Well this is a jolly good old scary story for children! The Beastie is on the prowl, he tricks the children and gains their confidence. Then, oh no, he goes and eats them up!
Written in rhyme this book has over seventy reviews . WINNER of The Peoples Book Prize.
Fantastically illustrated by Gabriele Antonini
When we met Giles for the first time what came across was his passion and enthusiasm for children’s books. Coupled with the fact that he is naturally a jolly good story teller with some very good original ideas. Well we jumped at the chance to publish one of his ideas as a children’s book.
The book is Illustrated by Gabriele Antonini a freelance illustrator and characters designer from Rome. Gabriele works for international publishers especially in the UK. To see more of Gabrieles’s fantastic work please go to www.gabrieleantonini.blogspot.com
Julia Eccleshare, The Guardian. April 2012 Book of the Month Lovereading4kids.
This is a terrific little picture book that parents are likely to be more worried about for the fear factor than any toddler. There’s a great storyline written in rhyme with echoes of Grimm’s Fairy Tales (Little Red Riding Hood) and indeed of Dr Seuss. The illustrator has captured the story quite brilliantly in big bold illustrations throughout. It’s definitely a picture book to share with toddlers but slightly older kids of 4 or 5 who might be just starting to read alone will go wild for it. Without giving anything away it’s safe to say there is a happy ending! So, if at first glance parents feel this is a little too frightening for their young child, please go beyond that initial thought as kids we’ve shown it to have absolutely loved it and are continuing to enjoy it time and time again.
Shortlisted for The People’s Book Prize The People’s Book Prize is a national competition aimed at discovering new and unknown works: a truly democratic book prize decided exclusively by the public.
Julia Eccleshare has spent her working life to date within children’s books as a critic, an editor, an author and a commentator. Apart from her current role as Editorial contributor and advisor to Lovereading4kids, she is the children’s editor of the Guardian.
With over seventy book reviews its difficult to choose which ones to show you. Here are a few. Try a Google search on The Fearsome Beastie and you will be surpised to see just how much this book is being talked about. Already on the second print run! Enjoy!
LIBRARY MICE
“Today I am delighted to be the Halloween pit stop of Giles’ blog tour for The Fearsome Beastie! And what better than a story about a scary child-eating monster for your Halloween night read?…
…The Fearsome Beastie is a great, fun read. I think some parents will be concerned about the monster’s favourite past time as well as its eventual fate but I think that parents are more of the faint-hearted kind than their offspring, who will simply enjoy the drama! There will undoubtedly be fits of laughter too! “ To read the full review, click here
KIDSREADWRITE REVIEW
“I’m a big fan of picture books with all the colours and illustrations but I also like the good old fashioned ‘save the day’ stories too. The super granny at the end of the book is certainly my favourite part. Just when you think it’s all over someone jumps in and saves the day. Hurrah!
This is a marvellous little story for the younger reader but will also be a pleasure for the more able readers too. The rhyming story is fun for children who are starting to read short stories, the pictures will captivate the children who enjoy to be read to, and the combination of story and illustrations will certainly entertain the older reader and adults alike. A real winner for all the family. ”
JUST ONE OF SEVENTEEN AMAZON REVIEWS
Eve Paludan
“It’s been a while since I read such an engaging kid’s picture book. It came to my attention as a nomination for The People’s Book Prize. Giles Paley-Phillips put a modern twist on the old Red Riding Hood tale and throws in a bit of stranger danger, something we want to teach our kids: caution. The Fearsome Beastieis an engaging story from the very first line–the story is written in a pleasing rhyme meter, iambic pentameter, I think, a la Dr. Seuss. The illustrations are gorgeous and will hold the interest of the child reader, as well as an adult. The monster is well-drawn and reminiscent of several scary images from my childhood; it’s a cross between several monsters in my 60s pop culture upbringing. Though the story is very suspenseful, it is, after all, a kid’s story, so the happy ending is satisfying and delightful, with Grandma as the heroine. The book is beautiful and brilliant. Recommended! Five stars!”
New book by Giles this autumn, Tamara Small at the Monsters Ball.
