The newest entry in the popular Element Encyclopedia series spans the globe throughout the ages to present a feast of magical beasts familiar and rare. Populating this ultimate reference is a host of marvelous creatures, many of which have stirred our imaginations since childhood. They come to us from fairytales and myths, from the minds of beloved writers such as the Brothers Grimm, Lewis Carroll, J.R.R. Tolkien, and J.K Rowling. Each entry delves into ancient folklore and history to reveal the secrets of why dragons guard the weather, how to make mermen laugh, and how a too-slow lizard cost humans the gift of eternal life. From Chinese dragons to Norwegian sea monsters, banshees to griffins, cherufes to lampaluguas, every fantastic figure you can imagine gets their chance to shine. A 682 page large softcover book.