Baleful Beasts and Eerie Creatures

by Andre Norton (Introduction), Rod Ruth (Illustrator), Rita Ritchie (Contributor)

Chicago, IL, U.S.A. Rand McNall 1976 HARDCOVER! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! HARDCOVER! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Hard Cover Good/No Dust Wrapper 0528802119 Ex-Library.

Genres: Horror, Childrens, Short Stories, Fantasy, Young Adult

124 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 1976

About the author

Andre Norton, born Alice Mary Norton, was a pioneering American author of science fiction and fantasy, widely regarded as the Grande Dame of those genres. She also wrote historical and contemporary fiction, publishing under the pen names Andre Alice Norton, Andrew North, and Allen Weston. She launched her career in 1934 with The Prince Commands, adopting the name “Andre” to appeal to a male readership. After working for the Cleveland Library System and the Library of Congress, she began publishing science fiction under “Andrew North” and fantasy under her own name. She became a full-time writer in 1958 and was known for her prolific output, including Star Man’s Son, 2250 A.D. and Witch World, the latter spawning a long-running series and shared universe. Norton was a founding member of the Swordsmen and Sorcerers' Guild of America and authored Quag Keep, the first novel based on the Dungeons & Dragons game. She influenced generations of writers, including Lois McMaster Bujold and Mercedes Lackey. Among her many honors were being the first woman named Gandalf Grand Master of Fantasy and SFWA Grand Master. In her later years, she established the High Hallack Library to support research in genre fiction. Her legacy continues with the Andre Norton Award for young adult science fiction and fantasy.

Reviews

[Melody · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a book can captivate (and scare) you so much that you remember the stories and see the pictures in your mind 25 years later, you know it's a awesome book. I checked this book out almost every week from the school library. I wish I could find a reasonably priced copy to share with my neice and nephew. The Patchwork Monkey still freaks me out!!

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book scared the absolute crap out of me when I was a kid. The story "The Patchwork Monkey" was totally scarring, but I remember being pretty freaked out about the Yamadan, too. I think I only rented it from the library once, and to this day I still remember those two stories. Patches was terrifying because it featured a stuffed patchwork monkey toy that had the most baleful face of any toy ever and sort of weirdly merged into the kids it killed. The last scene of the little boy's smile thinning out and stretching into a gash of red yarn? I will go to my grave being scared of that image. It was such a good scary story because it didn't have one of those this-is-made-for-kids-let's-make-it-not-scary endings--there is no revelation that the monster was just a sweater under the bed, or that Patches died and the two kids lived happily ever after. Patches kills two little kids, and he smiles a long thin smile made of red yarn as he does it, and THAT'S THE END.

And thus Emma's fear of old dolls was born.

I remember being freaked about the Yamadan for two reasons--one, that I have a gigantic field in my backyard and I thought the lights from the cars on the street beyond it were the Yamadan's glowing eyes, and two, because this again features an ending where not everything is resolved. The Yamadan's scariness is in the fact that it doesn't kill you, it makes you a monster too, and that's what happens to the main character at the end.

Anyway, if I ever saw this book I'd have to buy it and keep it forever because it was so awesomely scary, but apparently it's really rare now, so I'll have to be content with my memories.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was much younger I found a well-read book at the library called Baleful Beasts and Eerie Creatures. There were stories in here that really scared the bejeesus out of me. Especially "the Patchwork Monkey" that story fed my nightmares for years. Unfortunately the book is out of print now so it's hard to get your hands on. If you get the chance give it a read(of course the years may have taken off some of the bite.)

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

I randomly checked this out as a kid and it was the scariest book I have ever read (not in a good fun way either) I still get chills when I think of some of the stories. "Whatever you do, do not read "the Patchwork Monkey"

[Brenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great kid's horror book. Still terrified of the Patchwork Monkey!

[Martha · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked some of the stories, and tolerated others, but I never did make it through Patchwork Monkey....

[Shane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long overdue re-read of one of the most influential books in my entire literary life. As another review stated - when you can recall stories and images from a book 35 years later (from first read, and my last before today was no sooner than 25 years), then you know it’s definitely something special.

Do the stories have the same effect on me as in my mid-40’s as they did on the pre-teen me? Of course not, they’re all pretty basic, sub-Goosebumps PG rated chills...except for that fucking monkey.

Rating objectively, I would give this maybe a two star - but the influence those nine stories had on me can’t be understated.

[Adrienne Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Borrowed my brother's childhood copy of the nightmare-inducing book. Still creepy and now more fun.

[Tanya Spackman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book when I was a kid! I checked it out of the library probably 20 times (I can still picture where it was shelved). It has several deliciously creepy stories. It's long since out of print, which is a shame because kids from all generations should be totally freaked out by The Patchwork Monkey and The Basilisk. (The Patchwork Monkey can be read online here: http://the-haunted-closet.blogspot.co...)

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my all time favorites. I checked it out many times from my elementary school library. As an adult I discovered it was out of print and quite expensive on the used market. In a way I like that it has a special place in the collection of now rare books.
2025 update: I managed to acquire a copy after all of these years. Although dated in many ways to 1970s context, it’s still a creepy read.

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My younger brother received this book as a Christmas gift when we were kids. He didn't want it, so I traded him one of my gifts for it. I can honestly say that "The Patchwork Monkey" was the first story I've ever read that scared me! I remember it to this day. If you've never read this book...find a copy at your local library!

[Jennifer Berner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book when I was a kid, and it has haunted me ever since. The creepy illustrations are burned into my brain. The Patchwork Monkey story is the scariest thing I have ever read - including IT!

[Nona · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book terrified me when I read it as a kid. Even re-reading it as an adult gave me chills.

[Lean]

good to read & and i still don't get it why sh*t sites don't wanna let the story publish?