Medusa’s perpetual bad hair days, not to mention the hairiness of the Sasquatch and the female werewolf, are exploited with glee, and a recurring editorial comment is “Gross! For anyone who has ever wondered whether legendary beasts still wander among us, this lush look at an astounding array of creatures offers everything a true believer would want to know.

Helen Ward trained as an illustrator at Brighton School of Art, under the direction of well-known children's illustrators such as Raymond Briggs, Justin Todd, Chris McEwan and John Vernon Lord. Several jobs later Dugald began working at Templar Publishing, where he worked his way up to Senior Editor, writing and editing many books in house. Monsterology caters cheerfully to its readers’ fascination with smelly feet, bad breath, and other problematic aspects of the human body that can make us seem, or feel, monstrous. This book purports that they are real and presents evidence, habitat information, attack styles, etc. The publisher informs us, via subtle hinting, who is or isn't real through publisher's notes - in various guises - at the beginning of each book.Monsterology, the study of fabulous beasts other than Dragons, was originally considered a branch of Wizardology rather than a field in its own right.

Whereas Pirateology looks wonderfully piratey whatever page you open it at, and Egyptology looks all things Egyptian and archaeological, Monsterology is neither one thing nor the other; and certainly not Edwardian. This is a used book - there is no escaping the fact it has been read by someone else and it will show signs of wear and previous use.The full-page pictures show with panache the attraction of a Medusa, Dracula, or Loki, while the more repulsive monsters are depicted humorously rather than frighteningly. The ardent student of nature soon learns that those creatures we name foul and terrible monsters are in truth the most fabulous beestes awaiting amaz’d discoverie. His record includes beasts of the earth, water, air, and semi-human creatures found around the world, drawing from the mythology of myriad cultures and presenting his findings as fact.

The only downside is that it has very few examples from the Americas or Africa, relying instead on European and Asian creatures. My only regret is that because of how many species there are and how short the book is, it couldn't go into greater detail about the races.

As well as maps and flaps you're provided with such things as a strand of silver hair from the mane of a unicorn and the ashes from a phoenix nest. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Information aside, the real "treasures", however, lie inside a lattice-fronted, die-cut cabinet of curiosities set deep inside the back cover. A companion to Dragonology, Monsterology is a study of the many supposedly mythical beasts that inhabit our world.

Best of all, Monsterology closes with a message on proper conduct for aspiring monsterologists and the importance of conservation. Drake is keen to show that these little-known beasts must also be studied and understood rather than shunned. The book was part textbook style, talking about the creatures lives, diets, health and more, and part travel guide where the monsterologist discusses his travels looking for these monsters. This is a beautifully crafted book and one of a series I'm proud to collect for my daughter, who is 5 now, though I know she will enjoy this for years to come. The conceit of the book is that it's a facsimile of one published in 1904 but - to my untrained eye at least - the illustrations of the fantastical beasts themselves do nothing to evoke the period.By using the Web site, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to be bound by the Terms and Conditions.