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Book Review: The Big Book of Monsters: The Creepiest Creatures from Classic Literature by Hal Johnson, illustrated by Tim Sievert

The Big Book of Monsters by Hal Johnson, illustrated by Tim Sievert

Workman Publishing, 2019

ISBN-13: 978-1523507115

Available: Hardcover, Kindle

 

The Big Book of Monsters features twenty-five spooky creatures from classic literature, all with their own stories explained in a concise, simple way. Each entry includes a full-colour portrait, monster ratings (scare factors with skull ratings), educational sidebars with further information, and “beyond the book” details. The latter includes information on literary history, language, and other important details pertaining to the specific monster or authors of the stories. Creatures include the Golem, Cheops the Mummy, Grendel, the Headless Horseman, Dorian Gray, Lamia, Medusa, and more. Frankenstein’s Monster has his own entry, although I would argue Dr. Victor Frankenstein is the true villain of the piece. At the end of the book, the author includes a timeline that includes the chronological order from which these monsters’ tales were created from 1750 BCE to 1915 CE; a list of further reading; a list of monsters that didn’t make the cut, notes on translations used in the entries, and a comprehensive bibliography of texts discussed in the book.

This provides a great introduction to spooky literature for young readers. A lot of research and care went into the creation of this volume. The artwork is vibrant and appropriately spooky for all monster kids, regardless of age. I reviewed an ARC copy in which Dorian Gray did not even register a skull rating. I don’t know if this was an oversight or if he was just too charming to earn a spooky rating. Highly recommended.

 

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

The Return of Frankenstein

I know I just wrote about Frankenstein, but there’s always more to share, and I just wanted to quickly share this with you. August 30 was Frankenstein Day, the birthday of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley. In honor of the day, Diane Colson over at The Hub has some suggested reading. This Dark Endeavor, the first book she lists(reviewed here—  its sequel, Such Wicked Intent, is reviewed here as well) is scary as hell, and Angelmonster (reviewed here), which she also lists, is a truly amazing book.

It’s not what I would call YA-accessible, unless the young adult in question is absolutely devoted to knowing the backstory of the original novel, but since Colson listed several other books I don’t know if I would consider targeted to YA readers, I will suggest that those who are really interested in the players who were there the night Shelley came up with the story also check out The Monsters: Mary Shelley and the Curse of Frankenstein.

And a happy (belated) Frankenstein Day to you!

 

Darkness Not Visible

Yesterday I had the opportunity to visit my local Barnes and Noble, which is a rare occurrence for me. I wasn’t there to scout out the YA fiction but I remembered the anecdote Meghan Cox Gurdon wrote about in her controversial article “Darkness Too Visible”, about a parent who went to the bookstore and couldn’t find anything to read that didn’t have dark themes.

I had to get past a large display of Ally Carter’s books to reach the YA fiction shelves. Ally Carter writes the Gallagher Girls books, which are a lot of fun, and not what I’d describe as dark. I saw other displays of contemporary teen fiction as well, before I reached the shelves marked for teens.

So, what are Barnes and Noble’s categories for teens? There’s teen paranormal romance, teen science fiction and fantasy, teen adventure, some contemporary stuff, chick-litty and soap opera-ish stuff, fiction on “the tough stuff”. The fiction on “the tough stuff” is emotionally intense, realistic fiction that often includes explicit description, and can be very disturbing. This is the “darkness too visible” that seems to bother Ms. Gurdon the most, which is understandable, as she’s a mother to teenagers herself. In her article, she related that her experience has been that the average teen doesn’t deal with these issues. That hasn’t been my experience. But let’s say that she’s right. What about the kids who aren’t average teens? Where are they supposed to go for support and information when they feel alone or unable to help a friend?

Well, there is a nonfiction section for teens at my Barnes and Noble, jammed into a corner. If I needed help with a real life problem, I’d look in nonfiction. What’s in the nonfiction section at my local bookstore? Memoirs (like Farewell to Manzanar), the Bible for teens, style and fashion, puberty, and the teen versions of Chicken Soup for the Soul and Stephen Covey. This is supposed to be helpful and supportive to teens dealing with cutting, sexual abuse, domestic violence, rape, drug abuse, mental illness, divorce, sexual identity, suicide, and disability? Teens who may, at as young an age as fourteen, soon be parents themselves?

Nonfiction isn’t filling the need. It’s the writers of teen fiction who create support communities, include 800 numbers, and offer resources to kids who need more. It’s these writers of teen fiction who are saying to teens that they are not alone.

Here’s what the nonfiction section at Barnes and Noble did offer me: a book called The Notebook Girls. It’s a true story of four “average” privileged fifteen year old girls who passed a notebook around to keep connected, because their schedules conflicted. I looked it up and discovered that it was a source of controversy at the time of publication, and I can understand why. In just the first few pages, the mentions of casual drug use, stereotyping, and nastiness were so appalling that it made me ill. A major publishing house apparently decided it would be a good idea to publish this notebook, uncensored. It would be hurtful to be written about by these girls in this way even if the notebook were from 20 years ago, but these girls were still in college when the book was published. These “average teenagers” clearly had a lot going on under the surface that Mom and Dad weren’t noticing.

Is there darkness too visible in young adult fiction? Maybe, for some kids. But it’s the darkness not visible, the guidance and support that’s not provided to teens of many kinds, in nonfiction and in life, that really concerns me.