Mytopédia: Encyklopédia mýtických bytostí a ich magických príbehov

by Good Wives and Warriors, Denisa Stareková (Translator)

Vydajte sa na dobrodružnú výpravu do magickej ríše fantastických bytostí zo všetkých kútov sveta

Mýty a legendy sú staré príbehy, ktoré si ľudia rozprávajú už celé generácie. Hovoria o záhadných magických bytostiach, ktoré medzi nami žijú. Niektoré si možno ľahko pomýlite so známymi zvieratami, ako sú zajace, kone či veveričky. Na rozdiel od nich však dokážu rozprávať, meniť podobu, čarovať či narásť do obrovských rozmerov. Výnimočnosť iných fantastických tvorov zas rozpoznáte na prvý pohľad. To je prípad drakov, jednorožcov, baziliškov so smrtiacim jedom či obrov.

Prečo tieto príbehy vlastne vznikali? Niektoré chceli ľudí varovať pred hrôzostrašnými beštiami, ako bol Grootslang, polohad a poloslon, kým iné sa rozprávali len pre zábavu. Mnohé objasňujú, ako vznikli nebeské javy či veci, ktoré nás obklopujú, napríklad ako Hromový vták spôsobuje búrky alebo ako pavúčí boh Anansi obdaroval ľudí príbehmi.

Svet mytologických bytostí je plný tajomstiev a mágie. Táto encyklopédia vás bude sprevádzať na ceste okolo sveta, na ktorej spoznáte viaceré úžasné stvorenia od Pegasa, Chiméry, Krakena či Yetiho až po Dúhovú rybu, Anupa, Zylanta či Bastet a ich fascinujúce príbehy. Podnietia detskú fantáziu a vďaka nim sa deti oboznámia s inými krajinami.

Pre čitateľov od 8 rokov

Z anglického originálu preložila Denisa Stareková.

Genres: Mythology, Nonfiction, Picture Books, Folklore, Middle Grade, Childrens, Reference

128 pages, Hardcover

First published September 15, 2020

Reviews

[Ashleigh (a frolic through fiction) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley. This in no way influences my opinion of the book.

This book is breathtaking. I think I actually gasped when opening it and seeing the artwork, and was so incredibly pleased to find most pages followed suit with the vibrant, magical illustrations covering entire pages. Especially because when it comes to imagining mythological creatures, it can be so difficult to picture them when it's simply listed as "this creature is part lion, part goat, part snake". The illustrations really help with that, showing these mythologies just as bizarre and wonderful as they are.

I really liked how at least half of the creatures were followed with a double-paged story relating to it, further solidifying their place in mythology. I loved how they were categorised by area too, spanning across the globe and giving you an introduction into many cultures. I already know I'd love to see a follow up to this book, with even more creatures or beings from mythologies across the world.

This is an absolutely stunning book, and one I'll definitely be buying physically to add to my mythology collection. It's one you can dip in and out of as you please, and I can fully envision myself going back and flipping through the pages of this book when I have a physical copy.

[Dannii Elle · Rating 5 out of 5]

First Read: July 2020, Rating: 5/5 stars
Second Read: May 2023, Rating: 5/5 stars

This book deserves a moment of silence to appreciate how beautiful it is!

Mythopedia is exactly what it sounds like: a small encyclopedia of different mythical beasts and beings. The book is split according to world setting and I appreciated both the abundance of stories included as well as the diversity of their cultural and geographical origins.

Despite it's slim size, every single page was adorned with an abundance of vivid illustrations, which aided the descriptions and folk tales that accompanied them. Every single mythological being was afforded a helpful description and a full page illustration, as well as an extra delightful little story for some.

I found this to be both informative and interesting, but it was also the most singularly beautiful book I have ever seen. I first read this in e-arc form, but already have my physical copy pre-ordered and a space ready to display it upon my shelves. EDIT: Reread in 2023 with the stunning finished hardback!

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the authors and illustrators, the duo behind Good Wives and Warriors, and the publisher, Laurence King Publishing, for this opportunity.

[Jade Ratley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for the e-arc of Mythopedia.

Mythopedia is a beautifully illustrated children's encyclopedia of mythical creatures from all across the globe, split into different continents, giving the reader an introduction to different cultures mythologies. The book provides the reader with the creature's origin and a brief story of what they've done for the world in their respective mythos. A good number of these mythical creatures are also given a double-page spread, telling a specific story of the being. Alongside the beautiful storytelling, there are breathtaking illustrations, enabling the reader to truly picture these mythical beings, which can be difficult with some of their bizarre descriptions!

