Christopher Packard

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What people are saying...

“It is a definite sign of excellence in storytelling when readers take their time to savor each page and are in no hurry to finish up a book. Mythical Creatures of Maine is a collection such as this. Through artful presentation and a sincere love for lore, Packard shows us that within the mundane everyday lives the fantastic. And the wondrous, even magical, can yet be found hiding among the bushes of our backyards or deep within the receding forests of this American continent.”

- Lenwood Sharpe, Director of Lumberwoods, Unnatural History Museum

“Christopher Packard's Mythical Creatures of Maine: Fantastic Beasts from Legend and Folklore presents a complete list of Maine's historic, hidden creatures. With tales gathered from extensive research into native and lumberjack stories and lore, and reports of strange beasts spanning hundreds of years, this thoroughly enjoyable book is not only a unique, fun read--it is an important document that deserves a place in the library of any researcher, folklorist, educator, and historian.”

- Jean Tewksbury, Operations Curator, International Cryptozoology Museum

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“Mythical Creatures is a handsome little hardcover book, with full-color illustrations, that describes dozens of strange and wonderful creatures from Maine folklore. (...) I would recommend this book for anyone who likes folklore, New England history, or even just stories about monsters.”

- Peter Muise, Author of Witches and Warlocks of Massachusetts and Blogger at http://newenglandfolklore.blogspot.com/

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“Christopher does an amazing job of combining tongue-in-cheek anecdotes and serious research into this book while emphasizing the cultural significance of legendary creatures regardless of if they scientifically exist in the woods somewhere. The illustrations are amazing as well.”

- Jon Knepp, Director Thompson Free Library, Dover-Foxcroft, Maine

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“It's a lovely little bestiary, that's well written, and reveals a surprising number of oddities packed into a state that already contains moose, Stephen King, and Moxie cola. Arranged in field book style, the creatures are presented alphabetically, with descriptions, ranges, and anecdotes. A number of different traditions are represented.”

- Robert Damon Schneck, Historian of the Strange and author of The Bye Bye Man: And Other Strange-but-True Tales

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“Who knows what wondrous beings might be out there in the Maine woods, one step beyond the everyday? Christopher Packard does. He’s a biologist, folklorist, and teacher, but a fascinating storyteller as well. Whether it’s an Indigenous myth, a loggers’ tall tale, a questionable naturalistic sighting, or a Francophone tradition, each has deep meaning to the people who love and perpetuate it, and Packard presents each of these “stories not yet verified by science” with the respect it deserves. Well-researched notes and good bibliographies on each creature make Packard’s book a valuable resource for those of us who hope for a sighting of an agropelter or an ice hornet.”

- Dr. Chris Marshall, PhD, Professor of Anthropology, Unity College, Maine

“I will say that it is a very enjoyable read and for the general public, as well as younger children. I think the book is an informative and interesting look at the variety and scope of the fantastic creatures that inhabit Maine folklore. I really like the inclusion of "place" for where the many creatures are found to reside, this gives it a really nice map-like quality to it. One is tempted to go out and look at these places to see the origins of the story. This lends itself to "legend tripping " that is popular with young people. I would also say it is a great gift for people who like Maine! It adds an interesting dimension and character to Maine culture and again the inclusion of where the creatures reside lends itself to the curious tourist to go out and explore those areas. It also in fact adds a layer of color and texture to places in Maine, reading about the stories of where they inhabited.”

“Like so many legends, they are stories told as true, so that believing in them doesn't depend on proof. The stories add a liveliness to where we move through in the state and ask us to share a space in Maine with them.”

- Professor Karen Miller, Folklorist, Anthropology Department, University of Maine, Orono