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The Creature Catalog
Text and illustrations identify seventy weird and monstrous creatures from myths, movies, and stories. Includes selkies, King Kong, chimera, dragons, golem, werewolf, centaurs, and many more.
64 pages, Paperback
First published September 12, 1982
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 28, 2021
I would have never have guessed in my life that one of the Berenstains would have wrote a creature/monster book. What a surprise my literary journey has gone in these last few months to find one of my most favorite yet rare books was written by Clifford's author and to find another classic written by the Berenstains. Why are these books not continued in printing to help offset all the mediocre books that have been printed lately?
When the reader takes a moment to flip through the pages it may seem like with the exception of the last part of Beasts Found Within the book isn't organized at all. Instead the reader finds upon settling down the book is beautifully yet vaguely organized, which means it's organized but not in a direct way. The book starts off with Classic double persona beasts such as the werewolf and vampire before sliding into other Classic Grecian doubles such as Lamia and Sphinx. From there is a two-page layout exploring other similar beast-folk before moving onto animated bodies or similar types such as zombies, mummies and the golem. They ended this particular section of course with Frankenstein's monster as this would lead to other humanoid creatures such as the majority of the fae.
Supernatural creature followed that displayed either other humanoid creatures from the British Isles, regular animal-type monsters or a combination of the two. This then led into the Fantastic Creatures starting with the dragons. From there the book ended by preceding to water creatures, modern possible cryptids and then aliens before ending with the Beasts Within. To me this was quite a clever progression that not only grouped similar creatures together but also allowed readers to compare these individuals together.
The writing was simplistic and easy to follow along with quite noticeable font. Definitely a great starter book with same name help from adults for those children who don't scare easily.
But the best part of this book to me was the illustrations. The coloring was kept muted and darkish, the drawings were illustrated in details such as the sphinx licking her coat and unique elements were combined to give the reader a greater depth. The unicorn for the starting illustration is probably one of the best I have seen in quite a while and the mermaid was phenomenal. They had her sitting on a rock in the ocean as mermaids are wont to do but she had a small seal peering at her from the water lapping at her rock and if you look into her mirror you will find the reflection doesn't quite reflect back the mermaid. So then who is caught in her glass?
The only problem I found in the book was the fact that the Basilisk and Cockatrice were grouped together when they aren't one and the same. Otherwise I really have to say this is a rare gem that I truly did enjoy while I wish to find a copy that I can add to my own collection. And for children who are interested in this subject this is one I would highly recommend for their caregivers to find them a copy even temporarily so they can savor this piece of art.
seal mermaid mirror w another face
When the reader takes a moment to flip through the pages it may seem like with the exception of the last part of Beasts Found Within the book isn't organized at all. Instead the reader finds upon settling down the book is beautifully yet vaguely organized, which means it's organized but not in a direct way. The book starts off with Classic double persona beasts such as the werewolf and vampire before sliding into other Classic Grecian doubles such as Lamia and Sphinx. From there is a two-page layout exploring other similar beast-folk before moving onto animated bodies or similar types such as zombies, mummies and the golem. They ended this particular section of course with Frankenstein's monster as this would lead to other humanoid creatures such as the majority of the fae.
Supernatural creature followed that displayed either other humanoid creatures from the British Isles, regular animal-type monsters or a combination of the two. This then led into the Fantastic Creatures starting with the dragons. From there the book ended by preceding to water creatures, modern possible cryptids and then aliens before ending with the Beasts Within. To me this was quite a clever progression that not only grouped similar creatures together but also allowed readers to compare these individuals together.
The writing was simplistic and easy to follow along with quite noticeable font. Definitely a great starter book with same name help from adults for those children who don't scare easily.
But the best part of this book to me was the illustrations. The coloring was kept muted and darkish, the drawings were illustrated in details such as the sphinx licking her coat and unique elements were combined to give the reader a greater depth. The unicorn for the starting illustration is probably one of the best I have seen in quite a while and the mermaid was phenomenal. They had her sitting on a rock in the ocean as mermaids are wont to do but she had a small seal peering at her from the water lapping at her rock and if you look into her mirror you will find the reflection doesn't quite reflect back the mermaid. So then who is caught in her glass?
The only problem I found in the book was the fact that the Basilisk and Cockatrice were grouped together when they aren't one and the same. Otherwise I really have to say this is a rare gem that I truly did enjoy while I wish to find a copy that I can add to my own collection. And for children who are interested in this subject this is one I would highly recommend for their caregivers to find them a copy even temporarily so they can savor this piece of art.
seal mermaid mirror w another face
August 2, 2015
One of my favorite books from childhood. The amazingly detailed and stylized art helped inspire and nurture my life long affinity for monsters and stories of things that go bump in the night.
It's a shame this is out-of-print; I recently found an affordable used copy online, and am so happy I did.
It's a shame this is out-of-print; I recently found an affordable used copy online, and am so happy I did.
July 5, 2012
As a kid, I was one of three patrons who would check this out from my public library. Upon my moving out of state, and having no luck finding a copy of this elsewhere, I "lost" the library's copy and reimbursed them eight American dollars for this piece of my childhood. My only regret is that I didn't think of it sooner.
March 18, 2020
Oh the dear memories of being on the wait-list for this book for a month at the elementary school library, to get it and not want it out of my sight. I felt like a witch, like Hogwarts student (forgive me, I was ten years old, with a head full of vampires, wolves, and goblins), and doing my nightly reading, recapping things I read in fiction and now encountering the "true" folklore for the first time.
It covered a broad range of monsters from folktales and myths from all over the world, and I recall it's concise terms accompanying each one--and at least one illustration per monster as well. This is all fifteen years ago, so forgive me if this review isn't wholly accurate. I must find my own hard copy of this book one day.
We only had a few titles like this in my library. One on cryptids, that a fellow student was the only one who ever checked out, one on myths from around the world (when I first met the Grimm, it was called Black Shuck, and it was not in a children's book but in that one) however we couldn't check it out from the library becuase it was so high-demand.
It covered a broad range of monsters from folktales and myths from all over the world, and I recall it's concise terms accompanying each one--and at least one illustration per monster as well. This is all fifteen years ago, so forgive me if this review isn't wholly accurate. I must find my own hard copy of this book one day.
We only had a few titles like this in my library. One on cryptids, that a fellow student was the only one who ever checked out, one on myths from around the world (when I first met the Grimm, it was called Black Shuck, and it was not in a children's book but in that one) however we couldn't check it out from the library becuase it was so high-demand.
December 8, 2020
One of my childhood favorites. I found this at my local library, 30 years later, I now own it. This book was my introduction to creepy creatures and mysterious entities of the unknown. this is one of my cherished book to read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 22, 2011
My father bought me this book at a flea market when I was 12 years old. It is a cute little book that contains an illustration and brief detail of the many popular mythological figures/creatures discussed in literature and art. It's definitely geared towards kids. You could literally read it in fifteen minutes.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews