Author: Andrea Aste
Artist: Andrea Aste
Forward by: John Matthews
Andrea Aste Publishing
2023
ISBN #978-1738440801
“An ocean without a monster lurking in the depths of
Its deep dark water is like a haunted house without
Creepily creaky floorboards.”
Andrea Aste
“Mind The Kraken and Other Curious Creatures” is an 81-page full-color exploration of the highly creative mind of artist/author Andrea Aste. It is a beautiful, high-quality hardcover book that delights the senses with its vivid, colorful imagery.
In his preface, John Matthews talks about adventurers who encounter strange creatures on their travels from Here to There. He speaks of shamans as shape-changers, who used this skill to better understand the world around them. He states that mythical creatures are often focused around an idea or need experienced by humanity.
The guide for our journey through this book is Aar Adesten, a fictional Elizabethan explorer who is rather eccentric. He navigates through uncharted territories in search of extraordinary mythological creatures.
Readers are taken on an odyssey that encompasses the realms of human imagination and folklore. One never knows what one will find when one unleashes their imagination! (Interesting note: This book began as a storytelling game that Aste played with his nephews.)
The mythological creatures in this book come from diverse cultures and epochs: pre-Columbian America, Classical Greece, Edo Japan, Viking sagas and much more.
The reader is drawn into a story that is part travelogue and part observations from a naturalists diary. Presented as a series of short stories, this book appeals to ages ten years and up. Magic happens when read together by parents and children, or grandparents and grandchildren.
Creatures included in this book include the very dangerous Kraken, the frightening El Coco, and the lovely, elusive Unicorn. Each creature is presented with a full-color drawing and identifying information (Size, Life Span, Habitat, and Diet.)
A really nice addition to this book is the inclusion of a very unique dictionary of Adestian English featuring words from the author’s imagination that add mystery and whimsy to the stories. Words that are listed include humongerous, menracious, sinisterachnid.
I also recommend that the reader pay attention to the author’s bio. Andrea Aste is a very accomplished individual in many areas and deserves recognition.
I recommend this book for all ages.
(c) December 2023 Bonnie Cehovet
Reproduction is prohibited without written permission from the author,
This work is not to be used in any form of AI training, or in any AI writing.
Bonnie Cehovet 