Fearsome Creatures of the Lumberwoods: 20 Chilling Tales from the Wilderness — Hal Johnson

Meet the fearsome creatures of the lumberwoods! The Hodag, like a spinybacked bull-horned rhinoceros packing 3,000 pounds of carnivorous fury. The Snoligoster, the reptilian beast that feeds on the shadows of its victims. And deadlier than a rattler, copperhead, or cottonmouth combined, the Hoop Snake, which can chase prey at speeds up to 60 miles per hour and then, with one sting of its venomous tail, cause the victim to turn purple, swell up, and die.

For every kid who loves a good scare, here are 20 spooky, macabre, and yet whimsical tales about the most fantastical beasts in American folklore. Originally published in 1910 by William T. Cox and now inspiringly retold by Hal Johnson, author of Immortal Lycanthropes, Fearsome Creatures of the Lumberwoods is pure fun. Straight out of the era of Paul Bunyan, it speaks to an earlier time in American history, when the woods were indeed dark and deep and filled with mystery. The tone is archly smart and quirky -- think Edward Gorey meets Lemony Snicket. And the illustrations have a sinewy, retro fieldguide look -- some printed with the addition of glow-in-the-dark ink. This is especially good when reading the stories with a flashlight in a sleeping bag -- turn out the light, and see the creatures come to life.