I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading the tales of where all of these mythical creatures came from and stories of what they've done for the world, and the illustrations made for a beautiful reading experience. I think readers of any age interested in mythology would be able to take something from this book, it definitely introduced me to some creatures I hadn't heard of before!

Stunning illustrations and beautiful storytelling - high four-star rating from me!

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw this book in my timeline some time last year and since I'm a huge fan of mythology, I had to have it.

Basically, the book is giving a nice overview of different mythological beasts from around the world. Thus, we get 5 chapters covering the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania.

Sadly, some noteable creatures are missing, but the book made up for it by including some less known ones from around the world.

The one true criticism I have is that this really only offers an overview. Sure, there are some creatures in here that people might not have heard about. It might, therefore, make them curious to check other sources. However, I would have wished for more text/info in this book.

As I said, the book's main goal, I think, is to give an overview in a beautifully illustrated way that gets people interested. And the illustrations were indeed nice. Certainly, they were very colorful:






Definitely cool for children or people not knowing where to begin regarding mythology / mythological creatures.

[Briar's Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like myths and learning, then this book is perfect for you.

Mythopedia has a collection of monsters and myths hidden within it's pages, with lore you probably haven't heard before. I learned a lot of new mythical creatures I hadn't been acquainted with before, so I truly enjoyed reading this book. I think it's a great resource and many young, curious readers will enjoy it.

Four out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Laurence King Publishing for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

[Richard Derus · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Publisher Says: From the West African fable of Anansi the Spider, to Michabo, the magical hare who rebuilt the world and Tanuki, the sweet but troublesome raccoon-dog of Japanese folklore, Mythopedia is an encyclopedia of mythical creatures that covers legends, tales and myths from around the world.

Lovingly created by the illustration duo behind popular flipbook Myth Match, Good Wives and Warriors, this book contains pages upon pages of cultural folklore from around the world.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: An overview, with stories, from world mythologies is the kind of gift I'd've *killed* for as an information-hungry kid; I love the D'Aulaire's world mythology books with their beautiful illustrations that picked the exact details I was most interested in to summon the real emotional impact of the myth being condensed (and bowdlerized for its audience, of course).

The Haida story of Raven, the trickster god, and his antics...complete with moral message that you can't know what will happen in this life, even the gods, because there's no way to know what others will do with your ideas and gifts...is as good a starter for you as any. We see the overview of Raven as a being, and are told about Raven's origins and personality:

Then the tale associated with Raven is presented in a bedtime-friendly bite, or a reasonably balanced afternoon's read for a very young person:

The illustration style, the graphic presentation, the whole package...just exactly right for your young mythology-loving giftee. Not a few grown-ups wouldn't say no, either.

Probably my personal favorite myth, the Brazilian Encantado, is an Amazonian pink dolphin who transforms into a beautiful young man, full of fun and dressed for a party. He can show up at any gathering. No one knows him but soon everyone feels they must know him or the party will be pointless. He sometimes makes the night a joy; he sometimes steals more than a maidenly heart, though, and can leave his stolen loves with otherwise unexplainable babies.

You can, I trust, see the utility of that tale among people who live along a river with commerce and predators (human or otherwise) active all over.

As an adult the stories take on that extra cast of meaning. This makes them more interesting to offer to our grand/children. We can demonstrate with stories what values we support...and give ones we don't care for a miss, or emphasize their less nice attributes.

Great gift that will please a child and a parent in similar measure.

[Rebecca Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mythopedia: An Encyclopedia of Mythical Beasts and Their Magical Tales by Good Wives and Warriors is a wonderful and beautifully illustrated collection of magical creatures and fantastical stories from around the world.

This quick and well-written book is very much an introduction to world mythology. There’s just enough to keep you interested and encourage you to read more on your own. The book is neatly divided by continent: The Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. Each continent is represented with a list of creatures and stories. Each creature has a brief but well-written and informative write-up detailing their features, personality, and origin. Many of the mythical beasts also have an associated short story. The writing is clear, simple, and easy-to-follow.

The book features a great blend of popular creatures with lesser-known figures. The Americas section has familiar creatures like the Raven, the shape-shifting god of change who brought light to the world. There is also the Thunderbird whose flapping wings create thunder. This section also features lesser known creatures from the Amazon rainforest: the terrifying one-eyed Mapinguari as well as the creepy Auñ Pana, monster fish with two human arms. Europe’s creatures include Pegasus, the popular Greek winged horse as well as Cerberus, the three-headed guardian dog of the underworld. You can also learn about the fierce Eastern European dragon Zilant who is part snake and part bird. There is also Norse mythology’s Ratatoskr, the troublemaking squirrel of the world tree.

