The Essential Worldwide Monster Guide - Hardcover

Ashman, Linda

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0689826400 ISBN 13: 9780689826405

Publisher: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, 2003

Synopsis

While vacationing, this indispensible guide will help travelers of all ages avoid being disturbed by pesky monsters and crazy creatures by providing a wealth of advice for handling encounters with a Tengu, a Sasquatch, and a Domovic. 50,000 first printing.

About this title

About the Author

Linda Ashman grew up in the magical kingdom of New Jersey, where she lived with her clairvoyant parents and three shape-shifting siblings in a haunted house on the edge of an enchanted forest. These days she lives in Denver, Colorado, with her husband, Jack Hicks, and their young son, Jackson, plus two hairy, sharp-toothed creatures and an abundance of mischievous spirits. This is her eighth book.

Reviews

Grade 1-5-Ashman delivers delightful verses cautioning of creepy creatures from many cultures. The Greek Sirens are introduced in "Forgo This Show!": "Critics say:/'Haunting!'/'Hypnotic!'/'A smash!'/The fans come in droves/(And depart with a splash!)/Cover your ears,/or cling to the mast-/This one night of music/Could well be your last!" Not every creature here is technically a monster, yet Ashman provides due warning to travelers of, for instance, the virtuous Ki-Lin from China who is a composite of a deer, a lion, and a unicorn: "If-enchanted by its grace-/You feel the urge to kiss its face,/Temper your exuberance!/Note the sharp protuberance!" The poems are well served, not surprisingly, by Small's energetic and wacky watercolors that fill each spread. His combination of warm, light textures and vivid, thick lines or pockets of color anchor each composition, so that the poem and the subject of the illustration work as complementary foci on the page. A smaller text box at the bottom of each spread gives a brief description of the depicted beasts. With this beautifully designed volume full of enchanting and excellent verse, Ashman takes her place with Jack Prelutsky, J. Patrick Lewis, Douglas Florian, and the like, as an accomplished poet who will be well appreciated by young readers.
Nina Lindsay, Oakland Public Library, CA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Gr. 1-3. Declaring, "Don't destroy a great vacation-- / Arm yourself with information," the narrator of this unusual field guide (a seasoned adventurer straight out of Around the World in 80 Days) briefs two young globetrotters on "monsters" drawn from 13 cultures. His advice covers the usual suspects, including the Sirens and Scotland's Nessie, as well as lesser-known pests from countries such as Australia and Armenia. Each fiend is profiled in a witty cautionary poem, followed by a deadpan explanatory note that contrasts hilariously with the tongue-in-cheek watercolors. Although Small takes his quavery style to an extreme at times, his visual quipping entertains as much as ever; a vindictive Russian house spirit looks just like Stalin, and Nessie's scene perfectly captures tourists' dutiful tunnel vision. It's unclear what fraction of each entry derives from Ashman's enviable creativity and what is faithful to legend and lore (Is Sasquatch really known for stealing winter clothes from humans?), so be ready to provide further reading for children eager to set forth on their own expeditions. Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books
• Publication date: 2003
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0689826400
• ISBN 13: 9780689826405
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Small David
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 40