Lurkling

Cryptids, urban legends, and things that probably aren't real. Probably.

Cryptid and urban legend stories told as edgy illustrated children's books.

The Creatures

The Mostly True Tale of the Ahool illustration

The Mostly True Tale of the Ahool

Ten-foot wingspan, Javan rainforest, and a call you will hear exactly once before reconsidering your career in naturalism.

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The Mostly True Tale of the Banshee illustration

The Mostly True Tale of the Banshee

She's not crying because she's sad. She's crying because you are.

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The Mostly True Tale of the Beast of Bodmin Moor illustration

The Mostly True Tale of the Beast of Bodmin Moor

A big cat on a small moor, doing a very impressive job of not existing.

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The Mostly True Tale of the Beast of Gevaudan illustration

The Mostly True Tale of the Beast of Gevaudan

It killed over a hundred people in 18th century France, and nobody could agree on what it was.

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Woodcut print of a massive shadowy Bigfoot figure in a misty Pacific Northwest forest

The Mostly True Tale of Bigfoot

Eight feet tall, perpetually blurry, and better at avoiding cameras than most celebrities.

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The Mostly True Tale of Black Shuck illustration

The Mostly True Tale of Black Shuck

A dog walked into two churches in the same morning. Nobody laughed.

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The Mostly True Tale of the Bunyip illustration

The Mostly True Tale of the Bunyip

Somewhere between a dog, a seal, and a nightmare, Australia's most confusing monster has been ruining fishing trips since before colonization.

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The Mostly True Tale of Cadborosaurus illustration

The Mostly True Tale of Cadborosaurus

A sixty-foot sea serpent named Caddy, because the Pacific Northwest refuses to take anything seriously.

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The Mostly True Tale of Champ illustration

The Mostly True Tale of Champ

Lake Champlain's most famous resident, and the only one who never has to pay property taxes.

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Mexican folk art illustration of a stylized Chupacabra crouching on a moonlit hillside above a farm

El Chupacabra: A Goat's Worst Nightmare

It came for the goats. The goats were not consulted.

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The Mostly True Tale of the Dover Demon illustration

The Mostly True Tale of the Dover Demon

Seen by three separate groups of teenagers over two nights in a Massachusetts suburb. Then never again. Make of that what you will.

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1950s B-movie poster of the Flatwoods Monster towering over terrified people with neon green and purple colors

The Flatwoods Monster: Small Town, Big Alien, Bad Smell

It was ten feet tall, it glowed, and it smelled like a mechanic's worst nightmare.

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The Mostly True Tale of the Fouke Monster illustration

The Mostly True Tale of the Fouke Monster

Seven feet tall, smells like a swamp, and somehow made more money than most horror movies.

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The Mostly True Tale of the Fresno Nightcrawler illustration

The Mostly True Tale of the Fresno Nightcrawler

It's just legs. Two very tall, very pale legs. Walking somewhere. Nobody knows where.

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The Mostly True Tale of the Goatman illustration

The Mostly True Tale of the Goatman

Half man, half goat, haunting a bridge in Prince George's County since before anyone thought to ask why.

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The Mostly True Tale of the Hodag illustration

The Mostly True Tale of the Hodag

Captured in 1893. Confessed hoax in 1896. Official city mascot: forever.

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The Mostly True Tale of the Hopkinsville Goblins illustration

The Mostly True Tale of the Hopkinsville Goblins

On August 21, 1955, the Sutton family of Kelly, Kentucky shot at small glowing creatures for several hours. The creatures were not impressed.

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The Mostly True Tale of the Jackalope illustration

The Mostly True Tale of the Jackalope

Part rabbit, part antelope, entirely the fault of two brothers in Wyoming.

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Retro pulp magazine illustration of the Jersey Devil silhouetted against a full moon over the Pine Barrens

The Jersey Devil: New Jersey's Other Problem

Born in the Pine Barrens. Never left. Very on-brand for New Jersey.

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The Mostly True Tale of the Kappa illustration

The Mostly True Tale of the Kappa

Turtle-shelled, water-dwelling, and defeatable by basic good manners.

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Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock print of a massive kraken rising from churning ocean waves

The Kraken: Everything Below Is Worse

The ocean is 36,000 feet deep. We have explored about 5% of it. Sleep well.

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The Mostly True Tale of La Llorona illustration

The Mostly True Tale of La Llorona

She is always near water. She is always crying. She is always looking for something she cannot find.

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The Mostly True Tale of the Lizard Man of Scape Ore Swamp illustration

The Mostly True Tale of the Lizard Man of Scape Ore Swamp

Seven feet tall, covered in green scales, and deeply opposed to your car.

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Victorian engraving of Loch Ness at dusk with a serpentine shadow beneath the surface

Nessie: A Love Story (With Sonar)

Scotland's most famous resident has never paid taxes.

