Product Description

An enduring story of the magic to be found in books.

Young Lionel is very surprised to be made King, but he’s delighted to discover the world full of books in the Palace library. When Lionel opens one called THE BOOK OF BEASTS, he’s in for an even greater surprise—out of the pages fly a butterfly and a blue Bird of Paradise! But when he opens the book again and releases a terrible Red Dragon, the trouble really begins. Can Lionel find another beast in this magical book to help him save his people? First published in 1900, this classic story by E. Nesbit, known throughout the world for her tales of fantasy and adventure, has been carefully abridged and beautifully illustrated by Inga Moore. Now published for the first time as a stand-alone picture book, The Book of Beasts is sure to delight a new generation of children.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1227616 in Books
• Published on: 2001-10-15
• Released on: 2001-10-15
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 64 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Abridged and illustrated by Inga Moore, E. Nesbit's The Book of Beasts, originally published in 1900, makes a handsome picture-book edition. A boy king, fascinated by the Palace library, unwittingly unlocks a magical world lying dormant between the covers of a book. But in the process, he also releases a fire-breathing Red Dragon. Rendered in ink, oil pastels and oil paint, Moore's stunning illustrations spill over with a humor that also pervades in the text (e.g., "Master Lionel, dear, they've come to fetch you to go and be king," reads Nurse's thought bubble on the first page).

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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 the Author
Inga Moore has illustrated numerous children’s books, including THE RIVER BANK: AND OTHER STORIES FROM THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS, and THE AVENTURES OF MR. TOAD, whose
illustrations Publishers Weekly called "exquisite."