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Timorous Beasts
Guide to small shy imaginary creatures.
64 pages, Paperback
Published November 1, 2021
29 people want to read
About the author
Chris Riddell
377 books1,026 followersChris Riddell was born in Cape Town, South Africa, where his father was an Anglican priest and a member of the ANC. The family moved to England in 1963, when Riddell was one year old, and he spent his childhood in a number of different locations, as his father moved between parishes. Both of Riddell's parents continued to be active in the anti-apartheid movement.
Chris Riddell is an internationally acclaimed writer and illustrator whose many awards include the Nestlé Gold Award and two Kate Greenaway Medals—the most prestigious prize for illustration in the UK. He is the creator of more than one hundred books for all ages, including the immensely popular series the Edge Chronicles and his latest chapter book series, starring the irrepressible Ottoline Brown, which School Library Journal called "exceptional." Chris lives in Brighton, England, with his wife and three children where he invents his amazing characters in a very tidy shed in his yard.
Chris Riddell is an internationally acclaimed writer and illustrator whose many awards include the Nestlé Gold Award and two Kate Greenaway Medals—the most prestigious prize for illustration in the UK. He is the creator of more than one hundred books for all ages, including the immensely popular series the Edge Chronicles and his latest chapter book series, starring the irrepressible Ottoline Brown, which School Library Journal called "exceptional." Chris lives in Brighton, England, with his wife and three children where he invents his amazing characters in a very tidy shed in his yard.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 28, 2022
This is a book you apparently can't get on Amazon or in any other bookshop but only on the author's website. Ever since I've met the author a couple of years ago, I'm always very interested in his work and since this has such gorgeous shades of green on the cover, I just had to get this, too.
The book itself is relatively thin and doesn't have a whole lot of text. It reminds a bit of a bestiary, a textbook about creatures. Some are downright creepy, others weird, yet others adorable. Naturally, the main thing about this book is the illustrations of which we get the pencil sketches as well as the full-colour versions.
My favourite one was this:
Nothing essential, but a very nice book full of imagination / imaginary beasts.
The book itself is relatively thin and doesn't have a whole lot of text. It reminds a bit of a bestiary, a textbook about creatures. Some are downright creepy, others weird, yet others adorable. Naturally, the main thing about this book is the illustrations of which we get the pencil sketches as well as the full-colour versions.
My favourite one was this:
Nothing essential, but a very nice book full of imagination / imaginary beasts.
December 25, 2021
Riddell, whom I came to know and love through his frequent work with Gaiman, is one of my favorite illustrators as well as a family favorite author. My son gave me a signed copy of this for Xmas, so I love it for that alone. BUT! On top of that, it is as whimsical, eccentric, and imaginative as anything I’ve read by him. We loved reading it together this morning.
December 29, 2021
A beautiful little bestiary of imaginary - sorry, timorous - beasts.
My sister bought me a signed copy of this (which came with its own unique, framed timorous beast which wasn't included in the book!) for Christmas, which was a fantastic present. The book is very reminiscent of bestiaries we made as children: drawn monsters and desciptions based on what they look like. As this is Riddell, though, the drawings are unbelievably detailed and beautiful, and incredibly inventive.
The descriptions are also wonderful, with their words flowing prettily even if you disregard meanings. There's a sense of joy and fun throughout the book, from the very first introductory page to the last beast, and you can tell that he's enjoyed writing and illustrating this. This seems to be a trademark of Riddell's work, and what makes it such a joy to read.
I've always enjoyed picture books, and I'm glad that this is a proper adults' one - and not made so by adding swearing or vulgarity, in the way that many faux-children's books do. It's adult in the way that the humour is a bit more mature, more wry than joke, but it still retains that all-important silliness that makes picture books such joyful escapes. Despite this, I don't remember anything that couldn't be read to children, they probably just wouldn't appreciate everything.
It's a wonderful but of fun, and a fantastic present. I'm sure I'll go back through it many a time to enjoy the fun and the gorgeous illustrations.
My sister bought me a signed copy of this (which came with its own unique, framed timorous beast which wasn't included in the book!) for Christmas, which was a fantastic present. The book is very reminiscent of bestiaries we made as children: drawn monsters and desciptions based on what they look like. As this is Riddell, though, the drawings are unbelievably detailed and beautiful, and incredibly inventive.
The descriptions are also wonderful, with their words flowing prettily even if you disregard meanings. There's a sense of joy and fun throughout the book, from the very first introductory page to the last beast, and you can tell that he's enjoyed writing and illustrating this. This seems to be a trademark of Riddell's work, and what makes it such a joy to read.
I've always enjoyed picture books, and I'm glad that this is a proper adults' one - and not made so by adding swearing or vulgarity, in the way that many faux-children's books do. It's adult in the way that the humour is a bit more mature, more wry than joke, but it still retains that all-important silliness that makes picture books such joyful escapes. Despite this, I don't remember anything that couldn't be read to children, they probably just wouldn't appreciate everything.
It's a wonderful but of fun, and a fantastic present. I'm sure I'll go back through it many a time to enjoy the fun and the gorgeous illustrations.
January 30, 2022
At this point, it's safe to say I'm a bit of a sucker for Chris Riddell. So, when this book was offered via his website with a new pencil sketch included, it went without saying that I'd be ordering it.
The book was a lovely surprise, in that it's slightly oversized (just smaller than a vinyl LP) and a gorgeous little bestiary of his own imaginary creatures. These are all creatures that he tells us he's seen in his 'long periods of seeming inactivity and displacement tasks,' so tend to live in the less-noticed areas like brambles, attics and discount sofa warehouses. Their fanciful appearances and their nonsensical names owe clear debts to the imaginings of Lewis Carroll, so would be an instant win among lovers of nonsensical fantasy literature.
Every creature is allotted two pages: one full-colour portrait and one black-and-white descriptive page with supplemental drawings. Every one, from the Grootletoof to the Woofuffle, is a humorous delight.
The book was a lovely surprise, in that it's slightly oversized (just smaller than a vinyl LP) and a gorgeous little bestiary of his own imaginary creatures. These are all creatures that he tells us he's seen in his 'long periods of seeming inactivity and displacement tasks,' so tend to live in the less-noticed areas like brambles, attics and discount sofa warehouses. Their fanciful appearances and their nonsensical names owe clear debts to the imaginings of Lewis Carroll, so would be an instant win among lovers of nonsensical fantasy literature.
Every creature is allotted two pages: one full-colour portrait and one black-and-white descriptive page with supplemental drawings. Every one, from the Grootletoof to the Woofuffle, is a humorous delight.
January 26, 2022
Classic Chris Riddell which, of course means fabulous full colour illustrations of his imaginary “timorous beasts” accompanied by very funny text descriptions of said beast. Love the large square format of the book.
December 1, 2021
Delightfully sweet, and rather childishly whimsical, and as ever, pure Riddell.
Usually it's grotesquely beautiful. Here it's just beautiful.
Usually it's grotesquely beautiful. Here it's just beautiful.
December 5, 2021
Wonderful, sweet, funny and irreverent, all wrapped up with beautiful illustrations.
May 1, 2023
i will forever be in the chris riddell fan club 🤍
March 14, 2024
we've all been a timorous beast now and then
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews