Encyclopedia Mythologica: Fairies and Magical Creatures (Encyclopedia Mythologica)

Sabuda magic   August 21, 2008
Robert Sabuda is a genius, no doubt about it. In this book there are dimensional fairies peeking from foliage, brownies hiding in corners, and trolls waiting to create trouble for passers-by. Some figures "magically" transform from one thing to another, just as we might imagine them to do in fairy tales. I give it only four stars because the engineering falls just a little short of the "wow" factor, and the text is somewhat depressing. Nonetheless, this and the Limited Edition version will certainly remain in my collection to be enjoyed for years to come.

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another great one   August 11, 2008
I'll admit I've become a little jaded regarding Sabuda's books. How can he possibly top some of the earlier ones? This one doesn't disappoint though.

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Sure to capture the imagination of children (and adults)   August 5, 2008
Despite the sad-looking fairy on the front cover, FAIRIES AND MAGICAL CREATURES by Matthew Reinhart and Robert Sabuda is lovely to look at and great fun to read. The first installment in the Encyclopedia Mythologica series, it is a colorful and imaginative pop-up book that goes beyond the simple unfolding of paper.

Reinhart and Sabuda's text is simple and straightforward, though far from dull. They explore the myths of fairies and magical creatures from all around the world. Most of us are familiar with the "Fay" of European folktales, and they are just the starting point for the authors, who bring us the Pegasus of ancient Greece, the Chinese baku, the Inuit Kul and the aquatic Mami Wata of South Africa.

Though this is a children's book, there is nothing silly about it. On the first page we learn how the tale of the fairy queen Titania inspired Shakespeare and how in 1695 a French courtier named Charles Perrault became the father of the fairy tale when he began to write stories for children.

From the familiar figures of goblins, hobgoblins, elves and gnomes to the less familiar but equally interesting Middle Eastern karkadan, Brazilian Yemanja and the Serbian cikavac, readers will be enchanted. From mythological (hamadryads and sylphs) to folkloric (brownies and sprites) to infamous hoaxes (P.T. Barnum and the Cottingley cousins), this book packs in tons of information in less than 20 pages.

FAIRIES AND MAGICAL CREATURES is treasure-filled with a big pop-up on each page surrounded by more little pop-ups, flaps and even flaps within flaps. Some of the pop-ups move as the pages are turned to give readers a sense of action and transformation, a perfect complement to the book's theme. It feels hefty and has quality paper and gorgeous illustrations, sure to invoke a sense of wonder and amazement in readers of all ages. The construction is complicated but doesn't distract from the stories Reinhart and Sabuda are trying to tell. Instead, the whole of this book seems as magical as the creatures it describes.

While a bit feminine in appearance and perhaps in theme, this is not strictly a little girl's book. In it are fierce and mischievous figures sure to capture the imagination of children (and adults) with all kinds of interests.

--- Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman

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Beautiful pop-ups, text wasn't my favorite (3 of 3 Found this Helpful)   July 16, 2008
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3MJS3EVVU91O This book lives up to the standard that Matthew Reinhart and Robert Sabuda have set with first rate pop-up engineering. Every page has a central pop-up that is beautiful and interesting. Each page is further embellished with a minimum of two corner pull-outs that are also pop-ups in themselves with history as to the folklore of fairies. From this perspective, it is top notch.

The area where I was a little disappointed was in the history of the fairies themselves. It starts out interesting enough explaining that fairies appear in the legends of every continent. But it tends to focus on the darker aspects of the folklore. I've never researched the history of fairies, but I prefer to think of them as benevolent beings. Most of the stories focused on their pranks and the misfortune they can bring. The final corner pullout talked about the English girls who supposedly played with fairies and set up a camera to catch them on film. It was a well publicized case because it was later exposed as a hoax. They had used cuts out from an old children's catalog. The girls admitted their prank but claimed that one photograph was authentic.

I loved the artwork and pop-ups, but the actual text made me feel creepy sometimes, and in the end, sort of sad. While I will show it to my children, I will use my own words to describe the fairy world. If you're really into pop-up books, this is worth adding to your collection, but if your true interest is the lighter side of fairies, I prefer the pop-up book How to Find Flower Fairies by Cicely Mary Barker.

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