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by Ruth Manning-Sanders (Author), Robin Jacques (Illustrator)
A Book of Monsters is a collection of twelve folktales drawn from cultures around the world, each featuring monsters both friendly and fearsome. First published in 1975 by Methuen in London, and illustrated by Robin Jacques, this 128-page volume is one of the most beloved entries in Manning-Sanders' acclaimed "A Book of..." series - a sprawling library of themed fairy tale anthologies that she produced primarily during the 1960s and 1970s.
Ruth Manning-Sanders (1886-1988) was a Welsh-born writer and Shakespeare scholar who studied English literature and Shakespearean studies at Manchester University. She married Cornish painter George Sanders in 1911, and the couple spent the early years of their marriage traveling the British Isles in a horse-drawn caravan, even working with a tenting circus. These richly varied life experiences, combined with a childhood steeped in storytelling - she recalled summers spent in a Scottish Highlands farmhouse where an elderly woman named Granny Stewart loved to tell folk stories - gave Manning-Sanders a deep appreciation for the oral tradition and an extraordinary ear for narrative voice. Over her lifetime she published more than ninety books, but it is her fairy tale anthologies for which she is best remembered and most widely collected.
In A Book of Monsters, Manning-Sanders gathers tales from diverse countries and cultures, giving readers a sense of the global reach and remarkable variety of monster lore. The monsters that populate these pages are not all terrifying villains; some are pitiable, some are comical, and some even prove surprisingly gentle or helpful. This range is characteristic of Manning-Sanders' approach to folklore: she understood that the creatures born from human imagination are as complex and varied as the cultures that created them. Whatever the type of monster described, each story is as readable and exciting as only a Manning-Sanders retelling of traditional folk tales can be.
Thematically, the collection reflects the core values that Manning-Sanders championed throughout her fairy tale work. She believed deeply in the comforting rule of the fairy tale: that the good and brave shall be rewarded, and that bad people shall come to a bad end. Across these twelve tales, readers encounter courageous heroes and heroines who must face monstrous adversaries through cunning, kindness, or sheer bravery. The stories affirm that even when the world seems dark and danger looms large, resourcefulness and moral courage can triumph over seemingly impossible odds. At the same time, Manning-Sanders brings nuance to these archetypes - not every monster is purely evil, and not every challenge is won through strength alone.
The book is further distinguished by the detailed pen-and-ink illustrations of Robin Jacques, whose evocative artwork was a hallmark of many volumes in the series. His drawings bring the monsters vividly to life, balancing the eerie with the whimsical in a way that perfectly complements Manning-Sanders' storytelling voice. She writes with wit, good humor, and economy.
Highly recommended for young readers aged 8 years old and up, as well as for adults, A Book of Monsters is an ideal volume for reading aloud, for independent discovery, or for building a library of world folklore. It stands as a testament to Manning-Sanders' remarkable gift for making ancient tales feel immediate, alive, and utterly captivating for each new generation of readers.
