Hal Johnson

Tom Mead

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 ofImmortal 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.

20 Chilling Tales from the Wilderness

Fearsome Creatures of the Lumberwoods

Horribly disfigured thirteen-year-old Myron Horowitz discovers that he is the first immortal lycanthrope, a were-mammal, born since time began, that can switch from a human to an animal.

Immortal Lycanthropes

What does women’s suffrage have to do with the telephone? How could elephants have brought a thousand years of peace to the Middle East? Which Roman emperor might have saved the life of Louis XVI? Could Sophocles’s least popular play have rescued the twentieth century? How might Freemasons control the Capitol? Across 1400 years and six continents (sorry, Australia), Impossible Histories examines pivotal moments in history from both sides—what happened and what would have happened had things gone differently. The results are by turns strange, hilarious, tragic...and always fascinating.

The Soviet Republic of Alaska, the United States of Hudsonia, President Charlemagne, and Other Pivotal Moments of History That Never Happened

Impossible Histories

Meet the monsters in this who’s who of the baddest of the bad! Like those supernatural beasts everyone knows and fears—the bloodsucking vampire, Count Dracula, and that eight-foot-tall mash-up of corpses, Frankenstein’s Monster. Or that scariest of mummies, Cheops, who scientists revived after 4,700 years—big mistake! Or more horrifying yet, the Horla, an invisible, havoc-wreaking creature that herds humans like cattle and feeds of their souls. Drawn from the pages of classic books and tales as old as time, this frightfully exciting collection features 25 of the creepiest creatures ever imagined, from witches and werewolves to dragons and ghosts. Every monster is brought to life in a full-size full-color portrait that captures the essence of the beast, and in lively text that recounts the monster’s spine-tingling story. With sidebars that explore the history and the genre of each sourcebook, The Big Book of Monsters is an exciting introduction to literature and language arts.

The Creepiest Creatures from Classic Literature

The Big Book of Monsters

“Required reading for budding happy mutants and their grownups . . . Perfectly wonderful and wonderfully perfect” (Boing Boing). A shameful fact about humanity is that some people can be so ugly that no one will be friends with them. It is shameful that humans can be so cruel, and it is shameful that humans can be so ugly. So begins the incredible story of Myron Horowitz, a disfigured thirteen-year-old just trying to fit in at his Pennsylvania school. When an encounter with a bully leads to a mysterious explosion—and Myron lying unconscious and naked in the wreckage of the cafeteria—he discovers he is an immortal lycanthrope . . . a were-mammal who can transform from human to animal. He also discovers that there are others like him, and many of them want Myron dead. “People will turn into animals,” says the razor-witted narrator of this tour-de-force, “and here come ancient secrets and rivers of blood.” “Johnson’s debut novel is original and thought-provoking, especially the unique mythology intertwined with literary and historical references.” —School Library Journal “Filled with sarcasm and humor, this book will appeal to all teens . . . Teachers will love the high-level vocabulary (and content clues), sophisticated mathematical and scientific references, and non-stop allusions to writers, poets, books, and historical events.” —VOYA “I believe that readers, both young and old will find Immortal Lycanthropes an enjoyable read. Funny and exciting, with the trip being just as important as the destination.” —Comic Booked

A Novel

Meet the snoligoster, who feeds on the shadows of its victims. The whirling whimpus, who once laid low an entire Boy Scout troop. And the hoop snake, who can chase prey at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour and then, with one sting of its venomous tail, cause it to turn purple, swell up, and—alas—die. These and 17 other fearsome creatures are among the most fantastical beasts in American folklore. Their stories, as narrated by one of the last surviving cryptozoologists, are best enjoyed while sitting around a campfire. If you dare.

Hal Johnson

About

Books

Join the club