Let’s define cryptozoology, for starters. It’s a subculture and pseudoscience focused on trying to prove the existence of cryptids, creatures that are rumored to exist based on anecdotes or folklore. Other than my beloved Nessie, creatures considered to be cryptids include such entities as Bigfoot, Yeti, the chupacabra, and more. At the same time, the definition generally seems to exclude various mythological creatures and spiritual or supernatural beings (so, for instance, no pegasuses or unicorns or any of the yōkai from the Japanese folktales I grew up hearing). Cryptozoology began relatively recently, with roots that can be traced back to the 1940s and ’50s. Its founding figures were Bernard Heuvelmans and Ivan T. Sanderson, zoologists whose interests extended to unknown creatures. Both wrote extensively on the topic, and Heuvelmans’s book On the Track of Unknown Animals is considered a hugely influential text in cryptozoology. However, the study itself has no basis in the scientific method or folklore studies (a branch of anthropology), and is instead related to other pseudosciences like ufology or ghost hunting. So to scratch that itch to scrutinize the unknown (because who of us hasn’t enjoyed the occasional “searching for Bigfoot”-type show on the History Channel?), here are some books about or featuring cryptids and cryptozoology. This list is by no means comprehensive, but instead aims to represent the wide range of books out there, from fiction to nonfiction, and for readers of all ages.
Nonfiction Books About Cryptids
Fiction Books About Cryptids
For more books with beings beyond just cryptids, check out these posts on books featuring fantastical creatures and books about unicorns.
