Imaginary Menagerie: A Book of Curious Creatures [Hardcover]

Julie Larios (Author), Julie Paschkis (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up

Who is half gallop, half walk? Who can turn you to stone with one look? Whose voice do you hear in the splash on the shore?

         

Centaurs, mermaids, and other curious creatures populate these wondrous poems and paintings, inspired by a mythological world full of imagination and mystery.

         

Includes end notes about cultures and legends.

(20080215)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2–5—Dragons, centaurs, hobgoblins, and 11 other mythical creatures of worldwide origins feature in Larios's short poems and Paschkis's distinctive folk paintings. Caught for eternity in compromising situations, some creatures, such as the gargoyle, wax melancholy. "How can a beast fly/with stone wings?/I fly when the bells ring/and the hunchback is home." As in Yellow Elephant: A Bright Bestiary (Harcourt, 2006), this bright compendium pairs each poem with a richly drawn and colored scene. An element from the painting is echoed in a decorative letter announcing the poem's title. Though brief, the selections sometimes carry sophisticated cultural references, making this title more relevant to an older audience than the earlier collection. Of the thunderbird, for instance, Larios writes, "Cedar scented,/he carries the wind/in his bent beak./Rainmaker./Whale hunter./Great Tlingit chief." The final page carries a brief paragraph describing the area of origin and the behavior of each creature. It's all a quick and alluring peek at some of the best-known denizens of folklore. Storytellers and classroom teachers will find many uses for these poetic nuggets and the art, both of which will be savored by folklore and fantasy readers of all ages.—Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston
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Review

* “Using poems and pictures, this modern bestiary proves a fascinating introduction to mythical creatures from different cultures. . . . Each creature is described in a poem capturing some of its unique features as well as its mystery. . . . End-pages ingeniously unite the curious creatures providing the perfect start and finish to this little masterpiece.” (starred review)

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books (April 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152063250
• ISBN-13: 978-0152063252
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 10.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,123,179 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is stunning menagerie of curious creatures!, April 24, 2009

By 

D. Fowler "Dragonfly77" (Vermont) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Imaginary Menagerie: A Book of Curious Creatures (Hardcover)

Around the world there are many mythical, imaginary magical creatures. These marvelous creatures have made their way into this book, each one accompanied by a complimentary, lilting poem. The creatures include a dragon, a mermaid, a firebird, a centaur, trolls, a cockatrice, hobgoblins, a sea serpent, a thunderbird, a sphinx, a will o' the wisp, a gargoyle, a naga and a phoenix.

HOBGOBLINS

When Glasgow sleeps,
children dream, parents snore,
and invisible creatures do the chores.
With invisible brooms they sweep your room.
They spit and polish and putter and shine.
And while they work, you can hear them mutter-
All mine! All mine!

The paintings and poetry in this book are simply stunning. The art work would do well to grace any wall in print form. In the back of the book there is a brief paragraph on each imaginary creature in this menagerie, a menagerie that spans many countries, cultures and religions.