Africa is well-represented with beloved trickster spider god Anansi who brought stories to the world. There is also ancient Egypt’s beloved cat goddess Bastet. I loved learning about South Africa’s terrifying half-elephant half-snake Grootslang monster, and Olitiau the gigantic and scary bat-like creature who lives in Central Africa’s rainforests. Asia’s beasts include the infamous Himalayan Yeti as well as Korea’s Kumiho, a deadly nine-tailed fox who devours livers! I loved being introduced to Japan’s mischievous and magical racoon dog Tanuki as well as China’s gentle and powerful unicorn-like Qilin.

I wanted to see much more creatures and stories from Oceania. But, I still enjoyed reading about creatures like Tiddalik, the thirsty frog of Australia’s Aboriginal peoples.

I love the book’s breath-taking design! I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy because it will be even more beautiful in print! Every page is wonderfully bright and eye-catching. The illustrations of the creatures are excellently done, vibrant, and beautifully detailed.

I love this beautifully illustrated and informative book! I would love to see more mythology books from these authors. This book is perfect for middle-grade readers or anyone who is interested in fantasy and world mythology.

Thank you to NetGalley and Laurence King Publishing Ltd for this book in exchange for an honest review.


🐲 🐲 🐲 🐲 🐲 out of 5 dragons!

[Onka · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*

Toto je hádam najkrajšia knižka, akú vlastním. Ti ilustrácie sú úplne božské! A obsah samozrejme tiež. Jediné, čo ma mrzí je, že len niektoré mýtické bytosti dostali v knihe aj samostatnú kapitolu s príbehom. Určite to pomáha lepšie si ich zaradiť a nevyznieva to potom až tak encyklopedicky (čo pri tomto type knihy asi nikomu nevadí, ale aj tak ma tie príbehy pri niektorých potešili, tak by som chcela viac).

[CYIReadBooks (Claire) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mythopedia is an encyclopedia of mythical beasts and their legends. The book features the beasts and legends of the Americas, Europe, Asia and more.

The gorgeous illustrations are the highlight of this book -- if only the illustrations were full page ones...

As you read through the book, you are drawn into the legends and the detailed descriptions of each creature.

Mythopedia will make a wonderful coffee table addition as well as a great reference book for your 7 to 11 year old.

Overall, 4.5 stars rounded up. Thank you Edelweiss for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Sasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

First thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the e-arc of this beauty!

That book was the definition of beautiful and breathtaking!

So the book is split into different parts, showing you the mythological creatures for each continents. You will travel from one continent to the other with new creatures in mind and new tales to share. Each creature has a double-page spread with beautiful illustrations and with an explanation and who they are and what they did. Sometimes you will even get the change to have two more pages sharing the tale of one of the creature letting you know it a little bit more...

I looooved that book and I will definitely buy a physical copy of it when it comes out. It was simply beautiful and really well-done. I think reader from all over the world from all ages who like mythology, creatures in general and beautiful illustrations will love this book. No need to rush and read everything at once. Take your time, enjoy the stories, the illustrations and share them around you...

[Isabella · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to start by thanking NetGalley and Good Wives and Warriors for sending me a copy of MYTHOPEDIA! It truly was a wonderfully written encyclopedia of mythical beast and their stories. I have such a love for storytelling and all mythologies, and MYTHOPEDIA brought me into so many new words rife with vivid creatures and their backgrounds. Personally, I would not recommend this for those who want incredibly detailed descriptions of different mythologies. However, MYTHOPEDIA opens up so many doorways into the cultures and lifestyles of other people, as well as their deepest loves and fears. Thanks to this encyclopedia, I now have a keen interest in Egyptian Mythology! That was my absolute favorite part of this book, since I already knew so much about the Norse, Greek, and Roman mythologies. The artwork is also stunning on multiple levels, and help the reader really visualize how majestic and powerful each mythical being is. I would definitely recommend this book to those of you who want an intro into numerous cultures and the creatures in their beliefs!
Final grade: 4/5⭐️

[Eule Luftschloss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Myths always contain weird, beautiful, magical creatures and this book compiles a list that is by no means exhaustive but fun to read.

