Imaginary Menagerie

Starred review from March 17, 2008
As in an illuminated manuscript, the artwork shimmers in this verse catalogue of creatures from mythology and folklore, a sequel of sorts to Yellow Elephant: A Bright Bestiary
. Outshining the quiet poems, Paschkis’s gouache paintings adorn the title of each poem with a gracefully illustrated initial. The “P” of “Phoenix” is shaped like a wing, and the W of “Will o’the Wisp” consists of espaliered tree limbs. Although the paintings create a unified whole, stylistically each evokes the country of its beast’s origin. The firebird’s tail, for example, resembles a lacquered Russian miniature, and the Thunderbird looks like a Tlingit carved raven. The poems themselves are both thoughtful and appropriate, describing each creature’s characteristics and also nimbly drawing readers directly into the imaginary scene: “Troll arms will grab you/ and put you in a pot.” Readers unfamiliar with some of the more exotic creatures—the cockatrice, naga or hobgoblins—will appreciate the brief, historical descriptions found on the book’s last page. An altogether intriguing collection. Ages 6-9.

June 1, 2008
Gr 2-5-Dragons, centaurs, hobgoblins, and 11 other mythical creatures of worldwide origins feature in Larios's short poems and Paschkis's distinctive folk paintings. Caught for eternity in compromising situations, some creatures, such as the gargoyle, wax melancholy. "How can a beast fly/with stone wings?/"I fly when the bells ring/and the hunchback is home"." As in "Yellow Elephant: A Bright Bestiary" (Harcourt, 2006), this bright compendium pairs each poem with a richly drawn and colored scene. An element from the painting is echoed in a decorative letter announcing the poem's title. Though brief, the selections sometimes carry sophisticated cultural references, making this title more relevant to an older audience than the earlier collection. Of the thunderbird, for instance, Larios writes, "Cedar scented, /he carries the wind/in his bent beak./Rainmaker./Whale hunter./Great Tlingit chief." The final page carries a brief paragraph describing the area of origin and the behavior of each creature. It's all a quick and alluring peek at some of the best-known denizens of folklore. Storytellers and classroom teachers will find many uses for these poetic nuggets and the art, both of which will be savored by folklore and fantasy readers of all ages."Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston"

Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2008
The creators of the vibrant picture-book poetry collection Yellow Elephant (2006) move from real-world animals to mythical creatures in thiscollaboration. Working in a range of styles, Larios creates accessible, atmospheric poems full of sounds and rhythms that are best read aloud. Some selections introduce characteristics about their subjects: the phoenix, for example, is a bird that never dies. Children mayfind some references puzzling (appended notes may help sort things out), but even if they dont grasp every line, they willbe intrigued by the mysterious beings.Larios also skillfully engages listeners imaginations with direct questions (What does she say / part woman, part fish?) and shivery warnings (Troll arms will grab you / and put you in a pot), whilePaschkis beautifully patterned pictures use motifs such as Nordic designs scrawled across the trolls' bridge to correspond to each creature's culture of origin. Like its predecessor, this book is a great choice for classroom sharing.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)