. Chupacabras, skinwalkers, the Jersey Devil, and Mothman are all covered by that term. You want scary? Look up stories of skinwalkers. Other cryptids can be creepy, but usually it's just good weird fun.
Various documentaries and reality television shows have all superficially tackled the subject, but Nick Redfern presents a truly encyclopedic look at cryptid primates. It is a richly researched reference, overflowing with fascinating information to make readers think—and reconsider their next camping trip.(Perseus Publishing)
Cryptid Creatures: a Field Guide by Kelly Milner Halls (JNF) - Cryptozoology is the study of mysterious creatures that fall between the realm of real and imaginary on the scientific spectrum. Cryptid Creatures: A Field Guide offers a closer look at fifty of these amazing creatures, examining the best possible evidence for each, including scientific papers, magazine and newspaper articles, and credible eyewitness accounts. This page-turning guide will inspire curious readers to investigate more on their own, and maybe even help to prove if a cryptid is a hoax or is real.
Lake and Sea Monsters by Linda S. Godfrey (YA) - Sporting fins, scales, and sometimes horns or fur, a riot of unidentifiable water creatures have poked their dripping heads above the waves throughout recorded history to shock grizzled sailors and hardy fisherfolk alike. But survivors of water monster encounters are usually left as puzzled as they are terrified, questioning the origins and elusiveness of the creatures. Most people can describe what a typical sea monster looks like, yet no museum boasts a skeleton or even an irrefutable photograph-of a sea serpent or the legendary Loch Ness Monster. Lake and Sea Monsters thoroughly explores humanity's fascination with Nessie, sea serpents, and all the other wet wonders of the world, separating fact from fiction by examining ancient legends and myths, contemporary eyewitness stories, and the latest scientific discoveries. (Facts on File)
Tracking the Chupacabra: the Vampire Beast in Fact, Fiction, and Folklore by Benjamin Radford - Among the monsters said to roam the world's jungles and desolate deserts, none is more feared than the chupacabra---the blood-sucking beast blamed for the mysterious deaths of thousands of animals since the 1990s. To some it is a joke; to many it is a very real threat and even a harbinger of the apocalypse. Originating in Latin America yet known worldwide, the chupacabra is a contradictory and bizarre blend of vampire and shapeshifter, changing its 
Combining five years of careful investigation (including information from eyewitness accounts, field research, and forensic analysis) with a close study of the creature's cultural and folkloric significance, Radford's book is the first to fully explore and try to solve the decades-old mystery of the chupacabra. (University of New Mexico Pr)
Tracking the Man-Beasts; Sasquatch, Vampires, Zombies, and More by Joe Nickell - A noted investigator of the paranormal explores the historical, geographical, and cultural reaches of various "manimals" and other humanoid entities—among them such monster men as Gigantopithecus and Neanderthals; hairy man-beasts like Sasquatch and the elusive de Loys’ Ape; supernatural beings, including werewolves, vampires, and devil men; and supposedly spaceship-borne entities like Mothman and the Roswell humanoids. This book takes the reader on expeditions into wilderness areas, explores historical contexts, and brings folkloric and iconographic evidence to bear on a category of mysteries as old as humanity. (Random House, Inc.)
For some fiction reading on this topic, check out: The Cryptid Catcher by Lija Fisher (JF), Mothman's Curse by Christine Hayes (JF), Cryptid Hunters series by Roland Smith (YA), InCryptid series by Seanan McGuire, or the Menagerie series by Rachel Vincent.
Paranormal expert Rosemary Ellen Guiley has compiled extensive research on the most current theories about what causes ghosts and the many new haunting cases documented since publication of the second edition. The third edition has been substantially updated with the addition of more than 130 new entries, more than 20 new black-and-white photographs, and an updated foreword by Troy Taylor, author and founder of the American Ghost Society. Many entries include bibliographical listings for further reading. (Facts on File)
Ghostly Evidence: Exploring the Paranormal by Kelly Milner Halls (JNF)- Do you believe in ghosts? Enter the realm of the paranormal with Kelly Milner Halls. Explore what ghosts are, where they're found, and meet some famous ghost busters. Check out the high-tech equipment modern ghost hunters use, and see their most convincing evidence that ghosts are real. Finally,take a look at a few famous hoaxes.
