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Ghouls and Monsters
A collection of traditional stories from peoples around the world about monsters, ghosts, giants, trolls, and evil spirits and how to defend yourself against them.
92 pages, Library Binding
First published January 1, 1995
17 people want to read
About the author
Robert Ingpen
190 books46 followersRobert Roger Ingpen (AM) (born 13 October 1936) is an Australian graphic designer, illustrator, and author. He received the biennial, international Hans Christian Andersen Award for Illustration in 1986, recognizing his "lasting contribution to children's literature".
Ingpen was born in Geelong Australia and attended Geelong College to 1957. He graduated with a Diploma of Graphic Art from RMIT where he studied with Harold Freedman.
In 1958, Ingpen was appointed by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) as an artist to interpret and communicate the results of scientific research. From 1968 Ingpen worked as a freelance designer, illustrator and author. He was also a member of a United Nations team in Mexico and Peru until 1975, where he designed pamphlets on fisheries and was involved in "a number of Australian conservation and environmental projects". He left the CSIRO to work full-time as a freelance writer in 1968. Ingpen's interest in conservation issues continued, and he was one of the founding members of the Australian Conservation Foundation.
Ingpen has written and/or-illustrated more than 100 published books. These include children's picture books and fictional stories for all ages. His nonfiction books mostly relate to history, conservation, environment and health issues. He is a frequent collaborator with author and editor Michael Page.
Ingpen has designed many postage stamps for Australia. Ingpen designed the flag and coat of arms for the Northern Territory. Ingpen has created a number of public murals in Geelong, Melbourne, Canberra and the Gold Coast in Queensland. He also has designed bronze statues, which include the 'Poppykettle Fountain' in Geelong's Steam Packet Gardens (currently dry due to drought restrictions) and the bronze doors to the Melbourne Cricket Club. His most recent work is the design and working drawings for a tapestry, which was woven by The Victorian Tapestry Workshop, to celebrate the 150 years of the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
In 1982 Ingpen designed the Dromkeen Medal for the Governors of the Courtney Oldmeadow Children’s Literature Foundation. This medal is awarded annually to Australians in recognition of contributions to children's literature. He was awarded the medal in 1989 for his own work in the field.
Ingpen was illustrator for the centenary editions of J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan and Wendy and Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows for which he bases characterisations on contemporary figures and personalities.
In 2007 Ingpen illustrated a picture book by Liz Lofthouse called Ziba Came on a Boat, which was nominated for many Australian awards including the Australian Children's Book Council Awards and the Western Australian Premier's Book Awards.
Ingpen was born in Geelong Australia and attended Geelong College to 1957. He graduated with a Diploma of Graphic Art from RMIT where he studied with Harold Freedman.
In 1958, Ingpen was appointed by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) as an artist to interpret and communicate the results of scientific research. From 1968 Ingpen worked as a freelance designer, illustrator and author. He was also a member of a United Nations team in Mexico and Peru until 1975, where he designed pamphlets on fisheries and was involved in "a number of Australian conservation and environmental projects". He left the CSIRO to work full-time as a freelance writer in 1968. Ingpen's interest in conservation issues continued, and he was one of the founding members of the Australian Conservation Foundation.
Ingpen has written and/or-illustrated more than 100 published books. These include children's picture books and fictional stories for all ages. His nonfiction books mostly relate to history, conservation, environment and health issues. He is a frequent collaborator with author and editor Michael Page.
Ingpen has designed many postage stamps for Australia. Ingpen designed the flag and coat of arms for the Northern Territory. Ingpen has created a number of public murals in Geelong, Melbourne, Canberra and the Gold Coast in Queensland. He also has designed bronze statues, which include the 'Poppykettle Fountain' in Geelong's Steam Packet Gardens (currently dry due to drought restrictions) and the bronze doors to the Melbourne Cricket Club. His most recent work is the design and working drawings for a tapestry, which was woven by The Victorian Tapestry Workshop, to celebrate the 150 years of the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
In 1982 Ingpen designed the Dromkeen Medal for the Governors of the Courtney Oldmeadow Children’s Literature Foundation. This medal is awarded annually to Australians in recognition of contributions to children's literature. He was awarded the medal in 1989 for his own work in the field.
Ingpen was illustrator for the centenary editions of J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan and Wendy and Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows for which he bases characterisations on contemporary figures and personalities.
