As A Hairy Tangle, the second book in the Barnabas Bigfoot series, begins we pick up the action from Book One, A Close Shave. We are in the woods with Barnabas, Hannah and Ruth and Barnabas’ father has just fallen off a cliff. The three, now fast friends, know they must soldier on to rejoin their tribe and escape the hunting baldfaces. Throughout this book and the next, these three characters grow closer and closer. Barnabas and Hannah emerge as a possible “couple”, which is dealt with subtly and appropriately in the context of the action, as their growing friendship becomes tinged with, at least on Barnabas’ part, growing romantic feelings. But Barnabas’ betrayal by Dogger Dogwood and his family and the capture and rescue of Hannah from the creature compound of the evil Mr. Roland place Barnabas again in a human sphere, but this time he does so voluntarily to rescue Hannah. He has grown from resourceful victim to brave hero. Along the way Barnabas and Hannah cross paths with Lysander, a mysterious human who proves to be a pivotal figure from Sasquatch history. Lysander, whose presence both tests and cements the friendship between Hannah and Barnabas, fills in more gaps regarding the history of the tribe, laying the groundwork for the primary storyline of the series.

Throughout Book Two readers continue to be educated in the unique features of the Sasquatch culture. Chan has created a social structure, history and vocabulary for his sasquatch society that is both accessible and fascinating, contributing richness to this non-stop adventure.