The United States of Cryptids: A Tour of American Myths and Monsters by J.W. Ocker
Ocker’s The United States of Cryptids isn’t quite an
encyclopedia, but it is a great reference book and a fun travelogue of Ocker’s
quest to document Cyptids in each state/region in the US. I read this along
with my son, thinking that he might want to read more about myths and monsters.
After riding on the Jersey Devil roller coaster, both of my kids became
interested in learning more about the Jersey Devil, and Ocker documents a good
amount about the history and cultural legacy of NJ’s most famous cryptid. Each
chapter for the book was relatively brief, and I really enjoyed reading about
Ocker’s ideas to honor and promote each state’s cryptid. He frequently mentions
statues or plaques that would identify sightings, legacy, or other important
information about these cryptids. Beyond these recommendations, Ocker’s book
can also serve as a great road trip guide for adventurous families and cryptid
hunters. He shares where he found more information about these cryptids, as
well as some of the annual traditions that might involve honoring the legacies
of these mythological creatures. I loved learning about some of the towns and
their festivals, parades, or even ceremonies to honor cryptids. One town in
Minnesota had an annual gnome festival that made gnomes from the likenesses of
townspeople they wanted to fete for the year. It was a really nice way to
recognize the contributions of a town. I was surprised to learn that a fair
amount of the cryptids stories are created to drum up tourism or promote
visiting these towns, and this practice even goes back to the 1800s, when a sea
serpent was manufactured to attract visitors to the town’s hotel. Although many
of the stories are unbelievable and some are blatantly false or rumors, it is
still fun to read about these creates and wonder what some of the more
unexplained phenomena might be. Despite these concise chapters, Ocker manages
to convey enough information about the origins and history of these, and
frequently makes connections to other cryptids in other states or regions. My
e-book also had links back to the other cryptids. I’m looking forward to
reading some of Ocker’s other books—I have the cursed objects book and read
that he has a book about cults coming out, which I really can’t wait to read.
Overall, this was a fun and easy read that gave me plenty of ideas about
possible road trips or places to visit.
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