Beasts of the Ancient World, written by Marchella Ward and illustrated by Asia Orlando, published by DK Penguin Random House in 2023, is a book that explores different mythical creatures and monsters from antiquity and various parts of the world.

The book opens with an Introduction titled ‘Living among beasts’, followed by ‘A world of Creatures’. This includes a world map where different creatures are placed according to their geographical origins. The main body of the book is then divided into four sections: (1) ‘Our Worst Fears’, (2) ‘Battles with Monsters’, (3) ‘Kind Beasts’, and (4) ‘Harnessing the Power of Beasts’. Together, these four sections include 23 stories, each presenting a specific creature from the ancient world. The volume concludes with the reflective section ‘Why Do We Believe in Monsters?’ This is followed by the Index and Acknowledgements.

Beasts of the Ancient World is a book that brings younger readers, as well as adults, closer to the world of creatures and beasts in antiquity. It does so by telling engaging stories that introduce readers to the mythological creatures of different ancient cultures. Some examples include ‘The Monster of the Nile’, ‘The Twins Save the World from Yeitso’, ‘Holawaka’s Secret’, and ‘The Riddle of the Sphinx’, to name a few.

The myths and stories are told in a clear and accessible way. Each story is relatively short—usually around four pages—with generous spacing, numerous illustrations, and a distinctive decorative frame. The layout, including the spacing between the paragraphs, makes the reading experience comfortable and approachable, allowing readers to engage with the narrative easily. The stories are always well structured and focus on the most important elements, which are further highlighted through the accompanying illustrations.

Each of the four main sections begins with a short introduction to help readers better understand the stories that follow and the specific type of beast or creature they are about to encounter.

It is also interesting to note the presence of specific cultural focus pages within the book (fourteen in total). These sections highlight particular themes or cultural contexts related to the stories. For example, after presenting the myth of Perseus and Medusa, the book introduces a page dedicated to ‘Monstrous Women’. Other examples include cultural insights such as ‘Ancient Nubia’, thematic explorations like ‘Dangerous Dragons and Slithering Snakes’, and discussions about ‘Magical Horses’ following the story ‘Bellerophon and Pegasus Fight the Chimera’, among others. These sections are particularly valuable because they help readers engage more deeply with history, art, and traditions. They are always accompanied by illustrations and images of objects from museum collections, providing readers with concrete visual references.

Marchella Ward brings readers closer to the world of creatures and the beasts of the ancient world in a gradual, thoughtful, and well-structured way. Her narrative approach is carefully organised and leaves readers—both children and adults—with meaningful reflections. Through the figure of the beast, the stories allow us to externalise our fears, learn to understand them, and recognise the importance of cooperation with others. Between the lines, the author highlights the significance of these stories as a way to reflect on humanity, the environment, respect, and collaboration. On a more emotional level, the narratives also invite readers to reflect on the concept of diversity—something that may initially appear strange, different, or even frightening – and the importance of changing human attitudes in order to become more compassionate and humane.

The remarkable work of Marchella Ward is accompanied by the superb illustrations of Asia Orlando, who masterfully brings these stories, beasts, and ancient monsters to life. Her detailed visual representations help readers not only imagine the stories but also see them vividly on the page. The choice to use different decorative frames and graphic styles for each story is another noteworthy detail, adding richness and giving each monster or beast its own visual identity.

From a didactic perspective, the volume represents a very important resource for approaching the ancient world and understanding ancient mythical creatures more closely, including their origins and stories. Furthermore, the volume is a valuable resource for literacy and writing activities, as well as for arts education, since it offers opportunities to develop written texts and experiment with creativity—for example, by retelling the stories through sequences or visual narratives. It can also be used in subjects related to culture, geography, and social studies, particularly because some ancient creatures are still present in contemporary traditions, such as the Chinese dragon.

Beasts of the Ancient World is therefore a precious and essential resource for gaining a broader understanding of monsters beyond the classical world, opening the door to a wide range of cultures and traditions that deserve to be read, shared, and passed on. It is carefully conceived, well structured, beautifully illustrated, and thoughtfully written.