April 1, 2017
Gr 4-7-Monster myths are approached through the combined lens of history and pop culture. Chock-full of movie stills, archival drawings, and CGI creatures, the series is a feast for media junkies. For instance, the magic of witches and wizards in -Harry Potter- is linked to prehistoric cave paintings, and the Pokemon Aipom resembles the ancient Aztec creation ahuizotl. STEM connections are made in sidebars that explore, for example, sonar in Sea Monsters. An ending -Monster Match- section (-Which ghoul would you bet on in a smack-down?-) not only is clever but also makes the series as interactive as it is informative. VERDICT Promises to be monstrously popular among upper elementary and middle schoolers.
Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
January 1, 2018
This series volume focuses on monsters from films, notably Godzilla, Frankenstein's monster, and King Kong. The narrative explores their depictions from early cinema to the present, briefly discusses marketing ventures, and looks at how modern scientific advances mimic how Frankenstein's monster was created. The hurried text is a downside, but many photographs and movie stills bring these creatures to life. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.
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