Reviews:(by author)

Allen, Judy. Fantasy Encyclopedia: A Guide to Fabulous Beasts and Magical Beings-From Elves and Dragons to Vampires and Wizards. Boston : Kingfisher, 2005. $24.95

Any aficionado of elves, hobgoblins and things that go bump in the night is sure to enjoy this richly illustrated compendium of supernatural lore. Despite the vast scope of the undertaking, author Judy Allen manages to provide a surprisingly comprehensive overview of the magical beings and mysterious creatures that populate the realms of fantasy. Allen indexes the volume by genres of magical personae, first examining the little people (including elves, kobolds, gremlins and their ilk). Subsequent categories canvass elementals and nature sprites, mysterious animals, fabulous beasts, mythical beings, sorcerers and witches, shape-shifters, the undead, and ghosts and spirits. One of the book's main strengths is its attention to cultural variations in the conceptualization of fantastic creatures. The author's circumspect attention to elements of African, Latin American, Middle Eastern, Native American and Oceanic traditions substantially enriches the worth of this volume. From a scholarly perspective, the information offered is refreshingly accurate and detailed for a popular work. The eye-catching pictorial layout includes many photographs as well as illustrations by John Howe, Patricia Ludlow, and Nicki Palin. All in all, the Fantasy Encyclopedia gives young readers a good, visually captivating overview of the human imagination's more fantastic denizens.

- Mark Janssen, March 2006

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