View source for Monsters and Legends by Davide Cali and Gabrriella Giandelli

{{infobox
|title=Monsters and Legends
|author=Davide Cali and Gabrriella Giandelli
|reviewer=Margaret Young
|genre=Confident Readers
|rating=4
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|isbn=978-1909263031
|pages=56
|publisher=Flying Eye Books
|date=April 2013
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1909263036</amazonuk>
|amazonus=<amazonus>1909263036</amazonus>
|website=
|video=
|summary=A fun, non-fiction account of creatures from myths and legends.
}}
My sons love stories of unsolved mysteries, monsters and mythical creatures.  Like many boys, my oldest has a very strong leaning towards the non-fiction side of things. This book is for children who want to know how the legends were born, if any of the creatures could be real, and what the science behind the story is. I do feel this book is better suited to older children seeking a more rational explanation to the old stories, but my youngest did enjoy it as well. It might be useful for a child with a slight fear of monsters to get a more realistic view of them, but I would use caution with a child who is truly terrified of monsters as it might just give them more things to be afraid of.

This book has a wide selection of creatures. Not all of them are monsters or even mythical, but all have some mystery. There are fairies, mermaids and a unicorn. The iguanodon is very real, although we now know the original description of it was  a bit off. A  fish (the coelacanth) was thought to be extinct for millions of years, but later discovered alive. But the majority of these creatures are ones most people would classify as monsters. There are werewolves, vampires, zombies, witches and all manner of other creatures to give you a fright in the night. The basis for each legend is discussed - and then the myth is thoroughly debunked.

My sons loved the stories of the dinosaur-like creatures, The Loch Ness Monster, Kongamato (an African Pterosaur) and Ogopogo (a North American Plesiosaur).  They liked the story of  Gustave, who was meant to be giant man-eating crocodile. The book tells us that Gustave was finally captured (and ironically eaten) and in fact was only 4 metres long. Of course things like crocodiles probably do look larger when they are trying to eat you, but my son questioned how they could know they caught the right one. They also like the ''Stinky Monster'' which might be real - as the description matches a sloth perfectly except for size. Their favourite however was the Jenny Haniver - a creature which looks like an alien life form but has a simple and proven scientific explanation.  All of the stories were well written and offered very plausible explanations. Not only does give a child some background knowledge on this type of creature, it teaches them to seek a logical answer and look at things from a scientific perspective. 

While the text is excellent, we were not quite as impressed by all of the illustrations. Some are lovely, like the dragon on the cover, but others could use a bit more detail. Half of the pictures are full colour, but the other half are done in black and yellow on white only, reminiscent of the illustrations in the 1950s,  when a separate plate was required for each colour. These pictures did give me some nostalgia for the books of my early childhood, but they did nothing for my children who have grown up with digital printing. My sons would both prefer more detailed, modern pictures, but I think most older adults like myself will enjoy the memories these illustrations bring back.  Finally the story on gremlins mentions a B-25 bomber, but the aircraft shown are both fighters. Both of my boys looked rather disdainful calling out ''That's not a bomber!'' But we never could agree whether it was a Spitfire or a Hurricane, as it seems to combine aspects of both. The cockpit windows are without doubt those of a Spitfire, but the fuselage appears to be that of the Hawker. The tail, which would give a definite answer is not shown. The second picture is clearly a Hurricane. The illustration issues are minor though, and it least it provoked an educational discussion. We might have preferred more colour and detail, but that doesn't mean we did not enjoy the book. It may not be completely perfect, but it is very enjoyable and highly recommended  for children with scientific inclinations. 

Our thanks to the publisher for a book that is both entertaining and educational.

If this book appeals then you might also enjoy:

[[If Dinosaurs Were Alive Today by Dougal Dixon]]

[[Science: Sorted! Evolution, Nature and Stuff by Glenn Murphy]]

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[[Category:Davide Cali]]
[[Category:Gabrriella Giandelli]]
[[Category:Children's Non-Fiction]]