A local author is visiting Garfield’s library and elementary school Friday to do presentations on Bigfoot and cryptozoology.

Children’s book author Kelly Milner Halls is based in Spokane. She mostly writes nonfiction books and has extensively researched cryptozoology and Bigfoot.

Halls will be presenting on cryptozoology, the study of mysterious animals, at 12:10 p.m. at Palouse Elementary School in Garfield. At 3:30 p.m., she will present on Bigfoot at Garfield Library.

The presentations are 45 minutes long, Garfield Library librarian Sarah Anderson said. After presenting, Halls has casts of Bigfoot footprints and other interesting items for the children to see.

Anderson said Halls was recommended to her because she had been to the Colfax Library branch of the Whitman County Rural Library District.

“I ended up doing a Bigfoot theme because I am also doing trail tales in Elberton and that is all about Bigfoot,” Anderson said. “Because Kelly does cryptids and stuff I thought it would be fun to tie it in.”

Halls said she became interested in researching and writing about Bigfoot when she realized there were no children’s books that supported the belief in Bigfoot; they only portrayed the cryptid as a myth.

About 20 years ago, Halls decided to extensively research Bigfoot by interviewing scientists, eyewitnesses and researchers. Although she said she has not come to a conclusion on whether or not Bigfoot is real, she writes about what she learns so people can come to their own conclusions.

“It ended up being a super interesting thing and the kids love it,” Halls said.

Halls said she does not want children to be scared of mysteries that cannot be proven; rather, her presentations exist so children can keep an open mind on these topics.