The dragon, the kraken ginormous sea monster, Medusa with venomous snakes for hair, firebird which can be both a blessing and a bringer of doom, the magical woodland unicorn, the majestic griffin who fights until death to defend its nest of golden treasure, the chimera hybrid animal which is an omen for disaster, the spiky water beast with a growling tiger's head called the Shachihoko from Japan, the Minotaur and the human-eating Ushi-Oni, the monstrous wolf Fenrir from Scandinavia and the enchanting crow bird Sarimanok from the Philippines plus cyclops and more - unleash 15 incredible monsters if you dare. A Walker Book designed for children but actually with this superb paper engineering and colour pop-up spreads on every page this is more for adult collectors in our opinion.
Click YouTube icon to see this book come to life on video.

Whether trying to solve a problem or gaining insight into a situation, people can enlist the help of the Tarot. With companion booklet for this Lo Scarabeo deck in five languages - English, Spanish, French, Italian and German - the artwork is inspired by the potent philosopher Dante Alighieri and his Divine Comedy, a classic of Medieval literature. It depicts a voyage to hell, purgatory and paradise in a spiritual quest. This superb Tarot evokes the imagery of the Middle Ages in 78 colour illustrated cards without borders and 124 page booklet. Neatly boxed, 8.3 x 5.4 x 12.9cm. From a French publisher and never before discounted.

Step into a world of star-crossed lovers, magical winds, mischievous giants, and trolls, through some of the most exquisite illustrations in publishing history. In this gorgeous abridged edition, Taschen revives the most ambitious publication project of beloved Danish artist Kay Nielsen, one of the most famous children's book illustrators of all time. The 10 tales included are: East of the Sun and West of the Moon, The Blue Belt, Prince Lindworm, The Lassie and Her Godmother, The Husband Who Was to Mind the House, The Three Princesses of Witheland, The Giant With No Heart in His Body, The Widow?s Son, he Three Billy Goats Gruff and The Three Princesses in the Blue Mountain. First published in 1914, 'East of the Sun and West of the Moon' is a celebrated collection of fairy tales gathered by legendary Norwegian folklorists Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Engebretsen Moe on their journeys across Norway in the mid-19th century. Nielsen's illustration edition of Asbjørnsen and Moe's tales is considered a jewel of early 20th century children's literature, highly sought-after by art and book collectors worldwide. An original signed copy of the book sold at auction in 2008 commanded the highest price ever paid for an illustrated children's book. This finely crafted volume presents ten of the original fairytales, and restores the artistry of Nielsen's images to their original splendour. Featuring 41 enchanting illustrations, including many enlarged details from Nielsen's rare original watercolours, lovely fonts used, the decorative mono panelling on the text pages and book illustration from the era, this is so much more than a book of folk tales. The book has small details picked out and used as chapter headers and comes with three accompanying essays, illustrated with dozens of rare and previously unseen artworks by Nielsen, that explore the history of Norwegian folktales, Nielsen's life and work, and how this masterpiece came to be. New from Taschen. With ribbon bookmark, 23.5 x 30.5 cm, 168 pages.

The Myths and History of The Toltecs and Aztecs, The Four Tezcatlipoca's and The Seven Energy Centres, Dreamwork, The Aztec Calendar and Astrology Cycle, Traditional Spiritual Cleansings, The Consciousness of Minerals, Death and Its Significance to the Aztecs, The Sacred Plants of the Aztecs and The Sixth Sun are the chapter headings in this rich and complex history of Aztec spirituality. Comprising a variety of ethnic groups that lived in central Mexico from the early 1300s to early 1500s, Aztecs were the masters of dreaming. Here are The Day of the Dead celebrations, exquisite line art of dragons and birds, photographs of Toltec chacmool, reclining figures depicting fallen warriors, used to hold sacrificial offerings. We learn about Cortés and Moctezuma II in 1519 and the Spanish Conquest of the Aztec Empire, whether human sacrifice was fact or myth, balancing your sexual energy, and short exercises to integrate the energy like the lizard or Cuetzpalin Quin. 160pp, beautifully decorated in colour and with gold foil decoration on this unjacketed bronze coloured hardback. New full price.

'It is little else than an abridgement of Sir Thomas Malory's version of them as printed by Caxton - with a few additions from Geoffrey of Monmouth and other sources - and an endeavour to arrange the many tales into a more or less consecutive story.' - James Knowles in his preface to the eighth edition, published 35 years after the original in the 1890s. The Prophecies of Merlin, and the Birth of Arthur, Uther attacking the Saxons followed by his death, Merlin's advice to the Archbishop, the Miracle of the Sword and Stone, the Coronation of King Arthur, the Sword Excalibur, the Siege of York, the King Rescues Merlin, King Arthur Conquers Ireland and Norway and slays the Giant of St Michael's Mount and conquers Gaul, the Lady of the Lake, the Sullen Knight, the Marriage of King Arthur and Guinevere, the Founding of the Round Table, Enchantment of Queen Morgan le Fay, the Lombards are Defeated, the Adventures of Sir Tristram, Merlin is Bewitched by a Damsel of the Lady of the Lake, Galahad is Knighted by Sir Lancelot, the Queen is Accused of Murder, she is condemned to be burnt, and retires to a nunnery, Sir Lancelot Goes on a Pilgrimage and the collection ends with the Death of King Arthur. Romance, mystery, this masterful retelling recounts the discovery of the mysterious Merlin and his prophecies surrounding the birth of Arthur and while Arthur and his knights fight the dark magic of Queen Morgan le Fay, rescue damsels in distress and defend the kingdom against its enemies, it is the virtuous Sir Galahad who must attempt the greatest quest of all - the search for the Holy Grail, before Arthur's destiny is fulfilled. 301pp in glamourous large new full price softback.

