There is a monster in the American South.With razor sharp horns, glowing red eyes, a thick predator's body and a bone-chilling call in the night, the Ozark Howler is one of the most compelling creatures in American folklore, and yet one of the least understood. Author Ralph Toller, a lifelong resident of the Ozarks, explores the folklore, rumors, and sightings of this unique beast of Southern mythology, providing the first nonfiction portrait of the horned and hairy antihero that until now has been spoken of only by word of mouth. Once you have met the Ozark Howler, you'll never forget it.

Gabe Brown's brother Ben has his own show on the Internet called Discover Cryptids. Gabe and his friends Tyler and Sean help Ben hunt down these monsters and make sure the show goes on! For this episode the Monster Hunters travel to the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas to investigate sightings of a large animal thought to be half cat, and half bear! Is that even possible? Aligned to Common Core standards and correlated to state standards. Calico is an imprint of Magic Wagon, a division of ABDO.

The people who live in the Ozark country of Missouri and Arkansas were, until very recently, the most deliberately unprogressive people in the United States. Descended from pioneers who came West from the Southern Appalachians at the beginning of the nineteenth century, they made little contact with the outer world for more than a hundred years. They seem like foreigners to the average urban American, but nearly all of them come of British stock, and many families have lived in America since colonial days. Their material heirlooms are few, but like all isolated illiterates they have clung to the old songs and obsolete sayings and outworn customs of their ancestors. Sophisticated visitors sometimes regard the “hillbilly” as a simple child of nature, whose inmost thoughts and motivations may be read at a glance. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The hillman is secretive and sensitive beyond anything that the average city dweller can imagine, but he isn’t simple. His mind moves in a tremendously involved system of signs and omens and esoteric auguries. He has little interest in the mental procedure that the moderns call science, and his ways of arranging data and evaluating evidence are very different from those currently favored in the world beyond the hilltops. The Ozark hillfolk have often been described as the most superstitious people in America. It is true that some of them have retained certain ancient notions which have been discarded and forgotten in more progressive sections of the United States. It has been said that the Ozarker got his folklore from the Negro, but the fact is that Negroes were never numerous in the hill country, and there are many adults in the Ozarks today who have never even seen a Negro. Another view is that the hillman’s superstitions are largely of Indian origin, and there may be a measure of truth in this; the pioneers did mingle freely with the Indians, and some of our best Ozark families still boast of their Cherokee blood. My own feeling is that most of the hillman’s folk beliefs came with his ancestors from England or Scotland. I believe that a comparison of my material with that recorded by British antiquarians will substantiate this opinion.

Tales of the Ozark Howler shares the folklore surrounding the legendary but mysterious dark beast that has long haunted the remote hills and hollers of Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma: The Ozark Howler. This book collects folktales, eyewitness accounts, archival documents, and folk wisdom about the strange creature, a massive shaggy haired predator larger than a bear said to have glowing red eyes and a pair of large horns sprouting from the top of its head. This nightmare of the American South has haunted generations of families with its strange, mournful howls.Originally published in 1936 by a small, local printer shortly before the death of its author, Saul Ashton, Tales of the Ozark Howler was quickly pulled from distribution by family members who were scandalized by Ashton's interracial love affairs, atheism, and affiliation with the Communist Party. By suppressing the book, they hoped to end their embarrassment and restore the reputation of their conservative family.With the death of the last remaining members of this generation of the Ashton clan, Hawthorne Cornus was given permission to finally republish the short book, which remains unchanged from the original, except for a new foreword explaining the long struggle over its publication.With the distance of a few decades, the political, religious, racial, and cultural subtexts of this neglected work of American folklore have become clear. Is the monster the Howler itself, or the people who have pushed it to lurk in the margins? For those readers who are interested in the roots of Ozark culture, and for those who simply enjoy a frightening story, Tales of the Ozark Howler is sure to provide a pleasantly unusual reading experience.

The ultimate quest for the world's most mysterious creatures The Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot, the Abominable Snowman -- these are the names of the elusive beasts that have caught the eye and captured the imaginations of people around the world for centuries. Recently, tales of these "monsters" have been corroborated by an increase in sightings, and out of these legends a new science has been born: cryptozoology -- the study of hidden animals. Cryptozoology A to Z, the first encyclopedia of its kind, contains nearly two hundred entries, including cryptids (the name given to these unusual beasts), new animal finds, and the explorers and scientists who search for them. Loren Coleman, one of the world's leading cryptozoologists, teams up with Jerome Clark, editor and author of several encyclopedias, to provide these definitive descriptions and many never-before-published drawings and photographs from eyewitnesses' detailed accounts. Full of insights into the methods of these scientists, exciting tales of discovery, and the history and evolution of this field, Cryptozoology A to Z is the most complete reference ever of the newest zoological science.

The Ozarks region-spanning parts of Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma-overflows with visible fragments of the past. A Living History of the Ozarks is a guide to the region through landmarks and sites which offer clues to its intriguing history. This splendorous land inspired Phyllis Rossiter, a native of the Ozarks, to write about the area to help people learn to appreciate its beauty and to recognize our dependence upon nature. "I feel that it's important to safeguard what we have left," says Rossiter. "In my writing, if I can help achieve that, then that's what I want to do-to help people acquire an appreciation for nature." Abounding with sparkling lakes and rivers (including the great Lake of the Ozarks), clear blue springs, rugged mountains, ancient caves, and windswept prairies, the Ozarks are a visitor's wonderland of natural beauty and legendary mystique. Author Phyllis Rossiter explores the major areas that make up the storied Ozarks. The Lake of the Ozarks region, the Springfield plateau, Ozark mountain country, the Buffalo National River, White River Hills, and the Big Spring region are all covered in depth. A detailed appendix lists places to view ongoing history such as caves and rock formations, Indian artifacts, bridges and ferries, gristmills, Civil War monuments, heritage crafts, mountain music, hiking trails, floatable rivers, national parks, and more. Offering keen insight on the area's history, as well as a complete guide to the sites and scenic spots of this popular American vacation destination, this book is a marvelous documentation of "living history" for tourists and interested area residents alike. Phyllis Rossiter resides in Gainesville, Missouri, where she is an active writer, photographer, conservationist, and lecturer. She is a member of the Missouri Writers Guild, the Ozarks Writers League, the Society of Children's Book Writers, and the Outdoor Writers of America.