All beings are sorted by the continent on which their tales are told. Of course, I knew all the European monsters, especially as the focus is on Greek/Roman and Norse stuff. I have to nitpick at the names that were chosen. We have pegasus but Heracles which makes no sense at all. I'm nitpicky, I know.

Apart from that, I learned a lot. Even when I heard about a creature, like the thunderbird, I learned a specific tale about this entity. Especially the South American beings were fun, like the pink were dolphin who comes out when there's a party going on at full moon in the neighborhood.

The illustrations look like coloured pencil and watercolour to me, are very detailed and fit nicely to the text. All in all, this book does what it set out to do very nicely and if you want to look at pretty pictures and learn more about mythical creatures, this one is for you.

I recieved a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

[Nessa [October Tune] · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This has not changed my opinion in any way. RTC.

[Jacky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dit boek heeft de mooiste illustraties ooit. Het is zo kleurrijk!!! Misschien wel het mooiste boek wat ik bezit❤️

[Oyinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much Laurence King Publishing for granting me access to this book via Netgalley! It's one of the best things I've read, ever!!! I knew as soon as I saw that cover and read the blurb that I had to read this one, and I definitely wasn't disappointed!

I can go on and on about the things that are amazing about this book, but the list would be endless. It's categorized as children's nonfiction, but I feel that everyone of all ages can benefit a lot from reading this one. It features myths and legends from so many cultures from all over the world, and I learnt so many new things. I've been a lover of mythologies for as long as I can remember, and reading this made me realize how much of mainstream mythology is dominated by European (especially Greek) mythology.

The book featured such amazing, colorful, vibrant, and detailed illustrations. The pages were bursting with so much life and it was so easy to get lost in the book. With each short entry, there were amazing illustrations right on the same page so you could get a good pictorial rendering of that creature or story.

I loved that the book also had a general introduction to what myths and legends are, which is perfect for young readers or anyone who might be getting their first introduction to myths and legends through this book. Most entries of different creatures also had some short stories connected to them. Apart from talking about different myths, the entries also mentioned the culture/people who believe in the myth, or where the myth originated from.

I loved learning about new cultures, people, and myths through this book.

[Natasja | natasjalovesbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, this book was absolutely stunning! The artwork was divine and it's in large part thanks to the beautiful illustrations that I loved this book of mythological legends from around the world. The mythical beasts were all gorgeously illustrated with lots of bright colors, and I think I learned a lot of new things by reading this. It's perfect for children and teenagers interested in mythology, but it's satisfying to read as an adult as well - again, it was stunning.

I think it could have benefitted from a pronunciation guide, as I imagine some parents would read this aloud to their children, and this is probably my Nordic bias speaking, but I would have liked another two-page spread from Nordic mythology, which was rather underrepresented. Only Fenrir's myth was elaborated on, while Greek and Egyptian mythology each had two two-page spreads. But that's a minor thing, and overall I just really enjoyed this. Again, SO BEAUTIFUL.

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Elif · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very beautiful and informative. This would make a perfect gift for all booklovers!

[Lisanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

such a lovely introduction to mythological creatures from all over the world (for kids and adults alike) with insanely beautiful illustrations 😍😍😍

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't think this is trying to be definitive, which is a good thing, for it's not. It's also a very good thing in its own way, for it has a fine scope, a deliriously colourful design, and some decent knowledge to impart. This look at the world's unusual mythological beings mostly sticks to the format of a four-paragraph introduction to it, resplendent with wonderful artwork, and a full-page portrait to accompany that. It will, at the relevant time, however, spin off for a second spread, where we get a simple telling of the key legend. Hence we get a hunting hare making out with the creature that helped it solve the post-Flood lack of ground, and one of the Amazon basin don't-go-near-the-water creatures leaving absolutely no witnesses to one of their attacks (so how do we know about it, then?!) - and that's just the Americas. This is structured by continent, and tries to be fair in how much time we spend in each. It's a sign of how ridiculously opulent it wants to be, that we get a beautiful but pointless map of the world with the continents on, just in case we don't know what the planet looks like. As for the artwork, it is very varied, and it is clearly a studio production and not the work of just one artiste, but the standard and quality is superlative (except for whatever the heck that is that the basilisk is staring at). So come here for a gentle, worldly-wise look at mythical beasts, but if you're the type to be done with the Americas, monstrously howl "what no chupacabra?!" and ditch it in all ignorance of how delectable it looks, then it will not be for you. A non-comprehensive coffee table approach is what this book aims for, and it achieves it like no other.

