4 out of 4 stars
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The Bigfoot Paradox is an enchanting children’s book written by Rebecca Coyte. As its name implies, the book revolves around the existence, or lack thereof, of Bigfoot. It is also a great coming of age story about a boy looking for Bigfoots and finding more besides. This is the first installment in "The Bigfoot Paradox" series, and the author is now working on her next book.
So what if Bigfoot (also known as Sasquatch) was real? What would we do if we did discover Sasquatch? What would Sasquatch do?? These are some of the questions this book raises as we follow one boy's quest for answers.
Bigfoots are alive and kicking in Onion Weed, or are they? Welcome to Onion Weed, Tennessee, population 839, where rumors of allusive, unknown beast roaming the woods abound, and hunters prowl. Things are getting rather weird in this quiet town, well more than usual, and there are some sightings of the beast in the woods. While the scientific community debates the existence of such a creature, Bigfoot hunters have no such qualms. Soon overzealous hunters are descending upon the peaceful town wanting "to bag a body". The most prominent among them is one Billy Matrix, the self-proclaimed authority on the "North American Bipedal Great Ape". He has assembled his own team of experts, and even has his own popular radio show about it, no less!
Meet 12 year-old J.T. Meeks, a shy, unpopular kid dreaming about Bigfoot, adventures, and glory. The reward offered for any proof of Bigfoot wouldn't hurt either. His father took off a couple of years ago, leaving J.T and his family (mom and an older brother) to fend for themselves. J.T's family had many encounters with Bigfoots in the past, or so they claimed, and J.T became fascinated with the mystical creatures. A chance encounter in the woods with Billy and his motley crew got him drafted into the expedition. The other members of the crew beside Billy are: El Guapo, a friendly spiritual hippie, Bob Roberts, a vicious hunter and loose cannon, the skeptic anthropologist Stacey, and the psychic Carissa. The more J.t learns about the Sasquatch, the more he wants to protect them. As the quest spirals out of control, J.t discovers the truth behind the lore, uncovers his true destiny, and learns important life lessons about compassion and kindness along the way.
This is a touching tale of friendships and legends. The author has seamlessly woven themes of fallible human nature, right and wrong, friendships, and respecting other species. Another is that there are more things in heaven and earth than we dreamt of. I liked it that the author painted Bigfoot as somewhat laid back and harmless, contrary to other stories afoot, and also included an original answer to how Sasquatch can remain undetected for so long. Sasquatch is cool guys!
The book is penned in the third person from multiple perspectives, and has a natural, flowing style. The author has kept the writing style simple for young readers to follow, painting a delightful picture of Bigfoot. Alas, one thing that bothered me about the story was that one of the characters got away with a serious crime, not a good message for kids in my view. On the other hand it did fit the storyline well. The story moves at a rather moderate pace, a tad slow at times, and there is no much action till the second half of the book.
For all my reservations, I must say I greatly enjoyed this novel. The book wraps up well, and all the loose ends were tied up very neatly. The author did a wonderful job of developing his characters and providing backstories when applicable. The colorful assortment of supporting characters kept the book fun and engaging. All in all an imaginative and entertaining read, so I rate it 4 out of 4 stars. It is suited for middle grade readers and up, and adults with a young heart would also enjoy this book. I would recommend this book to any Sasquatch lover looking for a refreshing story.
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The Bigfoot Paradox
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