Here There Be Monsters: The Legendary Kraken and the Giant Squid

by HP Newquist

Overview

HP Newquist's fast-paced account reveals how long-ago myths about the kraken transformed into the modern study of Architeuthis dux, the giant squid.Weaving scientific discovery with historical accounts—along with the giant squid’s appearance in film and literature—Here There Be Monsters explores the mystery of this creature in fascinating detail. Readers will find that the monster remains hidden no longer, because scientists have finally seen the kraken with their own eyes . . . alive and rising up out of the sea.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780547076782
Publisher:	Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication date:	08/09/2010
Pages:	73
Product dimensions:	9.90(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	NC1170L (what's this?)
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

HP Newquist writes about all kinds of things, from human brains and giant squids to monsters and music. For this book, he traveled all the way to Australia to view a frozen giant squid and then handled Architeuthis arms at Yale University. Despite his best efforts, he has never seen a live giant squid. Or any other monster, for that matter.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"He seamlessly moves among exploration of history, mythology, film, literature and scientific discovery; the discussions of how everyone from Alfred, Lord Tennyson to Jules Verne to Walt Disney kept the myth of the ferocious kraken alive in people's imaginations are especially interesting. The book is abundantly illustrated with charts, maps and photographs."—Kirkus Reviews

"An attractive, informative book on an underrepresented topic."—Booklist

"The concise text, complemented by illustrations, photographs, and maps, smoothly segues between history and science, and could almost pass for a Scientists in the Field entry but for the cover and title, which rightfully play to the monster audience. "—The Horn Book

Editorial Reviews

"He seamlessly moves among exploration of history, mythology, film, literature and scientific discovery; the discussions of how everyone from Alfred, Lord Tennyson to Jules Verne to Walt Disney kept the myth of the ferocious kraken alive in people's imaginations are especially interesting. The book is abundantly illustrated with charts, maps and photographs."—Kirkus Reviews

"An attractive, informative book on an underrepresented topic."—Booklist

"The concise text, complemented by illustrations, photographs, and maps, smoothly segues between history and science, and could almost pass for a Scientists in the Field entry but for the cover and title, which rightfully play to the monster audience. "—The Horn Book

From the Publisher

Gr 4–6—The title of this fascinating chronicle of giant and colossal squids comes from the warnings placed by early mapmakers to alert sailors about unknown territories and dangers, and the prologue starts things off with a scary story about sighting a mysterious and terrifying sea monster. Each chapter continues the richly detailed story as humans explored and learned more about its life forms. The narrative builds suspense as scientists throughout the world gathered information from sightings and discoveries of body pieces washed up on shore. Full-color photographs, drawings, and reproductions of historical maps and posters amplify the text throughout. Size comparisons to familiar objects provide instant recognition, e.g., the eye of the colossal squid can be more than a foot wide and resemble a beach ball. The last chapters describe and illustrate the exciting recent global efforts that have led to amazing discoveries. A bibliography and detailed index add to the usefulness of this book for reports, but this title will engage general readers with its wealth of historical and scientific information about these fearsome animals.—Frances E. Millhouser, formerly at Chantilly Regional Library, Fairfax County, VA

School Library Journal

In an engaging, fast-paced text, Newquist chronicles how centuries-old myths about a sea monster known as the kraken transformed into the modern study of Architeuthis dux, the giant squid. Until the 1870s, when dozens of giant squid were sighted and more mysteriously washed up dead on coasts around the world, scientific knowledge of the creature was fragmentary, and speculations about it were based more on fiction than facts. Even now, despite enormous advances in underwater exploration technology, the creature remains shrouded in mystery. A live squid was not observed until 2004, by Japanese scientists. The author does a commendable job of packing a great deal of information into a compact narrative. He seamlessly moves among exploration of history, mythology, film, literature and scientific discovery; the discussions of how everyone from Alfred, Lord Tennyson to Jules Verne to Walt Disney kept the myth of the ferocious kraken alive in people's imaginations are especially interesting. The book is abundantly illustrated with charts, maps and photographs. (bibliography, suggestions for further reading, index) (Nonfiction. 9 & up)

Kirkus Reviews

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