The Book of Beasts - Softcover

E. Nesbit

Softcover

ISBN 10: 074458938X ISBN 13: 9780744589382

Publisher: Walker Books Ltd, 2002

Synopsis

This is the story of Lionel, a small boy who, to his great surprise, is made king. He's delighted to discover the palace library - and one book in particular, "The Book of Beasts", but when he opens its pages, he is not prepared for the magic that is unleashed!

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 such as Five Children and It, The Phoenix and the Carpet and The Railway Children. 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); Six Dinner Sid (Smarties Book Prize); 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.

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.

About this edition

• Publisher: Walker Books Ltd
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 074458938X
• ISBN 13: 9780744589382
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 64