ATLAS OF MYTHICAL JOURNEYS: Discover Heroic Quests, Daring Voyages and Epic Adventures, latest in an excellent series

ATLAS OF MYTHICAL JOURNEYS: Discover Heroic Quests, Daring Voyages and Epic Adventures
EMILY HAWKINS (illus. Iryna Dobrovetska)
Wide Eyed Editions (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link)
$30.00 all editions, available now

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: Tread in the footsteps of ancient heroes and heroines with An Atlas of Mythical Journeys, your fantastical guidebook to adventures otherwise lost to time.

For thousands of years, humans have been telling stories of great and perilous journeys and the heroic adventurers who made them. Relive more than 30 of these legendary voyages with An Atlas of Mythical Journeys, and uncover the secret histories behind them.

From the fateful homecoming of Odysseus to Mulan's mission to free her homeland, these tales plot a course from myth to folklore to history. Marvel at epic scenes for every journey, featuring battles between gods and monsters, treacherous seas, and long-lost lairs filled with treasure. Along the way, you'll not only discover myths and legends you've never heard before, but also learn all about the peoples and cultures who told them, what they mean, and where they come from.

Arranged by continent, featured stories include:

Jason and the Argonauts' quest for the Golden Fleece

Loki's mischievous search for the apples of immortality

San Zang's famed journey to the West

The exploits at sea of Sinbad the Sailor

The Wabanaki legend of Glooscap

Anansi the Spider and the Box of Stories

How Māui created the islands called New Zealand

Many, many more...

Fact meets fantasy in this stunning collection of beloved tales and unearthed legends for 9-12-year-olds, each of which reveals something more about the excitement of journeying into the unknown. With lovingly hand-painted illustrations rich in authentic detail, An Atlas of Mythical Journeys is certain to become a favorite of those reading independently or with parents. The ultimate quest awaits in An Atlas of Mythical Journeys!

For more in the same series, check out An Atlas of Lost Kingdoms and An Atlas of Afterlives.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: I've loved, and recommended, every one of the books in this series for anyone to enjoy. The primary audience, IMO, starts around eight years old for the brighter kids and ten for more average readers.

Adults shouldn't feel excluded! We can thoroughly enjoy this beautiful object. The stories won't be new; the narrative voice won't be aimed at us; but there's good comfort in being told a story, especially (sometimes) a familiar one.

Now, look at this art:

It's perfectly gorgeous, and if you're looking forthe gift of all gifts for a mythology lover this Yule, here it is.

Folklore Field Guides series: A NATURAL HISTORY OF MAGICAL BEASTS, & A NATURAL HISTORY OF DRAGONS, beautiful gifts for your magic-loving young giftee

A NATURAL HISTORY OF MAGICAL BEASTS
EMILY HAWKINS (illus. Jessica Roux)
Frances Lincoln Children's Books
$30.00 deluxe hardcover, available now

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: Tales of magical creatures have been told across the world for generations... but are these stories merely flights of fancy, or is there any truth to the legends of unicorns and dragons, centaurs and griffins?

A Natural History of Magical Beasts is a complete guide to magical creatures from around the world, from their lifecycles and behaviour to how they have hidden themselves from human discovery for centuries.

Featuring a gold-foil-embossed cloth cover, a ribbon marker and sprayed gold edges, this gorgeous volume is filled with beautiful illustrations and precise notes detailing the secret lives of magical beasts.

Presented as the notebook of a 1920s zoologist, this lavish volume sets out to answer this question, revealing the hidden world of the magical beasts that live among us. Within these pages you will meet bizarre and beautiful creatures from around the globe, discovering their habits, habitats and the legends surrounding them. Learn about the anatomy of a unicorn, the life cycle of a phoenix, incredible dragon courtship dances and much more in this ultimate guide to magical creatures.