33 short stories by Lafcadio Hearn, born 1850 in Levkás, Greece, who moved to Ireland when he was only two years old. In 1869, he emigrated to the US and his stories found appeal in national magazines like Harper's Weekly. Accepting a commission to visit Japan as a correspondent, he married a Japanese woman and became an ardent supporter of traditional Japanese practices, learning the language and adopting traditional dress and preserving the legends and stories of ancient Japan from the onslaught of modernisation and economic progress. He recorded the folklore of the local population in the form of short stories written in English and these are some of his most powerful works, bringing to life the magic and mystery of the East. This anthology includes a selection of his Japanese ghost stories including such favourites as Ingwa-Banashi, The Corpse-Rider, The Mirror Maiden, A Passional Karma, The Goblin-Spider, Of a Promise Broken, and Jikininki among them. The ghoulish beings range from spectral brides to vengeful phantoms and unruly goblins as Hearn creates a series of unforgettable tales and forgotten worlds. 191pp in new full price paperback.

Cynthia Rylant retells her favourite stories from Greek mythology, breathing fresh life into the tales of Pandora, Persephone, Orpheus, Pygmalion, Narcissus, and Psyche. The writing is lyrical and understated, a perfect tone for stories that introduce young readers to themes of love and loss, pride and forgiveness. Exploring themes of love, destruction, vanity, and redemption, these tales will introduce young readers to the exciting world of Greek mythology. Carson Ellis's elegant black and white delicate pencil illustrations and decorations lend an aura of beauty and mystery. 88 pages.

Rebecca Solnit retells 'Cinderella'. A Fairy Tale Revolution is here to remix and revive our favourite stories. 'She looked like a girl who was evening, and an evening that had become a girl...' In the kitchen, in her rags, Cinderella, longs to go to the ball. After all, there is nothing worse than not being invited to the party. Enter her fairy godmother... But that is where the familiar story ends. Cinderella's transformation turns out to be much less about ballgowns, glass slippers and carriages, and much more about finding her truest self. 'She looked down at herself and said 'I have to make breakfast in a few hours and I can't in this beautiful dress; I will spill on it; it will catch fire; it will be in the way.' Suddenly she was all alone in her old patched dress in which she could do anything, play with the dogs, climb the walnut trees, make the messiest cakes, garden where the lizards were basking in the sun.' Finally free from the kitchen cinders, who will she turn out to be? Recommended for ages 6 and up. 32 pages with gorgeous silhouette illus by Arthur Rackham.

Chapters include the Prophets of Yahweh, Bruno and the Rosicrucian Witch-hunt, John Dee, magic, Kabbala and alchemy, and questions whether Nostradamus was genuine or a fraud. The ability to see into the future and to accurately predict events has fascinated and yet frightened man for thousands of years. As far back as 4000 BC, the Sumerians consulted sages who would pronounce on important matters and advise on courses of action. In this riveting, illustrated account, the predictions of the most famous sages and seers from the dawn of civilisation are looked at in detail. One of the best known of these visionaries was Nostradamus, and indeed his prophecies, in the form of the original cantos, are analysed in this book. Discover the prophecies that predicted: The French Revolution, Pearl Harbor, 9/11 and The Iraq War. Nostradamus and Other Prophets and Seers examines the role of astrology, alchemy, and arcane knowledge in prophecy. It tries to answer that age-old question of whether there is such a thing as 'secret knowledge', and whether it is possible for mere mortals to access it. 300 page large well illustrated paperback.

As dramatised at the Young Vic to rapturous acclaim, the book is designed for Grimm readers old and new, and with a refreshing disregard for contemporary squeamishness, you will have a terrific time with these quirky, gory tales. Carol Ann Duffy's versions of Grimm include some very familiar tales - Hansel and Gretel, the Golden Goose, the Musicians of Bremen, the Fox and the Geese, the Hare and Hedgehog, Clever Hans, Snow White, Rumpelstiltskin, Ashputtel (Cinderella) and Little Red-cap - and some that will be new to many readers. There will be surprising and unexpected elements in them all as the layers of varnish that have built up over the years in the re-telling of these classic folk tales have been stripped back. Dramatic ink imagery, 190 page paperback.