****The Book of Beasts

by Edith Nesbit

Reviewed December 31, 2001.
A Sonderbooks' Best Book of 2001
Candlewick Press, 2001.  60 pages.
Available at Sembach Library (E NES)

This book was taken from a short story published in a collection by E. Nesbit in 1900, abridged and illustrated by Inga Moore into a lovely picture book.  I bought it for my 7-year-old son for Christmas, I believe through Chinaberry.com.

The book begins when young Lionel is unexpectedly made King.  It turns out that since his great-great-great-great-great-grandfather’s death, his loyal people had been saving up to buy him a crown, since the said ancestor had sold his to buy books.  “A very good King he was--but he was fond of books.”

This former king was also a wizard, and one of his books, The Book of Beasts, causes trouble.  When Lionel opens the book, beasts escape.  The escape of a great red dragon results in havoc, and Lionel must summon up his cunning (and the help of another beast) to remedy the situation.  Great fun!

Copyright © 2003 Sondra Eklund.  All rights reserved.

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