Susanna Leonard Hill has a feature on her blog called Perfect Picture Book Friday. It is a list of “perfect” picture books recommended by all sorts of people. I chose this book because it is perfect for an intermediate beginning reader.
An A to Z of Monsters and Magical Beings
Written by Aidan Onn
Illustrated by Rob Hodgson
56 pages – ages 6+
Published by Lawrence King Publishing on August 22, 2017
Opening and Synopsis- Opening: “Alien: The universe is gigantic and must be full of all kinds of weird and wonderful aliens living on faraway planets. They might even occasionally visit us on Earth. Perhaps some of the monsters in this book came from outer space and decided to stay. Which ones do you think might be aliens?”
Synopsis from Publisher: “Do you know how to escape from a stalking werewolf? Have you always wanted to learn the difference between a hobgoblin and an imp, and do you know the secret to avoiding the sharp claws of the ancient Eloko monster?
Learn all these brilliant facts and more with this complete field guide to the strange, scary, and wonderful world of monsters and ancient mythical beings!“
What I Thought- This was an interesting A-Z book – it is less about learning the alphabet and more about learning about the mythical beasts within. Because of that, I would place it as meant for a slightly older age group – one that is relatively familiar with the alphabet. The book has a variety of content, ranging from the “common” creatures to beasts from different locations in the world. I really enjoyed how the book taught me of some creatures I didn’t know about either – like the Eloko and the Ushi-oni. The illustrations have a fanciful collage-type feel to them, brightening up the book. This book will be great for children who need to improve their reading ability, as it is a tougher read than most alphabet books – it’s perfect for an advanced reader at a younger age! Kids will love to learn about these fantastical creatures as they flip through the pages.
Activities and Resources- For more ways to teach the alphabet, Notimeforflashcards.com has a great list of activities HERE!
If you want to keep up the monstrous fun, Fantasticfunandlearning.com has various monster-based crafts and activities HERE!
To find more Perfect Picture Books please visit Susanna Hill’s blog HERE!