by Jonathan Hunt; illus. by the author

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 1998

Image from Publisher’s Weekly

In this cataloging of mythical beasts, Hunt does much more than list items alphabetically.  He introduces children to the geography, history, and cultures of their world, Amphisbaena to Ziphius. With beautifully illustrated (and at times quite fearsome) creatures and illuminated letters that recall the manuscripts of old, readers are brought back in time to the days when the world “was an incredibly vast, mysterious, and often dangerous place.”  The bold colors of the mixed-media illustrations give an exciting life to these creatures, who are assembled from across the old world, from Europe, Asia, Africa and in-between.  Allowing imaginations to flourish, Hunt describes the creatures as if they did indeed exist in Medieval times: “If a seven-year-old cock laid a spherical, yolkless egg that was then hatched by a toad or a serpent, a basilisk was sure to emerge.”  The book includes a fabulous historical note, bibliography, pronunciation guide, and map showing the geographical roots of each beast.

(This review was originally submitted as part of my picture book overview for Materials for Children class)