Bigfoot's Big Heart

September 15, 2024
Being a mythical creature can be lonely, especially on Valentine's Day. Timid Bigfoot usually holes up inside his cave, afraid to venture out. Everyone makes loud, terrifying noises whenever they see him. But at least he has other misunderstood monster pals who appreciate his plight, among them Nessie, who lives in Scotland; Mothman, who's from the Appalachian Mountains; and the Chupacabra, who resides in Puerto Rico. All of them long for friends, but people fear them. Bigfoot decides to mail them valentines reminding them of their positive qualities. He carefully creates cards, but when he goes out to mail them, he's seen by a scout troop and, in his haste to escape, drops them. Hiding in the bushes, Bigfoot sadly says, "I don't think the mailman would have known just where to deliver them anyway." Luckily, the scouts have a worldwide network, which comes together to help deliver the valentines to all of the monsters' vague and secretive locations. Marsh's tender tale takes an expansive, global view and demonstrates that anyone can experience loneliness, even seemingly formidable beasts. None of the creatures are frightening; Lobo gives them each kind eyes and shy smiles that make them endearing and downright cuddly despite their pointy teeth or multiple appendages. The scouts are a diverse bunch. A heartfelt reminder that everyone needs love--even monsters.(Picture book. 4-7)

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November 1, 2024
Preschool-Grade 2 Bigfoot is known to be unknown--enigmatic, elusive, perhaps even scary! But what if he's just a nervous lil' guy? Marsh imagines so in this sweet tale of friendship, perfectly timed for commercial Valentine's appeal. Cast as a gentle soul fearful of his own voice, Bigfoot spends most of his time hiding away and writing other mythical pen pals about their respective issues as cryptids, from Mothman to Omukade. These letters bring him so much comfort that he decides to bravely send Valentines to all of his cryptid friends, but he gets startled on his mailing trip by a group of scouts out camping and loses his friends' cards. Some of the more introverted scouts notice the lost cards and use the power of connection (via the internet) to other scouts around the world, getting the cards to Bigfoot's friends. With precious digital illustrations capturing the cuter side of cryptids, this tale of friendship, loneliness, and finding those who understand will be a fun, thematic read-aloud.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

December 1, 2024

PreS-Gr 2-In this tender tale, Bigfoot hides away because he does not like loud noises or the fearful way people act around him. Many of his mythical friends, including Nessie and Mothman, hide away, too. To show them he cares, Bigfoot makes Valentine's Day cards, but he comes face-to-face with his own fears when he walks through the woods to send the cards and comes across a troop of scouts. This story shows children that individuals are more than their outward appearance and questions how people think about monsters. The language is simple, and the illustrations are vibrant and childlike, giving the story a sweet quality rather than a spooky one. VERDICT A fun story that allows children to consider perspectives in an interesting way.-Tracey Hodges

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 30, 2024
A thoughtful creature of lore and a troop of empathetic scouts bring the idea of a special Valentine’s Day delivery to a whole new level. Bigfoot, who’s not a fan of loud noises and often feels lonely while keeping out of sight in the forest, knows the lift that a piece of mail can offer. That’s why he’s made Valentine’s Day cards to send to his network of equally solitary mythical pen pals, including Scotland’s Nessie, who “stays deep underwater” to avoid notice, and Puerto Rico’s Chupacabra, a gardener who works solo at night. But on the way to the post office, Bigfoot unintentionally frightens some human scouts on a camping trip and nearly derails the plan. Luckily, a trio of campers who “always sit apart from the rest” whip out a laptop to recruit fellow scouts globally and deliver Bigfoot’s cards to unconventional addresses (“Mothman, the Grassy Hill”). It’s a spunky blend of silly and sweet that will serve as an introvert’s holiday treat. Human characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 3–7.