"Readers interested in an academic review of mysterious phenomena will be well served by this series. Each book begins with an attention-grabbing introduction—a young child’s past-life memories or Christopher Columbus’s Bermuda Triangle experience. But the tone quickly turns to a reasoned examination of the history, science, and beliefs surrounding each mystery. Readers will learn about famous tales such as H.G. Wells’s “The War of the Worlds” broadcast and Plato’s recounting of Er’s near-death experience. Colored text boxes and large photos and illustrations break up the pages. The books conclude with a bibliography, glossary, index, and list of websites. VERDICT Valuable research material for unusual topics." —School Library Journal, November 2021
"Human history is riddled with mysteries of all kinds from all over the world. One such mystery is Bigfoot, also known as Sasquatch, said to be a giant humanoid ape-creature that roams the high mountains and forests of the world. Although no physical evidence other than extra-large footprints has ever been recovered, there nonetheless continue to be reports of sightings of this mysterious creature every year. While many of these reports hail from the Pacific Northwest of the United States, Bigfoot is known by many names in communities worldwide. Recounted in tales dating back generations, Bigfoot is a creature who remains an enigma despite countless sightings and investigations. Like the other books in the "Odysseys in Mysteries" series, this has a sturdy, library-quality cover and contains eighty pages of photographs and text. Divided into chapters, this book presents many of the theories about Nessie and provides as much tangible data as possible. Full-color photographs appear throughout the book, giving readers a dynamic visual to accompany the informative text. Complex sentences are coupled with ample white space to give readers extensive amounts of information while providing an accessible platform for less confident readers. Important vocabulary words, emphasized in bold throughout the text, are defined in a detailed glossary. At the end of the book, readers will find a glossary, an index, and a list of selected resources for further inquiry, including web sites. This series is an excellent addition to library shelves for readers interested in studying unexplained occurrences. Recommended for middle school and high school students." Children's Literature, January 2022
