The Book of Beasts

Rating:
Summary: Kindling Imagination in a New Generation
Review: The illustrations are lovely and the story is enchanting, but the way The Book of Beasts has inspired my 4 year old daughter's imagination is priceless. I have read it to her more times than I can count and neither of us ever tires of it, she loves the pure fantasy and magic in this book. She now fantasizes that she has her very own hippogryph (how many 4 year olds know THAT word??!!) and she flies all over the world with it. Not only is this book a treat in and of itself, but because it's beautiful illustrations and enchanting tale have inspired these wonderful flights of fancy I'm able to teach her about different countries: I simply ask her to whisper a destination into her hyppogryph's ear and close her eyes, and I take her to that place with words, describing as much as I can about the landscape and culture and people there -- but recently her hippogryph has been getting lost on it's way to Disneyland and ending up in places like Greece and Malta and Thailand.... ;-)

The first time we read it my daughter was bothered that the manticora ate the cats in town, especially since we have two cats. So I had to reassure her that first time, by skipping forward to show her that they were fine and happy in the end (was that one of the changes made in the update??) and then going back and continuing the story -- it worked and now she's fine with that part.

If you have young children in your life share this lovely tale with them. You won't regret it!

Rating:
Summary: Watch Out For That Dragon!
Review: This book is a lot of fun, sparkling with the wit of E.Nesbit and filled with fantastic beasts that stir up quite a bit of trouble for a little boy whose great-great-great-great-great grandfather has died and left a kingdom to him. The original, unabridged version was written in 1900 and is included in a collection of stories called "The Book of Dragons". Inge Moore's new version of the story of the Book of Beasts is a wonderful opportunity for us to enjoy these fun-filled characters and the gentle humour of this great childrens' author.
Meet the Blue Bird of Paradise, the huge Red Dragon,the Manticora, and the beautiful Hippogriff and discover young King Lionel's thoughtful solutions to the problems they create when they spring to life straight off the pages of the magical Book of Beasts.
Moore's illustrations are colorful and comic and I enjoyed them a lot. I am so pleased that this captivating E. Nesbit tale is once again available to a wide readership. Don't miss it.

Rating:
Summary: Very clever and, yes, enchanting!
Review: This is one of those special children's books that has captivated me, as well my son. The text is filled with funny remarks for parental appreciation. And it appeals to a child's imagination, portraying the child as probelm solver as well as trouble maker. The story resolves in a surprisingly clever way, dispelling all the trouble caused by the dragon. This is a witty enchanting fantasy!

Rating:
Summary: Very clever and, yes, enchanting!
Review: This is one of those special children's books that has captivated me, as well my son. The text is filled with funny remarks for parental appreciation. And it appeals to a child's imagination, portraying the child as probelm solver as well as trouble maker. The story resolves in a surprisingly clever way, dispelling all the trouble caused by the dragon. This is a witty enchanting fantasy!

Rating:
Summary: 100 YEARS LATER AND IT STILL ENCHANTS
Review: This reissue of the classic tale by E. Nesbit originally published in 1900 is more than welcome, it's a joy. Abridged and illustrated by Inga Moore it will fascinate and entertain another generation of youngsters.

The Book Of Beasts revolves around Lionel, a young boy who learns that he is to be king. He is informed of this startling news by two elderly robed gentlemen wearing gold coronets "with velvet sticking up out of the middle like cream in jam tarts."

After being crowned he is delighted to find a wondrous library in the palace. Lionel is drawn to a large brown book that lay on a table; it was titled "The Book Of Beasts." When he opened it he saw a painting of a beautiful butterfly. Most amazing of all, the butterfly flew right off the page!

Even though the chancellor warned him not to look at the book, Lionel crept back to the library during the night and looked at the book once more, and he looked again the next day when, horrors, he came upon a page marked "Dragon," and the most fearsome beast was released.

Now, it has fallen to King Lionel to find another beast in the magic book, another beast strong and brave enough to defeat the dragon so that the people will be saved.

One hundred years later The Book Of Beasts still enchants.