In a companion volume to 'Animals, Animals' (Philomel), this collection of poems featuring fantasy animals of folklore and mythology offers a sumptuous viewing of Carle's rich blend of tissue-paper and paint collages. A grand introduction to the imaginary beasts.

In a companion volume to Eric Carle's Animals Animals , Carle's brilliantly colored, wildly energetic collages of mythical creatures seem to leap from the page. The poems they illustrate are pale in comparison (or maybe they're just overwhelmed by the art), except for a few, such as James Stephens' The Centaurs, which stamp the dust in furious brotherhood! or Job's Leviathan, or Farjoen's Pegasus. Some of the creatures are treated playfully, like the yeti and the Australian bunyip. The unicorn rides through a dark, mysterious sky. The fierce basilisk's breath cracks rock. The mermaid is romantic, the desert sphinx is brown and heavy, and the Japanese kappa is sly. Most gorgeous is the Chinese dragon, which opens out to a four-page swirling collage of color set off by dazzling white space. These fabulous beasts have an enduring fascination, and Whipple's notes include myth and folklore about each creature as well as its cultural source. As she says, words and pictures leave open the mystery of images that shift and change with each telling. (Reviewed Nov. 1, 1991)

A second well-chosen, gorgeously illustrated collection of poetry in the style of Animals Animals (1989). Not only dragons but a worldwide collection of fabulous beasts—yeti, Quetzalcoatl, okolo, Pan, kracken, and many more—appear in poems that range a bit in quality as well as origin. The interest level is consistently high—especially when coupled with Carle's flamboyant art. Whipple concludes gracefully with the closing speech from A Midsummer Night's Dream, and also contributes a glossary with its own intelligent introduction. Index. (Poetry/Picture book. 3+)"