Gr 4--6--The terse writing style will appeal to fans of the weird and bizarre. Facts about these creatures and the cultures that gave rise to them aren't in depth, but the books convey the creatures' strangeness and also impart an international flavor, given their global origins. Each book's conclusion leaves the topic open-ended, with no final answer given. New vocabulary, printed in boldfaced, colored type, is defined in a glossary, though without pronunciation guides. The possibility that some creatures might be real is noted when applicable, and the books are current where dates are cited. Covers are striking, and interior black-and-white and color illustrations, featuring etchings, paintings, and other artworks representative of the cultures from which the creatures sprang, bear informative captions. Maps appear in most titles to highlight the creatures' origins, locations, and/or sightings; diagrams are included as needed. Special features include a QR code and publisher's link on the copyright page; other QR codes appear throughout. These access videos, links, and many activities and further information. Colorful "Did You Know?" and other sidebars provide additional facts. "Making Connections" is a challenging critical-thinking back-matter resource that includes "Text-to-Self," "Text-to-Book," and "Text-to-World" questions that invite students to relate each book's topic to their own experiences, personal reading, and understanding of the world, respectively. VERDICT Overall, pedestrian writing; succinct sentences don't necessarily make for exciting reading. Still, recommended as an additional purchase for school and public libraries, as the series will appeal to creature fans, particularly striving readers.