This exquisitely illustrated album will entrance all true-believers and fantasy enthusiasts.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Another entry in this beautiful series of narratives emulating the dark-academia vibe so very popular at the moment. Sweetening the academia part, and encouraging the habits of mind characteristic of a scientist, is the magical-creature focus. It can't be learning if it's this pretty and this much fun to read, right?

Take advantage of this creative duo's gift of an opening to you, gift-giver:

The kid won't know what hit 'em. They'll be totally suckered in by the gorgeous illustrations and won't notice they're learning valuable observation and classification skills. They won't see how easy it is to transfer these habits of mind to real-world learning, or to use this storytelling framework to parse and quantify even newly exposed information, until you or the parent make it plain.

Sneaking education into their story books is genius. The duo responsible for this series is to be supported, preferably with your purchase of this item for the middle-grade story-lover on your gifting list who isn't very interested in the more concrete forms of school-learning. Got to sneak past the gates somehow, and this is a terrific trojan horse.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


A NATURAL HISTORY OF DRAGONS
EMILY HAWKINS (illus. Jessica Roux)
Frances Lincoln Children's Books
$30.00 deluxe hardcover, available now

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: Dragons have been the misunderstood subject of folklore for generations . . . but are these stories just legends or is there any truth to these majestic creatures’ fiery reputations?

Presented as a handbook from the late 1800s written for the students of the Academie Solomonar: the only school for dragon-riders, this beautiful volume sets out to reveal the hidden world of dragons. Within these pages you will meet mysterious and majestic dragons from around the globe, read about ancient lore and superstitions, learn about their life cycle, anatomy, habits and habitats, and discover the secrets behind dragon flight.

This exquisitely illustrated album, that delves deep into the world of dragons, will delight all true-believers and fantasy enthusiasts.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: First in a series from this author and artist duo, all offering a middle-grade reader an independent reading experience similar to the narrative non-fiction they'll be accustomed to. A younger reader, say seven or eight, might struggle a bit as the vocabulary and the ideas are possibly just out of reach...but the object is gorgeous and could inspire them to make the needed cognitive leap if dragons are already of interest to them.

The framing device, letters and notes of a student dragon rider, is bang on the trend for dark academia in the YA fiction world. The artwork is so beautiful that the reader's older sibling, if any, might purloin the book for a good look...possibly an appropriation if the sibling in question's already reading dark-academia books. Look at these beautiful pages, and tell me you can't see that fight brewing:

I'd say the right giftee for this, and its series sibling books, is curious about the story universe, is smart in the academic ways but not very interested in "uncreative" subjects like science, and could use a nudge to see that it's all stories...just some aren't fiction.

This read could give the giver a chance to show the giftee how to find the story in reality. Strong recommendation from me.

AN ATLAS OF AFTERLIVES: Discover Underworlds, Otherworlds and Heavenly Realms, beautiful object cramjam full of good stories for kids

AN ATLAS OF AFTERLIVES: Discover Underworlds, Otherworlds and Heavenly Realms
EMILY HAWKINS (illus. Manasawee Rojanaphan)
Wide Eyed Editions
$30.00 hardcover, available now

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: What happens after we die? This difficult question has fascinated people for thousands of years. An Atlas of Afterlives sets out to explore and explain the many underworlds, otherworlds, heavens and hells believed in by cultures from across the world, throughout history. From paradise gardens to fiery kingdoms, from shadowy isles of the dead to ghostly galleons on an eternal voyage, these visions of eternity are fascinating examples of human creativity and storytelling.

Organised by continent , this book will take you on an eerie journey to discover legendary places from different mythologies. Each lavishly illustrated spread invites you into a different realm of the dead, with deities, demons and other details drawn from historical sources ranging from ancient Egyptian scrolls to Chilean folklore. With wonder , curiosity and sensitivity , every one of these awe-inspiring places is presented in its cultural context, combining real, historical fact with the magical atmosphere of the unknown – and unknowable.

Discover afterlives from all over the world, With stories , histories and maps to get lost in, An Atlas of Afterlives is a truly unforgettable departure from our everyday lives into the depths of world mythology, exploring a fundamental question in an accessible, respectful and totally unique way. This lavish volume will fire the imaginations of curious explorers aged 9-12 keen for a glimpse of what lies beyond.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: Remember Emily Hawkins? Her effort regarding mythical kingdoms led me to look for, and forward to, this beautiful looking item:

The artist, Manasawee Rojanaphan, has a great design sense and a broad imagination. This is some of what is covered:

The careful effort to present the world's thinking about the thing that happens after we die is admirable; the clarity and concision of the stories; the sensitive artwork that invites close and sustained examination, all add up to much more than just the sum of the pretty parts.

Your curious folklore and mythology-loving tween will enjoy it as an aesthetic object, as will any teens still (re)reading the many modern takes on mythology. It is a useful reference book for the grade-school set. It wouldn't look too terrible on Grandpa's hearthside reading chair, either. All ages can find some appreciation for its facets; the hallmark of a truly well-made and -thought-through book.

AN ATLAS OF LOST KINGDOMS: Discover Mythical Lands, Lost Cities and Vanished Islands, perfect for your tween lover of fantasy lands

AN ATLAS OF LOST KINGDOMS: Discover Mythical Lands, Lost Cities and Vanished Islands
EMILY HAWKINS (illus. Lauren Mark Baldo)
Wide Eyed Editions
$30.00 hardcover, available now

Rating: 5* of five

The Publisher Says: Shortlisted for Children's Travel Book of the Year, Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards 2023

On this quest around the world, you will discover lost kingdoms, phantom islands, and even legendary continents once sought by explorers but now believed to be mythical.

For centuries, people have dreamed of finding the lost worlds of Atlantis, El Dorado, and the Seven Cities of Gold. As well as shedding light on these famously elusive places, this atlas contains maps and captivating illustrations to illuminate lesser-known destinations, from the lost island of Hy-Brasil to the desert city of Zerzura. You will learn about rich mythologies from different cultures, from the Aztecs to the ancient Britons, from the Greek legends to Japanese folklore.

Most of the places in this book have never been found, but within these pages you will succeed where the adventurers of the past were thwarted. Learn about ancient maps, age-old manuscripts, and cryptic carvings that reveal clues to the whereabouts of these lost kingdoms. The journey will transport you to thoroughly other-worldly places.

From Emily Hawkins—New York Times bestselling author of Oceanology—comes this whimsical blend of myth and history, fact and fantasy. This lavish volume will fire the imaginations of young adventurers everywhere.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: I was a nerdy kid. Unclutch your pearls, Mary, it's true: I read the Encyclopedia Britannica (1944 edition) the year I was ten. I woulda KILLED for this book back then. It's beautiful:

..and designed in such a way that the graphic-novel/videogame generations will grasp its import immediately. Like any good encyclopedia, my childhood one was stuffed with legends and myths presented in the driest, most academic way possible. This made me more curious than ever to find art that matched, or explained, these places. I think kids now will feel the same way about stories of Ys and Hy-Brasil and Eldorado.

Author Hawkins has the giant gift of being able to make stories concise and still replete with excitement and discovery. Because times have moved on from my Britannica-reading days, I learned more about Ile-Ife than I did back when:

...and am now inspired to look deeper into Yoruba folktales and memories. The inclusion of stories from African cultures is a sign of why I like the way the world is, broadly, headed. More stories and different ones for us all, can only lessen the fear and suspicion that the nattering nabobs of negativism spew at us from every news site.

Even King Arthur, he of Camelot fame, knew the power of spin to change the world.

Anyone on your Booksgiving list who loves the stories and legends of Days of Yore, who has a sensawunda for the imaginary mindscapes of our ancestors, or just love looking at fantastic fantasy-themed art, deserves this to unwrap and savor with the sweet, hot cocoa under the Yule tree.