Early Book Review: A Natural History of Magical Beasts by Emily Hawkins, Jessica Roux

A Natural History of Magical Beasts, written by Emily Hawkins and illustrated by Jessica Roux, is currently scheduled for release on September 5 2023. 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? Presented as the notebook of a 1920s zoologist, this book 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.

A Natural History of Magical Beasts is a whimsical look at the mythical creatures of the world, framed in a way that just might leave readers thinking about what might really be lurking in the forest or down by the stream. I like that the book is divided by geographical region, and included a number of creatures I had heard of, and some I had not. As someone that has read a great deal of fantasy and related things over the years new creatures to discover always make me happy. I liked the balance of text and illustrations, they keep the readers focus and interest high on the book. I really enjoyed that the book seemed to emphasize the legends of indigenous people in each of the regions, and referred to similar creatures in other areas that were included in the text. I also like that there is a sense of humor to the book, threaded through some of the 'first hand accounts' and mentions of the importance of respect and preserving nature and habitats. 

A Natural History of Magical Beasts is a well balanced and enjoyable read, and I think it will be a fast favorite for many.