[Dragon Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book talks about different mythical beasts from the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It alternates between full tales about mythical creatures from a specific region and just brief introductory paragraphs about the creature. It seems to only include the most well-known mythical beasts from these regions, BUT there were still plenty of creatures that I did not know about or did not know much about.

This book is a symphony of vibrant colors, beautiful art, and fascinating mythical creatures. Forget Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them! This is the real deal. There was no part of this that wasn't an absolute pleasure to reading. Talk about a feast for the eyes! It was also a feast for the brain.

I recommend this to every age group--it would be WONDERFUL to read with kids. That said, if you are stumped about a gift for someone who is into fantasy or mythology, this would be the perfect book for them. The art, as I said, is just phenomenal even if you already know all about these mythical beasts.

[Soumya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating- 3.75.

[Abbie Day · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an E-arc on Netgalley for review and all opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Laurence King Publishing Ltd, for sending this my way.

This is now one of my favourite mythology collections I've read to date. The art and illustrations are so breath-taking and striking, honestly some of the most beautiful, bright, bold and colourful, eye-catching, stunning art I have ever seen in a book! I would die to get hold of these illustrations in individual prints!

Not only that, but it shows prominent myths and legends from every continent, detailing a summary and origin story of each. It's so easy to follow and organised, showing a gorgeous map of the world and sections flowing from the West to the East, starting with The Americas and finishing at Oceania, so you can read about each continents key mythology. Each myth is show cased in 4 pages, or 2 double spreads, showing a page length illustration, a concise summary, and a double-page view of its origin story. Very insightful and informative, I have picked up some myths I wasn't aware of, and it shows familiar myths which are most-well known but may not know the origins. I know this is listed as Children's non-fiction but I would strongly recommend it to all ages. I have already pre-ordered a physical copy because I loved it that much and want to marvel at this gorgeous book physically!

[Andrea Way · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received with many thanks from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

The illustrations within this book are beyond beautiful. The facts and stories drew me in. I saw others reading this book and enjoying it. I can see why, this book was food for the eyes. I would definitely read more by the authors. This book was very informative and I learnt about mythical creatures that I had never heard off and got more information on those creatures that I did know about. Would highly recommend this to people of all ages.

[Diedra Drake · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is filled with stunningly beautiful illustrations, and easy to enjoy stories of mythological creatures from around the world. It is sorted by world regions and tackles a range of beasts from the deadly to the helpful.

The stories are approachable for a late elementary or early middle-grade reader to enjoy on their own. However, the illustrations are so lovely that a younger child could absolutely enjoy the book with a parent-reader helping.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

A copy of this book was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my thoughts.

This book is stunning. Let’s just get that out there straight off the bat. This book is gorgeous. From the cover you can see the care and artistry that went into creating Mythopedia, and that continues throughout the rest of the book, too. Each page is richly designed and illustrated, with each mythological creature getting a full colour, fully illustrated two page spread - often in a style pertaining to the creature's culture and country of origin. I can only imagine just how incredible it will look as a physical copy, but let me tell you that the digital version did not disappoint.

The stories and creatures, too, didn’t let me down. There are countless creatures in here that I previously didn’t know about and it’s only made me want to expand my mythological reading. I really liked how the ‘basic’ creatures weren’t covered in this and the spotlight was given to Aztec, Native American, Aboriginal creatures that you don’t often find in mainstream media. I for one learnt a lot from reading this book. Certain creatures also have a little story accompanying the basic facts and pictures about them, furthering my interest in cultures I’ve yet to explore and setting a nice basis for future research.

I wish there was more to this book - I would happily sit with a 400 page version of this, pouring over all the mythical, wondrous creatures from across the globe - but for an introduction to mythology I really cannot complain. There’s honestly nothing about this I can fault, as it’s so beautiful and informative. Definitely a must read for myth nerds of all ages.

[M00plays · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Nana (suzy.reading) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolútne dokonalá kniha, plná nádherných ilustrácií :)

[Gaynor Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to #Netgalley, #Laurence King Publishing Ltd and the author for providing me with a copy of #Mythopedia in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this book it is stunning. The illustrations are beautiful and the stories are well written. I know very little about myths and this book will be so helpful when trying to decide what these creatures look like. I will definitely be buying a hard copy of this book.

[Jess (PassportsandPaperbacks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come!

[Sabina_bere · Rating 5 out of 5]

Odličen prikaz svetovne mitologije z bogatimi ilustracijami. Škoda je le, ker je knjiga prekratka, z veseljem bi brala še naprej.