Ghosts: a Natural History: 500 Years Searching for Proof by Roger Clarke - 'Is there anybody out there?" No matter how rationally we order our lives, few of us are completely immune to the suggestion of the uncanny and the fear of the dark. What explains sightings of ghosts? Why do they fascinate us? What exactly do those who have 
Ghosts: a Nonfiction Companion to a "Good Night for Ghosts" by Mary Pope Osborne (JNF) - When Jack and Annie got back from their adventure in A Good Night for Ghosts, they had lots of questions. What are some of the most famous ghost stories? Why do people believe in ghosts? Do most cultures have ghost stories? What are ghost hunters? Find out the answers to these questions and more as Jack and Annie track the facts.
Filled with up-to-date information, photos, illustrations, and fun tidbits from Jack and Annie, the Magic Tree House Fact Trackers are the perfect way for kids to find out more about the topics they discovered in their favorite Magic Tree House adventures. And teachers can use Fact Trackers alongside their Magic Tree House fiction companions to meet common core text pairing needs. (Random House, Inc)
Horrible Hauntings: an Augmented Reality Collection of Ghosts and Ghouls by Shirin Yim Bridges (JNF) - This exciting new book brings to life—quite literally—10 famous hauntings from the annals of history. Using interactive augmented reality to enhance the images on the pages, readers are able to see and interact with 3-D ghosts, which appear to come alive and can be manipulated by the viewer. Lush illustrations of famous historical hauntings introduce readers to some of the most notorious and chilling ghosts throughout the ages. The Headless Horseman, the Flying Dutchman, Bloody Mary, the Amherst Poltergeist, and the princes in the Tower of London are some of the eerie apparitions that inhabit this book in a totally new way as readers interact with the illustrations on the pages. (Independent Publishing Group) Disclaimer: I tried to 
St. Augustine's Ghosts: the History Behind the Hauntings by Karen G. Harvey - From doomed pirates to mischievous soldiers to spectral nuns, this collection of 38 spine-chilling tales features famous spirits from St. Augustine’s legendary paranormal past. Set in the city’s iconic cemeteries, courtyards, and houses, these stories recount the most mysterious encounters and sightings that have been passed down for generations among residents of St. Augustine. Many of the sites are along St. George Street, one of the oldest streets in the United States. Here you will find a priest’s exorcism of evil spirits at the request of a man who became the city’s mayor; the head of a Seminole warrior rising like the moon above the Castillo de San Marcos; restless ghosts lurking in hallways; eerie lights inside a mausoleum; a bishop’s exploding casket; and a lighthouse keeper whose voice can still be heard in the wind. With each ghostly tale, Karen Harvey invites you to explore the quaint brick streets of the nation’s oldest city for yourself. Who knows what you might discover? (University of Florida Press)
Spooky and Spookier: Four American Ghost Stories by Lori Haskins Houran (JNF) - American history mixes with legend in four classic ghost tales for Step 4 early readers: a Cape Cod ghost horse that leads ships away from danger; a portrait that protests being moved within Virginia's Shirley Plantation museum; a Colorado miner who continued to look for love even after his bones were dumped down an outhouse hole; and a one-handed California sea captain whose ghost is still said to prowl Stinson Beach. Step 4 Readers use challenging vocabulary and short paragraphs to tell exciting stories. For newly independent readers who read simple sentences with confidence.(Random House, Inc.)
Yurei Attack: the Japanese Ghost Survival Guide by Hiroko Yoda (YA) - Yurei is the Japanese word for "ghost." It's as simple as that. They are the souls of dead people, unable—or unwilling—to shuffle off this mortal coil. Yurei are many things, but "friendly" isn't the first word that comes to mind. Not every yurei is dangerous, but they are all driven by emotions so uncontrollably powerful that they have taken on a life of their own: rage, sadness, devotion, a desire for revenge, or even the firm belief that they are still alive. (Tuttle Publishing)
Originally Posted by StephanieT on October 7, 2020