Sasquatch

September 1, 2015

Gr 8-10-Sixteen-year-old Jake Oliver chooses to go live with his dad in a remote area of Connecticut instead of staying with his mom after his parents' divorce. Things could be worse than the smelly, run-down cabin that used to belong to his late Uncle Horace. Here, he has his freedom. It is far better than being back home with his mom and her creepy, rich husband. His new job at the local grocery store is not too bad, either. After all, that is where he meets Nell. Jake might miss his friends, but the very cute Nell makes life here seem better every day. When the protagonist's dad has to leave for a long business trip, things start to get strange. Why was Uncle Horace obsessed with Bigfoot? Where is that creepy howl coming from? Jake and Nell decide to make a documentary in order to find out. Things become more complicated when Jake's sister Megan shows up unexpectedly. Touches of teen issues with alcohol and sexuality round out the plot. With so much focus on ghosts, mermaids, and zombies in teen fiction, it is refreshing to read a book based on a different supernatural figure. Believable settings and compelling characters will generate interest in the cryptid. Exciting if predictable plot twists will keep teens invested in the story. VERDICT A good choice for reluctant readers or for those who are getting bored with mainstream supernatural books.-Claire Covington, Waynesboro Public Library, VA

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