Cryptids, Creatures & Critters

Great illustrations and insightful information about Cryptids, Creatures & Critters!

I loved the introduction and the how to read sections at the beginning of this book; they really helped frame the information moving forward. The illustrations were great, and brought life to the information being presented. I will definitely be purchasing this book for my shelf at home.

LOVE!!! This is a very informative reference book with pretty much any kind of cryptid/creature you're looking for. The descriptions are great and the art is top tier. I'm going to have to buy a hard copy because I have a feeling it'll be a wonderful reference in my writing ;) Plus it'd just be fun to look through the pictures every once in a while!

Thank you, NetGalley and Rachel Quinney, for providing me with a copy to review.

This book takes a look at a lot of cryptids and monsters from around the world. It gives you a brief look at the creatures without overwhelming you with information about them. It also gives you an illustration of the creatures to give you an idea of what it looks like. If you're looking to dip your toe into the cryptid pool, this book would be a great place to start. It may make you curious enough to research more about these creatures.

I love this book!! I always enjoy finding movies and novels that feature cryptids, but I had no idea there were so many different kinds. The entries are fantastic, with a brief explanation about the story behind each cryptid and bright, fun pictures. This is fun to read on its own and I would also highly recommend this for budding writers who want inspiration. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

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.

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.

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!

I expected a book to flip through and see new art of cryptids I'm familiar with. I was pleasantly surprised that this is so thorough! There were many new creatures introduced to me (and I can assume to any reader). The organization of mythical vs cryptid is great, as well as the physical descriptors.
Overall, this is a step above other cryptid books in the amount of information, organization and artwork.

Thank you to NEtgalley and the publisher for giving me this eARC to review.

I love mythology and Cryptids, Creatures and Critters is the sort of book I know I would love. The illustrations were nice and the information was pretty fascinating. Some Cryptids/Creatures/Critters had content warnings which was great because sometimes you don't want to read a section that has animal death.

It was nice that it wasn't just focused on one area of the world for its creatures as sometimes books like this can be focused on one country or continent. I would recommend this to people interested in Cryptids, Creatures, Critters and Mythology/Folklore and I think it could be an interesting reference book for TTRPGs and creating or using creatures.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy for an honest review

I really like it , really good illustrations and I liked it

Rating 4 1/2 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Cute introductory anthology to creatures from myth, folklore and legend. It has more text than I was expecting but the illustrations are magical and the descriptions really bring it to life. A perfect book to dip into and inspire further reading.

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.

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

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.

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.

📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 Yes, our family’s greatest adventure last year was a day trip to Sutton, West Virginia for the Bigfoot Museum and to visit the site of 1952 Flatwoods Monster sighting (and their amazing museum as well). Whether you are a seasoned reader of Cryptids, or a novice, this book is for you!!!! The illustrations are fabulous and the information is great. I absolutely loved reading about some favorite cryptids and learning about new ones. I would 💯 put this book out on my coffee table to enjoy over and over again!

Review is on Goodreads and will be posted on Instagram soon!

The art was absolutely gorgeous. Some of the entries on different creatures were a little unbalanced. It was only noticeable going from entries that were half a page or a paragraph to entries that were a couple pages. Obviously the lore for some has developed more than others. Overall, it's pretty comprehensive as far as geography/culture.

OH BOY was this book for me!!!! From the incredible and sometimes so cute illustrations, to the fact that the author started by clarifying their terms, and getting to learn about some thing I had never heard of, THIS BOOK IS IT. I love a fun fact book, especially when one is done so well.

Wow I am literally so obsessed with this! I would love this book as a coffee table read. I saw all my faves and learned about so many more things from around the world. It was all very interesting.

The artwork is so fantastic I could not look away from some of the images.

I am obsessed! This book is amazing. Not only are the illustrations absolutely stunning but the information packed into every page was so much fun. I learned so many new things about creatures that I didn't even know about. This is a book that I cannot wait to have on my coffee table to read over and over again!!

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).

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.

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!

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)

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.

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.

What a cute and gorgeous book! The information was well-researched and well-presented, starting with the way the beings were presented in separate categories (cryptids, folklore, and mythology). The illustrations were colorful, fun, adorable, and spooky (when relevant). I learned a few new things, giggled more than once, and generally just had a lovely time reading through this book!

4.25/5