In 2007 Ingpen illustrated a picture book by Liz Lofthouse called Ziba Came on a Boat, which was nominated for many Australian awards including the Australian Children's Book Council Awards and the Western Australian Premier's Book Awards.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 24, 2017
This is another in the series of The mystery and Magic series where the acclaimed artist Robert Ingpen and Molly Pernham create a fun book celebrating monsters and ghouls from common myth and pop culture (after all sitting George and the Dragon along side King Kong and Godzilla is a brave move)
But I have said this before and I will say this again any sin can be over looked (and please do not think i am implying that the layout of the book is) by the art of Robert Ingpen which for me has an etherial and almost dream like quality to it which coupled with his gentle fantasy take on each subject makes the entires fascinating and imaginative. So that even though you may think you know all there is - it feels that there is still something to be learned and you JUST have to read on.
The series of broken in to 4 books Ghouls and Monsters, Gods and Goddesses, Heroes and Heroines and Magicians and Fairies and although you feel like you can predict the contents of each book there is always something new or unexpected.
A great read for the younger reader - there is still to entertain and appeal to the adult (well that is how I am justifying it) its a great read from the Dragons World publisher (yes it is related to Papertiger)
But I have said this before and I will say this again any sin can be over looked (and please do not think i am implying that the layout of the book is) by the art of Robert Ingpen which for me has an etherial and almost dream like quality to it which coupled with his gentle fantasy take on each subject makes the entires fascinating and imaginative. So that even though you may think you know all there is - it feels that there is still something to be learned and you JUST have to read on.
The series of broken in to 4 books Ghouls and Monsters, Gods and Goddesses, Heroes and Heroines and Magicians and Fairies and although you feel like you can predict the contents of each book there is always something new or unexpected.
A great read for the younger reader - there is still to entertain and appeal to the adult (well that is how I am justifying it) its a great read from the Dragons World publisher (yes it is related to Papertiger)
September 29, 2018
A somewhat interesting but rather scattered and very Euro-centric collection of legends and myths and folktales, purportedly of ghouls and monsters. It turns out to be decidedly short on ghouls, but my real objection is to the chapter labeled insultingly “The Rest of the World”, in which Asian and African and Middle Eastern and Australian tales - and very few of them at that - are roughly lumped together.
The main body of the book’s stories and traditions are from Europe, and in fact, some are drawn from books. The entry on Moby Dick consists of a summary or cheat sheet of the novel, along with illustrations, really a waste of the space given. Similarly, Jekyll and Hyde, Dorian Gray, Frankenstein and Dracula all had generous entries, which I think is rather a cheat for a book supposedly devoted to traditional narratives. There are plenty of other sources where readers could read Cliff’s notes for classic novels (better to read them straight through, of course) and I was annoyed that they took up space here that could have been given over to more examples of genuine folklore and ghost narratives. It’s ridiculous that the rich traditions of curious Japanese monsters were given a scant two pages, to say nothing of the other countries and continents short-changed, given the amount of space allowed for rehashing well-known European fiction.
I would have given it two stars, if not for the illustrations, which are really first rate. Another serious deficiency is the lack of proper attribution of sources. Folklorists will not appreciate the inability to easily trace the roots of the stories retold here.
The main body of the book’s stories and traditions are from Europe, and in fact, some are drawn from books. The entry on Moby Dick consists of a summary or cheat sheet of the novel, along with illustrations, really a waste of the space given. Similarly, Jekyll and Hyde, Dorian Gray, Frankenstein and Dracula all had generous entries, which I think is rather a cheat for a book supposedly devoted to traditional narratives. There are plenty of other sources where readers could read Cliff’s notes for classic novels (better to read them straight through, of course) and I was annoyed that they took up space here that could have been given over to more examples of genuine folklore and ghost narratives. It’s ridiculous that the rich traditions of curious Japanese monsters were given a scant two pages, to say nothing of the other countries and continents short-changed, given the amount of space allowed for rehashing well-known European fiction.
I would have given it two stars, if not for the illustrations, which are really first rate. Another serious deficiency is the lack of proper attribution of sources. Folklorists will not appreciate the inability to easily trace the roots of the stories retold here.
October 5, 2012
If I had read this before reading "Encyclopedia of Things that Never Were" I would have given it more stars, I'm sure. As it is, I read the Encyclopedia first and then checked this one out after searching out more Robert Ingpen book. This is okay but brief. Not a lot of creatures and it it more of a blend of stories and encyclopedic entries and it was the presence of the stories that made me like it less.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews