Großes Bilderbuch der Fabeltiere

by Eric Carle

An illustrated collection of poems about dragons and other fantastic creatures by a variety of authors.

Genres: Poetry, Picture Books, Childrens, Dragons, Fantasy, Mythology, Fiction

69 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

Eric Carle was an American author, designer and illustrator of children's books. His picture book The Very Hungry Caterpillar, first published in 1969, has been translated into more than 66 languages and sold more than 50 million copies. Carle's career as an illustrator and children's book author accelerated after he collaborated on Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?. Carle illustrated more than 70 books, most of which he also wrote, and more than 145 million copies of his books have been sold around the world.
In 2003, the American Library Association awarded Carle the biennial Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal (now called the Children's Literature Legacy Award), a prize for writers or illustrators of children's books published in the U.S. who have made lasting contributions to the field. Carle was also a U.S. nominee for the biennial, international Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2010.

Reviews

[Ro · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned a lot about mythical creatures In this book.
2024: very good!

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

A treasury to savor. Some of the poems are light verse, but some are Shakespeare & the Bible, too. Also one of my favorite authors, Eleanor Farjeon has a poem included that I don't recall seeing before, Pegasus.

Very diverse cultures are included; this is truly an 'around the world' collection (unlike the ones I grew up with 50 years ago). Glossary, indices, and bibliography included. Hardcover is oversize, but Carle's art makes it worthy. Highly recommended to families looking to learn more about different cultures' mythologies.

Btw, I think Carle's art style makes the creatures look so fantastical that they won't give anyone nightmares, but if they do, read the very last verse, by Shakespeare, "If we shadows have offended...."

I will look for more compilations by Whipple; I opine that she did a good job selection the best poems (or short excerpts from prose) to be able to include the greatest variety of creatures.

[Dianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This reminded me a lot of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. It's a compilation of short poems about mythical creatures, and each creature is illustrated by Eric Carle. Here is more detail in these illustrations than in most of his work and they were fun to look at. Some of the poems were very good as well, and this would be a great primer on mythical creatures.

[Rif · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this one in a small library called Pustakalana few days ago when I went to Bandung.

This is actually quite interesting. It kinda introduces a lot of magical creatures to children, with illustration of course. The descriptions itself were made from poetry/song (I'm not really sure, but some names written there after the description).

Though, I don't really like the illustration. It's good, but not my favorite. Still, it's cute and interesting. I'm more concerned to the sub-title: & other creatures that never were. Wouldn't it ruin children's imagination? So, the dragons and creatures inside never were? Never existed? Moreover, Pan is included as 'creatures'. Grover would be mad :'(

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book with some great Eric Carle illustrations I had not seen before, as well as some excellent poems. I had picked it up at the library for my 2+ year-old daughter (also an Eric Carle fan), but in hindsight, this may be better suited for slightly older children. Many of the poems are of more complex structures (not just your standard simple rhythm and meter), and the mythical creatures range from the wonderous to the slightly disturbing. It may be necessary to read the whole book over multiple sittings, but that should be fine since each poem is more or less a standalone piece.

The glossary in the back is handy for reference but definitely did not hold my daughter's attention. The pronunciation guide in the glossary was quite helpful, and I wish I had known it was there before I had butchered the names of some of the mythical creatures I was familiar with. I also learned a thing or two, like I had no idea that the Basilisk and the Cockatrice were the same creatures, and I was not familiar with Amphisbaena (nor the tidbit that it apparently made an appearance in colonial Massachusetts). Its also a nice touch that the creatures are not exclusively "Western", including a sprinkling of Asian, African, and Native American ones (plus at least on Australian creature, the Bunyip).

Will read again.

[Chloe DeRocker · Rating 4 out of 5]

1. Awards the book has received: none

2. Appropriate grade levels: 1st and 2nd Grade

3. Original Summary: "Eric Carle's Dragons Dragons" compiles poems about mythical creatures from a variety of traditions and cultures. Each poem includes an illustration in the classic styling of Eric Carle. The book includes a glossary which includes a brief history of each creature included.

4. Original Review: "Eric Carle's Dragons Dragons" is a beautiful work of history and imagination. I really enjoyed the illustrations that accompanied each poem and the language was easy enough for 1st and 2nd graders to follow along as a teacher read. The addition of the glossary in the back of the book is quite helpful in learning more about the creatures listed.

5. In class I can imagine this book being used for small history lessons on different cultures and traditions. Each poem features a different mythical creature with a brief history in the glossary. I can picture a class doing a bigger study on one of the mythical creatures or the culture that first created it using this book as a stepping-stone.

This book could also be used for poetry journals. The poems are fun and age-appropriate so I can imagine students loving writing these poems down in their journals and being able to illustrate them themselves.

[Samantha Caixeiro · Rating 4 out of 5]

1. Awards the book has received (if any): None

2. Appropriate grade level(s): 3-5

3. Original 3-line summary: This book contains many poems, each about a different magical creature or dragon. There is a corresponding illustration for each poem, making the book more fun and intriguing. The details describing the features of each mythological creature help the reader to really imagine each one vividly.

4. Original 3-line review: Each of the poems in this book bring your mind on a new adventure, imagining more fun creatures. The illustrations are also so detailed and bring these creatures to life. Especially for a child, I think this book of poems would be a really great book to read and discuss with friends.

5. 2-3 possible in-class uses: This book should definitely be available in a classroom library as an option for independent reading. If the book were to be read aloud, or maybe just a select few poems, a fun activity to do after would be to go back to their tables and draw up their own original creature. They can use some examples in the book as inspiration. Another activity could be to just hand out the poem, and have the students draw what the words are describing, and then compare it to Eric Carle's illustration. This would emphasize the importance of details when you are writing, so the reader can vividly imagine what is being discussed.

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whipple, Laura, and Eric Carle. Eric Carle's Dragons Dragons & Other Creatures That Never Were. Puffin Books, 2004.
Eric Carle’s Dragons Dragons is an anthology of folklore and mythology, intended for elementary readers. The stories include tales of basilisks, cocatrices, a white buffalo woman, a phoenix, griffin, and more. This book is not only about folklore and mythology, but every story is a poem. I rate this book a 5 out of 5 creatures, for its innovative approach to storytelling. Historically many poems were stories as well, and Carle reminds us of that, and adjusts the stories for children. Paired with the writing are Carle's recognizable illustrations, utilizing bright colors and patches of paint, along with cut paper collage. This anthology is such a fantastic way to introduce students to mythical creatures and poetry, and opens us the possibility to use the illustrative techniques in the book to make their own creatures. Cut paper is a great way to let young artists build compositions, because it requires little skill with a crayon or pencil. As an instructor, I would use this book to discuss the ways that poetry and cut paper can mimic each other, with visual and literary elements, such as repetition and rhythm. This book is available in print and read along videos online.

[Samantha Ledesma · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I picked up a book by Eric Carle that I had never heard of before, I did not expect to be introduced to so many amazing poets. This story is a collection of poetry, each one focused on a different mythical creature and paired with an illustration by Eric Carle. I've always loved his art even as a young child. I appreciate how creative and unique it is while still remaining stylistically simple, relying on color and opacity for all of its depth and complexity. Something about that always gets my neurons firing.

As for the poetry, I never knew what to expect next and I enjoyed every single one. Some I had read before, such as the Leviathan poem pulled from the Book of Job or the one about Mermaids by Marchette Chute. Others were new to me, which I enjoyed very much. My favorites had to be the one about the Amphisbaena by Myra Cohn Livingston and the Phoenix one by Paul Fleishman that was written for two voices. I was also pleasantly surprised to discover creatures I had never heard of before, like the White Buffalo Woman and Okolo the Leopard Warrior.

One thing I did find uncomfortable was the use of actual Hindu and Lenape religion as "mythical creatures," which I felt was very disrespectful to those faiths.

[Cameron Becnel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dragons, Dragons is a Children’s Poetry book written and illustrated by Eric Carle. The book showcases illustrations of mythical creatures such as dragons, phoenixes, and unicorns. The book also features diversity as each poem includes a creature along with brief information about their origins and culture. Learning about each creature from the poems gives a sense of exploration and imagination by using illustrations. The illustrations are simplistic, but they can be appealing to look thanks to the use of colors. I feel like these poems and illustrations are a great way to make a child spark up their imagination and create their creature by drawing and describing it. Children ages 6-9 from grades 1-4 would enjoy this book with its poetry, illustrations, and knowledge from other cultures.

[Jillian · Rating 2 out of 5]

This collection introduces young readers to a variety of mythological creatures from different traditions: dragons, centaurs, hippogriffs, phoenixes, etc. It is illustrated by Eric Carle and consists of poems from a variety of famous poets such as Rainer Maria Rilke and Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Because the poems are older and therefore occasionally more to understand without context, this book could be difficult for younger readers. What is truly remarkable about this collection is Carle’s beautiful illustrations. There is also a helpful index at the back to show children how to pronounce the name of each creature and give a little background on it. This collection is intended for ages 5 and older.

[Karen Mariot · Rating 5 out of 5]

1. This is a great collection of poems with illustrations by Eric Carle. The short poems are all about mythical creatures and beasts, such as a mermaid, a Yeti, a centaur and many others. The illustrations are very vibrant and captures the reader’s attention.
2. I really enjoyed readings these poems by many different poets, they describe and depict these amazing creatures that come to life in the illustrations.
3. I would pair this collection of poems with “Henry and The Yeti” by Russell Ayto.
4. These poems and illustrations would be a great way to use in a writing activity and have students create a creature of their own and describe them.

[Patsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had never heard of this book by Eric Carle before. I just got it from the library, and it is interesting. I love all of his artwork. There is a poem written for each creature he illustrated. Each one is written by a different person. The Leviathan, however, has a quote from the book of Job.

My favorites are the Chinese Dragon which is a huge fold out consisting of four pages. Following this one is the poem "Gahesha, Ganesh" by Myra Cohn Livingston. The illustration for this is fantastic.

The last dragon illustration accompanies the poem "Dragon" by Karla Kuskin which is really fun and written to the child reader.

This is a fun read.

[Grace Coy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book would be perfect for a poetry unit. It is an illustrated collection of poems about dragons and other mythological characters. As teachers, we need to make poetry enjoyable for our students, and reading this book to them would do that! I could incorporate this book in my classroom by assigning each student one of the creatures in the story. Then, they could do more research about it and write another poem about the creature using the same style as the poem about it in the story. Then, they could share it with their classmates.

[Ilana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought this at the Eric Carle Museum in Amherst, MA, last year. Wasn't familiar with it, but was drawn to it, because dragons! As always, Eric Carle's illustrations are brilliant, and there is so much more detail and depth to them than initially meets the eye. A couple of these mythological/fantastical creatures were new to me. Too bad it didn't include jackalopes though.

But seriously, even without a kid, if you're ever in central Mass post-pandemic, you should totally go to the museum.

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A picture book bestiary, illustrated by Eric Carle. I really liked the world representation of different mythological creatures - I mean, it's not just European only. Lots of different poems and quotes about the different creatures, making for a fun collection. I also appreciated the reference pages at the end, with a little of the origins of each of the creatures. Not a picture book for a story time, but one that is still a fun introduction to worldwide fantasy creatures.

[Wynee Igel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not that another review of this book is necessary, but I hadn't read it or was that familiar with it. I picked it up at a book drive and didn't expect much. I was surprised at the breadth of creatures covered and the poetry/snippets from the original works describing the creatures. Eric Carle's illustrations were bright, colorful, and fanciful as ever.

[Suzanne Lorraine Kunz Williams · Rating 1 out of 5]

I loved this book and I hate to give it such a low rating and put it on the not recommended shelf, it was great at helping people understand different mythical creatures. But I was disappointed in the level of modesty. Please redo the book and this time put some clothing on the top of the mermaid and the female centaur and any other immodest females in the book.

[Gabe Duhon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Celebrate mythology and legends from around the world. As a kid loving mythology, the thought of mythological creatures and a fantasy world would excite me so much. He shows that all the creatures and a story of their origins in a children's way. Also says the noises the animals make which is very creative.

[Eujean2 · Rating 3 out of 5]

The art is fabulous, especially the center fold!
The poems fell flat for me. I really wanted to know the origins of the creatures while I was looking at the pictures. The listings in the back felt so removed from the art. And some of the nuance to the poems were lost because I didn't know about the creatures.

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

It would have been enough for me to just be the magical creatures created by Eric Carle who is a genius illustrator, but combine it with a variety of poetry and verse and I love to read this book to the children. The illustrations are ones I have never seen before from Eric Carle. I really love it.

[Briana Schanke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poetry

3rd-5th grade

I enjoyed how this book is mystical and majestic. I liked how some of the stories come from around the world and share different aspects of other cultures. Many of the pages were colorful and eye-catching with the illustrations.

[Panda Incognito · Rating 4 out of 5]

This treasury features Eric Carle's illustrations of mythological creatures and selected poetry about each one. There is a glossary in the back that shares more about each creature and its culture(s) of origin.

[Ethan Westerfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful and nostalgic collection of poems that feature a variety of mythical creatures. The highlight is of course the illustrations, done by Eric Carle. I think my favorite of the illustrations is the one for the Chinese Dragon and the Manticore. Favorite poems are Sphinx and the Bunyip.

[Kenji DeVries · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think it’s a good book to talk about fictional animals. The illustrations are amazing and really showcase what these fictional creatures have. It is not something that truly captivates my interest, but I think it will for younger readers!

[Elizabeth Mayberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eric Carle illustrations, mythical creatures, and poetry! What is not to like?!? This book is a really fun poetry anthology and is also super informational! I picked this up at the library, but it is one to own.


(Feb 2026)

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mythological beasts with Eric Carle’s very-hungry-caterpillar art? Yes! This was a gorgeous book. With short little poems about each beast by different authors - with at least one going back to BCE.

[Elisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

ok here we have it the best combo for a kids story Eric Carle and Dragons I love it.

[Cara · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting book by Eric Carle but not one of my favorites.

[Amy Ballard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exquisite poetry by various authors paired with exquisite art by Eric Carle. My kids loved it and so did I!