MYTHOPEDIA: AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF MYTHICAL BEASTS is the reference volume of otherworldly magic, monsters, and myths that you never knew you needed in your family’s library. Artfully arranged by continent, this compendium of beasts and fantastical creatures plucks from tales around the globe.
Take Kraken, a mile-long deadly sea creature who enjoys lazily lying at the surface of the water. Her body’s mass is often mistaken for an island, with fisherman and sailors exploring their newfound ‘discovery.’ Kraken remains still as the men wander. But if they set up camp and light a fire, this act rouses Kraken to a state of frenzy, sucking the ship and all of its men in a whirlpool to the bottom of the ocean. It’s an eye-opening and apt metaphor for man’s interaction with nature, for sure. Are we good custodians of the earth or do we rouse the natural world, unleashing irreversible and damaging effects: a warming planet, melting glaciers, and the destruction of habitats?
Myths and legends provide a framework — a map to hook our human experience and existential fears on.
The stories are, of course, works of imagination.
But nestled in each tale, children might just find something they can relate to.
Something that is even true.
Mythopedia: An Encyclopedia of Mythical Beasts and Their Magical Tales by Good Wives and Warriors (Becky Bolton and Louise Chappell), published by Laurence King (September 15, 2020).
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A note about this review: I received an advanced reader copy of this book. I am under no obligation to review these books and all opinions are my own.
