South Carolina Lizard Man, The

Deep in Hell Hole Swamp on the edge of their antebellum farm, young Josh and Matt discover a secret both miraculous and dreadful�the infamous Lizard Man.

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-9-- In the late 1970s, some people in the lower part of South Carolina reported seeing a huge green scaly creature with red eyes in the Scape Ore Swamp. This story, set in the mid-1800s, is loosely based on that event. Twins Josh and Matt, 15, are enjoying their last summer before going to England to complete their educations. While exploring a forbidden swamp, they discover a seven-foot lizard. While Josh is terrified, Matt is fascinated by the monster, and believes it to be friendly. He desires to learn more; Josh wants only to find an ancient sphinx supposedly located on the plantation. The boys help each other in their quests. As the exciting story unfolds, they battle alligators, face off with a rattlesnake, search for the sphinx, and make contact with the reptile. The writing is rather stilted, similar to the style popular in books published at the time the story takes place. Rhyne's storytelling talents are much more evident in Coastal Ghosts (Sandlapper, 1989) and Tales of the South Carolina Low Country (Blair, 1982). The major problem, however, is the meticulous pen-and-ink illustrations. They depict the physical surroundings accurately, but the same attention to detail is not afforded the human figures. The people are almost cartoonlike, a disconcerting contrast to the realistic background. --Nancy P. Reeder, Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, Columbia, SCCopyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Nancy Rhyne, a resident of Murrells Inlet, is an award-winning author and one of the South's great storytellers. She strives to introduce children to the heritage of their area through local folklore and legends that are designed to inspire children to learn about their own surroundings as well as to entertain them with delightful stories of children, much like themselves, caught in some very unusual circumstances. She actively lectures to school groups, conventions, civic organizations, and other groups who enjoy her tales of the South Carolina Low Country, plantation life in the 1800s, and most recently, the intriguing tale of the infamous creature believed to be half human and half lizard that roams the lowlands. She has published many books.Mauro Magellan achieved fame as the drummer of the Georgia Satellites.

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