Reference Reviews

Doug’s Student Reference Room

Monsters: The Chupacabras. Terry O’Neill. 48 p. Detroit: Kidhaven Press, 2008. ISBN 13: 978-0-7377-3162-0; ISBN 10: 0-7377-3162-1. $26.20.

Skeptics of these fabled creatures have suggested chupacabras might in truth be bears, pumas, wild monkeys, kangaroos, wolves, or even bats. The first chapter of this volume explores the various possible origins of the monster, including —surprise!—alien from another planet. Subsequent chapters detail “eyewitness” accounts and attempts to track down the monster, and the final chapter celebrates the chupacabra’s place in popular culture, including features on the Mexican television program “The Christina Show” and the American series, “The X Files.” Recommended for school and public libraries.
—Doug Achterman