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The Mostly True Tale of the Loveland Frog illustration

The Mostly True Tale of the Loveland Frog

Three feet tall, frog-faced, and spotted under a bridge in Ohio. Nobody asked for this.

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The Mostly True Tale of the Manananggal illustration

The Mostly True Tale of the Manananggal

She detaches at the waist and flies. Her legs wait at home. You do not want to know what the rest of her is doing.

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The Mostly True Tale of the Mapinguari illustration

The Mostly True Tale of the Mapinguari

One eye, backward feet, a mouth in its belly, and a smell that cleared entire villages. Brazil has some explaining to do.

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The Mostly True Tale of the Michigan Dogman illustration

The Mostly True Tale of the Michigan Dogman

Seven feet tall, walks on two legs, and keeps an eerily consistent schedule.

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The Mostly True Tale of Mokele-Mbembe illustration

The Mostly True Tale of Mokele-Mbembe

Living dinosaur of the Congo. Every expedition comes back empty. The river doesn't care.

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The Mostly True Tale of Momo illustration

The Mostly True Tale of Momo

Missouri, 1972. A large hairy thing carrying a dead dog walked out of the woods, and everything went sideways from there.

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The Mostly True Tale of the Mongolian Death Worm illustration

The Mostly True Tale of the Mongolian Death Worm

Five feet long, bright red, allergic to being found, and named after a part of the digestive system. The Gobi Desert's worst resident.

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Noir comic book illustration of a dark winged silhouette with glowing red eyes perched on a building in the rain

Mothman: The Worst Omen in West Virginia

Red eyes, big wings, terrible timing.

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The Mostly True Tale of Nahuelito illustration

The Mostly True Tale of Nahuelito

South America's Nessie. Slightly more radioactive, allegedly.

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The Mostly True Tale of the Nandi Bear illustration

The Mostly True Tale of the Nandi Bear

East Africa's most aggressive mystery, terrorizing a region where bears don't exist.

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The Mostly True Tale of the Nightmarchers illustration

The Mostly True Tale of the Nightmarchers

They have been walking these paths since before your roads existed. Do not look up.

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The Mostly True Tale of Ogopogo illustration

The Mostly True Tale of Ogopogo

Canada's lake monster is older than Canada, better documented than Nessie, and still not returning your calls.

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The Mostly True Tale of the Owlman illustration

The Mostly True Tale of the Owlman

Cornwall's answer to Mothman, seen near a church, which somehow makes it worse.

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The Mostly True Tale of the Skunk Ape illustration

The Mostly True Tale of the Skunk Ape

Florida's answer to Bigfoot. Taller, hairier, and significantly more fragrant.

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Edward Gorey pen and ink illustration of a tall faceless figure in a suit standing at the end of a hallway

Slenderman: Born on a Tuesday, Ruined a Decade

The internet made a monster. The monster did not appreciate it.

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The Mostly True Tale of the Slide-Rock Bolter illustration

The Mostly True Tale of the Slide-Rock Bolter

Part whale, part landslide, entirely your fault for hiking in Colorado.

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The Mostly True Tale of the Snallygaster illustration

The Mostly True Tale of the Snallygaster

Half bird, half reptile, all front page. Maryland's original tabloid sensation.

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The Mostly True Tale of Spring Heeled Jack illustration

The Mostly True Tale of Spring Heeled Jack

Jumped over your roof, breathed fire in your face, and left before anyone got a good look.

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The Mostly True Tale of the Tatzelwurm illustration

The Mostly True Tale of the Tatzelwurm

A cat-faced dragon with stubby legs living in the Alps. Of course the Swiss have one of these.

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The Mostly True Tale of the Bloop illustration

The Mostly True Tale of the Bloop

The loudest sound in recorded ocean history. It came from somewhere. We eventually figured out where. It was less exciting than everyone hoped.

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The Mostly True Tale of the Thunderbird illustration

The Mostly True Tale of the Thunderbird

Wingspan of a small aircraft, attitude of a large problem.

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The Mostly True Tale of Trunko illustration

The Mostly True Tale of Trunko

White, furry, and equipped with a trunk it definitely shouldn't have. South Africa's most confusing houseguest.

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The Mostly True Tale of the Tsuchinoko illustration

The Mostly True Tale of the Tsuchinoko

A fat little snake that Japan has been offering serious money to catch since before your parents were born.

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The Mostly True Tale of the Wampus Cat illustration

The Mostly True Tale of the Wampus Cat

Six legs, one grudge, and a howl that keeps the dogs inside.

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Gothic illuminated manuscript of a towering skeletal antlered figure in a frozen boreal forest

The Wendigo: Hunger That Walks

In the north woods, some appetites cannot be satisfied.

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Soviet propaganda poster of a massive white-furred Yeti standing atop a Himalayan peak against a red sky

The Yeti: Cold Case (Literally)

Somewhere above 20,000 feet, something large is not interested in being found.

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