Ultimate Expeditions Mythological Beasts

<i>Kraken, Pegasus, Manticore, Sphinx... </i>

Ultimate Expeditions Mythological Beasts is a gorgeous, factual picture book that begs to be read over and over again - I was really impressed with the quality of this book. The pictures are all wonderful, and even though they have different mediums - beautifully drawn realistic color illustrations, pencil drawings, computer graphics and photographs - they all fit well together.

<i>Griffin, Ogopogo, Yowie, Hydra ...</i>

Each two-page creature section has a map inset where in the world the ideas of the mythological creature originated and intensified. There is a world map in the back showing the creature's 'homelands.' THis is an interesting read for me, and with the consistently high demand of books on mythology and mythological creatures and fairy tales in the library, I am certain this will be a popular read. This book has the potential to be a classic, and certainly is a book that children will not grow tired of as they age.

<i>Chupacabra, Chimera, Catoblepas, Long... </i>

Highly recommended for everyone to read, and as a gift for children, or any other fan of Mythological Creatures and Mythology.

This was a really interesting book, I really enjoyed it being a big fan of mythology.
The layout was really good, I liked the map aspect and the fun facts for each creature too.
Covers a wide range from Egyptian to Norse mythology.

Wow - I loved the art in this. My 12-year-old self would have definitely longed for this in his library, and would have read this over and over. I was surprised that some of these creatures were new to me. Between my reading of mythological stories, bestiaries, and my D&D monster manuals, I usually have seen some version of most creatures of folk tale or myth. But there were some new ones here.

I loved the mix of the myth with facts - with the attempt to try to understand the genesis of some of these creatures and whether they might have actually existed.

And I kept getting interested in the rabbit-panther! Great suspense building.

Highly recommended for any kid who is into myth and monsters like I was. I really want to check out the author’s book on dragons! (Sink Your Teeth into Dragons)

Author L. J. Tracosas looks at the world as it could be if our imaginations were allowed to run wild. We are treated to an expedition across the world from Turkey to Puerto Rico following hot on the trail of the most amazing animals and monster that have ever grazed our dreams and nightmares.
Using scientific principles through archeology and artistic license to create vivid illustrations that could have leaped from your brain to page we are given surprisingly realistic profiles just as if you were learning about elephants, tigers and bears OH MY! Along with 3-D models to allow you a more personal connection to the various mediums used to bring these creatures to life feels like a meta trip through their habitats.
We also get to learn about where these animals were created / originated from which allows a great intro into discussing the various cultures around the world and their similarities / differences to your own. Thanks to the rise of books founded in mythos like the Harry Potter series and the various ones by Rick Riordan this is a great addition to learning about where those authors found their inspiration.
My girls found this book fascinating and loved learning about the monsters as if they’re real. It’s a great educational opportunity especially since the kids can make paper models of the creatures. You can talk about reality versus fiction, what the world would be like if these animals were real, etc.

Join budding archaeologist Kimberly Raleigh as she turns to history and investigates mythic beasties from around the world in her efforts to understand some unusual pottery fragments she unearthed at a North American site.

Tracosas’ Ultimate Expeditions: Mythological Beasts explores mythic critters from all over the world. Each entry has location info, and tidbits related to the myths surrounding the beast in question. Some mention related creatures, while others discuss real-life animals that may have given rise to some of these mythical beasts. Beautiful watercolor type sketches accompany each entry. Those that mention real world animals have pictures of those as well.

I read this book with my cubs, and we all enjoyed the delightful drawings. Most of these beasties were from Greco-Roman myth, which I did find frustrating. That seems to be the go-to and catch-all when it comes to mythology, and there's just so much more! We loved the more unusual, less common creatures mentioned, such as chupacabra, ahuizotl, and catoblepas. More from North America would have been nice, like the Piasa, uktena, Amarok, or even the more whimsical critters like the jackalope or cactus cat. Even still, it was greatly enjoyed by all, and prompted interest in new areas of myth, legend, and real animals like titanoba, and hybrid creatures that can be found today, such as ligers. In the older cubs, it led to discussions of attempts to recreate lost creatures, like attempts to bring back aurochs, and the tantalising possibility of bringing back mammoth, and other Ice Age fauna.

Perfect for the mythology lovers in your life!

***Many thanks to Netgalley and Quarto Publishing for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is the absolute epitome of a perfect coffee table book! Stunning, vibrant pictures, fascinating "facts," and approachable writing that welcomes in readers of all ages. Both of my little ones really enjoyed this book. I appreciate how each creature has two pages, so that their "information" completely fills the space when you open the book. I also like that the information includes maps of the locations where the creatures are typically found. This alone fascinated my kids so much that my son, especially, went and got his globe to start learning more about the different countries noted and where they are in relation to us.



My daughter, who is 4 and still learning to read comfortably, really loved that each creature pops out from the book. She adores pop-ups! This really brought each page to life for both her and her brother.



My one critique of this book is simply the length, but it is a mild complaint. All of the best-known mythological creatures are noted, but there are hundreds that could also be included. It would actually be lovely to see more literature on the lesser-known beasts. But for the level of detail on each page, I think that this is a great initial edition. My whole family is hoping for an expanded edition in the near future!

Great review of the classic beasts of the ancient world. This is easy enough for kids to follow and learn from. It was a fun hour spent looking through the book and learning about different creatures from the myths that we have been reading.

Great for kids grades 2 and up!

This is a wonderful book. Beautifully illustrated and packed with interesting information about mythological beasts. This is a must for fans of fantasy creatures.