The Mystic Phyles Beasts compiled by Stephanie Brockway and Ralph Masiello

The Mystic Phyles: Beasts, compiled by Stephanie Brockway and Ralph Masiello, is Abigail Thaddeus's journal.  Abby has lived with her crazy grandmother and her very strict grandfather ever since her parents died when she was a baby.  One day, Abby is contacted by a "Devoted Friend" through a letter delivered by a black cat!  The letter advises Abby to begin researching mythical beasts - some common, such as Bigfoot, unicorns and dragons, but some uncommon such as giant flying bats known as ahools, the bunyip, and the giant spider tsuchigumo.  She has to sneak around to do this research because she knows her grandfather would never approve.  Strange things begin happening as Abby and her close friend Charley delve deeper into the secrets of these beasts.  Abby begins to suspect that her grandfather is keeping some sort of secret and that her grandmother knows more than she's letting on...

This was a really fun read.  I loved the way the story was told through Abby's research and the diary entries about her daily life.  I also really liked the way the story unfolded, and we learned more about Abby, her grandparents, and their connection to the mythical beasts she's been studying.  I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning more about cryptozoology (the study of strange creatures) and those who enjoy a diary/journal style novel.