Bestiary: An Illuminated Alphabet of Medieval Beasts

Hunt (Illuminations) revisits the Middle Ages in this alphabetical roundup of fearsome imaginary creatures gleaned from traditions around the globe. The always ravenous catoblepas (Ethiopia) ""would often gnaw its own forelegs in frustration"" and ""could kill with a single look""; the javelin snake (Europe) hid in trees and ""hurled itself downward like a spear"" onto passersby below; etc. Hunt casts even usually benign creatures in a shadowy light: the Black Dog of Ireland and Scotland had dreadful powers (""Those who heard its footfalls or gazed into its eyes were struck dumb with fear and soon withered away and died"") and two species of unicorns, from Persian lore, include one ""foul-tempered,"" the other ""a vicious carnivore."" Despite the title, there's little of the ""illuminated"" look to the illustrations; they're mostly dramatic pictures with numerous bared fangs and chilling, beady eyes. Of particular interest and appeal, a final spread uses Hunt's elegant decorated capitals as a striking border around an equally striking note positing theories about the roles served by mythical monsters. All ages. (Oct.)