The Book of Beasts - Hardcover

E Nesbit

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0744575672 ISBN 13: 9780744575675

Publisher: Walker Childrens Hardbacks, 2001

Synopsis

This remarkable story tells of Lionel, a small boy who, to his great surprise, is made King. But this is just the start of his adventure. For when Lionel discovers the amazing Palace library and opens a book called The Book of Beasts, a Butterfly and a Blue Bird of Paradise fly out. But when he opens it again, he releases a wicked Red Dragon into his kingdom. Now it is up to Lionel to find a way to vanquish the Dragon and save his people. He knows the answer lies within The Book of Beasts, but what is it? And will he discover it in time? First published in 1900, this classic and substantial story has lost none of its charm and cannot help but enchant all who enter its pages.

About this title

About the Author

Edith Nesbit (1858-1924) began writing as a teenager and in later years supported her family with her work as a writer. She is remembered today mainly for her books for children. Her novels The Story of the Treasure Seekers, Five Children and It, The Phoenix and the Carpet and The Railway Children have become classics and have been made into successful films. The Book of Beasts was first published in 1900 in a collection of stories called The Book of Dragons. Another story, Melisande, is also published as a picture book by Walker Books, illustrated by P.J. Lynch. Inga Moore has written and illustrated many picture books for children including The Vegetable Thieves (Parents' Choice Award 1983); Six Dinner Sid (Smarties Book Prize 1990); Oh, Little Jack and A Big Day for Little Jack. For Walker Books, she has also illustrated Oscar Wilde's The Canterville Ghost and a two volume edition of Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows: The River Bank and Other Stories and The Adventures of Mr Toad - praised by the Sunday Telegraph as a "stunning achievement".

From School Library Journal

K-Gr 3-Originally published as part of Nesbit's A Book of Dragons in 1900, this carefully abridged version of the story retains the cadence and flavor of the original while omitting much of the extraneous detail (including mention of the boy's punishments for misbehavior). In this quaint tale, young Lionel suddenly learns that he is King, and in touring his Palace, he comes across The Book of Beasts in the library, magically releasing the realistic and fantastic creatures in the illustrations as he turns the pages. When he allows a large Red Dragon to escape and it begins to eat groups of people (and all the pussycats in the town), the boy King must find a creature that can help him to force it back into the book. Moore has created large full- and double-page illustrations for most of the story, along with a few vignettes-all of them showing caricature-style courtiers and animals rendered in ink, oil pastel, and oil paints. The wonderful Red Dragon and the Hippogriff-a lovely winged white horse-are especially charming. Some illustrations include conversation balloons. In comparison with Nesbit's own full text illustrated by Annabel Spenceley (Dial, 1988; o.p.), Moore's simplified edition is more easily read aloud, and her large, colorful illustrations hold more child appeal.

Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Walker Childrens Hardbacks
• Publication date: 2001
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0744575672
• ISBN 13: 9780744575675
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 54