Julie Berry
Illustrated by April Lee
Young Godfrey and his family toil for the lord and lady of the castle. But when Godfrey stumbles upon an unfinished Book of Beasts, its splendid pictures of animals make him forget his chores. He invents the story of a brave knight, Sir Godfrey the Glorious, who battles a lion, tames a unicorn, defeats a griffin, conquers a bonnacon, and triumphs over a dragon. Godfrey does not realize that each time he says the name of an animal, it magically emerges from the book, causing mayhem and inadvertently accomplishing his chores.
Written by award-winning author Julie Berry, and featuring fantastical illustrations by April Lee, this children’s book also contains engaging back matter with information on life in the Middle Ages and a mini-bestiary from original thirteenth-century manuscripts. Don’t Let the Beasties Escape This Book! brings the Middle Ages, legendary beasts, and the medieval imagination to life.
Ages 5 and up.
Julie Berry is author of the 2017 Printz Honor Book The Passion of Dolssa, set in medieval France; the Carnegie Medal and Edgar Award shortlisted novel All the Truth That’s in Me; humorous middle-grade novels, including The Emperor’s Ostrich and The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place; and the picture book Long Ago on a Silent Night. April Lee is an illustrator, character animator, and 2D special effects animator who works for several major television and film studios. Her animated e-book The Dragon and the Pixies earned honorable mentions at the London Book Festival and the Los Angeles Book Festival.
“Recommended.”
—Historical Novels Review
“A charming introduction to medieval culture for young children.”
—School Library Journal
“I love bestiaries. I love the illuminations, and the weird descriptions of creatures, and the entire concept of a book full of wonderful beasts! This picture book is a lovely introduction to some of the fantasy creatures you might meet in the pages of a real-life bestiary.”
—A Cat, A Book, and A Cup of Tea
“The most adorable introduction to medieval beasts I have seen.”
—The Burgeoning Bookshelf
“Inventive and boldly illustrated, the book will stimulate the imagination.”
—Denton Record-Chronicle
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