Is It Real? Bigfoot - by Candace Fleming (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Get all your investigative tools ready and grab your detective hat, because you've been assigned a new case to solve: the legend of Bigfoot!

Join award-winning author Candace Fleming (Is It Real? The Loch Ness Monster; The Enigma Girls) as she brings her extraordinary research and storytelling prowess to the search for the truth behind the mystery of Bigfoot.

For nearly the entirety of human history, legends of a wild human-like creature roaming the forests and mountains have existed. Though these stories span the globe, and this creature goes by many names, perhaps the most famous one of all is Bigfoot. Described as a giant, hairy, ape-like beast that walks upright on two legs, Bigfoot has long roamed our imaginations...and our nightmares. Numerous photographs and alleged sightings continue to surface to this day. But after centuries of stories, expeditions, documentaries, first-hand accounts, pictures, and videos, the mystery of Bigfoot endures.

Now, Sibert Award-winning author Candace Fleming invites you to become a detective and join the hunt for the truth. You'll learn how real-life detectives and scientists conduct their investigations to solve the greatest mysteries. You will consider the evidence, see if you can tell the difference between fact and fiction, and maybe you will find the answer to this age-old question about Bigfoot: Is it real?

Review Quotes

Praise for Is It Real? The Loch Ness Monster:

* "This is a rare title that should excite young science enthusiasts and paranormal fans alike." -- Shelf Awareness, starred review

* "[T]his account of the history of Loch Ness monster sightings and theories is entertaining, informative, and useful for practical applications as well." -- Booklist, starred review

"[A] clever, attention-grabbing read that fosters critical thinking skills and scientific methodology." -- Publishers Weekly

Praise for The Enigma Girls: How Ten Teenagers Broke Ciphers, Kept Secrets, and Helped Win World War II:

A Sibert Honor Book

* "This compulsively readable, compellingly written book will appeal to a broad audience, from readers already interested in World War II to those who are new to the subject... A gripping narrative celebrating teen girls' underrecognized contributions to Allied war efforts." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "A thrilling account... Fleming does it again! Purchase this compelling blend of WWII, cryptography, and women's history that will mesmerize middle schoolers and inspire them to make an indelible impact on history, too." -- School Library Journal, starred review

Praise for Crash from Outer Space: Unraveling the Mystery of Flying Saucers, Alien Beings, and Roswell:

* "An exhilarating read, a useful classroom resource, and ultimately an illuminating look at human nature and the modern fascination with UFOs." -- Booklist, starred review

"...perfect for young readers who want the 'who-what-when-where-why' of America's most notorious purported alien sightings...As Fleming details some infamous reports of U.F.O.s and U.A.P.s (unidentified aerial phenomena), she appeals to young readers to think critically and apply the Sagan Standard: "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." This, to my mind, makes her book particularly worthwhile, a much-needed counter to the tangled history of fraudulent sightings." -- The New York Times

Praise for Curse of the Mummy:

* "In Fleming's capable hands, the story of the boy king and Howard Carter's discovery of his tomb brims with enthusiasm, wonder, and mystique." -- Booklist, starred review

"The Curse of the Mummy... will draw children's interest with a sense of lurid promise and keep them reading..." -- Wall Street Journal

Praise for The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia:

Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult Literature

Winner of the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Nonfiction

A Robert F. Sibert Honor Book

A YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award Finalist

Winner of the Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction

* "A remarkable human story, told with clarity and confidence." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "A wonderful introduction to this era in Russian history and a great read for those already familiar with it." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review

* "For readers who regard history as dull, Fleming's extraordinary book is proof positive that, on the contrary, it is endlessly fascinating, absorbing as any novel, and the stuff of an altogether memorable reading experience." -- Booklist, starred review

* "Fleming has outdone herself with this riveting work of narrative nonfiction that appeals to the imagination as much as the intellect." -- The Horn Book, starred review

* "This is both a sobering work, and the account of the discovery of their bones and the aftermath is at once fascinating and distressing. A solid resource and good recreational reading for high school students." -- School Library Journal, starred review

* "With comprehensive source notes and bibliographies of print and online materials, this will be a boon to student researchers, but it's also a heartbreaking page-turner for YAs who prefer their nonfiction to read like a novel." -- The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review

Praise for Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart:

* "Handwritten notes, photos, maps and inquisitive sidebars (What did Earhart eat during flight? Tomato juice and chocolate) complete this impeccably researched, appealing package. A stunning look at an equally stunning lady." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "The book's structure and scope, along with the story's inherent drama, provide a taut, cinematic backdrop for the history of Earhart's doomed flight." -- The Horn Book Magazine, starred review

* "Ho-hum history? Not in Fleming's apt hands. What could be a dry recitation of facts and dates is instead a gripping and suspenseful thriller... This book is splendid. Hand it to everyone." -- School Library Journal, starred review

* "Fleming cleverly structures this biography to give the tale of tragedy a fresh and dreadful impact... As a result, this offers not only a provocative introduction to Earhart but also compelling glimpse of what it was like to watch her disappear from the world." -- The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review

About the Author

Candace Fleming is the award-winning and highly acclaimed author of more than twenty books for children and young adults, including Is It Real? The Loch Ness Monster; Crash from Outer Space: Unraveling the Mystery of Flying Saucers, Alien Beings, and Roswell; The Curse of the Mummy: Uncovering Tutankhamun's Tomb; Sibert Honor Book The Enigma Girls: How Ten Teenagers Broke Ciphers, Kept Secrets, and Helped Win World War II; The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh, winner of the YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award; the Sibert Award winner Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize winner and Sibert Honor Book The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of the Russian Empire, among many others. Candace received the American Library Association's Margaret A. Edwards and Children's Literature Legacy Awards in 2026. She lives outside of Chicago, and you can visit her online at candacefleming.com.