Cryptologist Alert! These entries from the You Choose: Monster Hunter series offer readers self-styled opportunities to hunt for mythical creatures. All four books share the same author and offer
approximately 40 story choices and 20 endings, ranging from disappointingly bland to satisfyingly gory. Each book follows a similar format: an explanation of the choose-your-own-path process followed by five chapters that convey scientific background information set within real-time, fictional monster sleuthing. In Can You Capture Chupacabra?, the action revolves around cryptologists using a variety of forensic techniques as they search for this terrifying livestock killer in Texas, Argentina, and Puerto Rico. Can You Catch the Kraken? features a professional underwater photographer who globetrots to Norway, Greece, and China, facing death and dismemberment while explaining the basics of bioluminescence and other deep-sea novelties. A cryptid museum volunteer tangles with possible plesiosaurs and other Jurassic critters in Can You Net the Loch Ness Monster? In Can You Track Down Bigfoot?, readers accompany a college professor searching for the missing link and learn about fossils and DNA (and can get eaten by a bear or an alligator). Final chapters explore the science behind myths and scams, and back matter includes lists of similar mythological creatures around the world, critical-thinking exercises ("Other Paths to Explore"), glossary, further-reading suggestions, and kid-friendly internet sites. These interactive adventures, which reinforce science concepts and feature perennially popular topics, are good choices for struggling readers and English-language learners. -Booklist
