Product Details

• Published on: 2005-01-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 144 pages

Customer Reviews

Good artwork but it isn't worth the money.
This book is okay, but there could have been a little more information in it on (the pictures are huge and take up most of the page space). That being said, the artwork is great, but it doesn't compare to books like the Spiderwick Field Guide and Dragonology. If you're looking for something a little more complete, and something that is worth 25 dollars, don't buy this book.

Disappointing
Fantasy Encyclopedia
by Judy Allen

Fantasy Encyclopedia is meant for Grades 4-8 students and library use. You'd expect a full-color large-format fantasy encyclopedia to be a wonderful library edition. But this book is disappointing in its scope and in its depth. The book is a guide to the creatures and peoples of fantasy, mythology, and folklore. Over 50 character types are covered in 9 chapters.

The chapters cover "The Little People," "Mysterious Animals," "Ghosts and Spirits," etc. Each major section in a chapter has a few introductory paragraphs followed by illustrations with captions. This by itself is not so bad, but the book then adds plugs for popular movies and books in which the creatures appeared. So you get disgenuine references to Narnia, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, etc. You don't get a real feel for how these creatures are used in fantasy. You do get the sense that references to Narnia, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings are placements. A more thorough treatment of the subject would have included much more detail and a better cross section with much better sampling.

Hopefully a revised and significantly expanded edition is in the works.

Amazing!!!
This book is spectacular! With color pictures on every page, it illustrates nearly every creature of fantasy imaginable, from the Baba Yaga to the Cockatrice. Kids and adults of all ages will treasure this book.