In honour of the release of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them I’ve put together a little list of some fantastic beasts… and where to find them!
If there’s one thing I love in this world of books, it’s Harry Potter and all things JK Rowling. When the Fantastic Beasts book came out in 2001, it just blew my mind that there could be companion books to such amazing stories. I poured over Fantastic Beasts and studied its pages for ages. I loved that book and all the ones that came after.
And so to celebrate part of my childhood appearing on the big screen, below you’ll find picture books featuring gryphons, dragons, trolls, and one very adorable narwhal.
(This post contains affiliate links. That means if you snag one of these books for yourself, I get a few pennies to help support the running of this blog! Yay!)
And so without further ado, I present you with the creatures:
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Obviously I had to start out with this classic. Max starts as a beast himself, then adventures through his imagination to a land full of fantastic animals.
Nobody Likes a Goblin by Ben Hatke
One of my favourite books of the year. A goblin, minding his own business, suddenly has his house trashed and his best friend stolen by a bunch of marauders (not these ones). Find an adorable reversal of roles in this nerd-approved dungeon raid.
Read my full review
Find it here: Canada USA
If I Had a Gryphon by Vikki VanSickle
A girl with a fantastic imagination is underwhelmed with her pet hamster. If only she had a gryphon… This book is a gorgeous adventure through “what if?” and is one of my daughter’s top picks. The pictures are stellar and each creature is full of character. This one is chock-full of fantastic beasts!
The Monster at the End of This Book by Jon Stone
This was one of my FAVOURITE books when I was a kid. I made my long-suffering mother read this to me a bazillion times a day. This was actually the first book I wore out. I still have my tattered copy sitting in a place of honour on my shelf, and I got a board book version for my kids to love to pieces as well.
Bera the One-Headed Troll by Eric Orchard
This graphic novel tells the tale of a hapless pumpkin farming troll who happens to find herself the guardian of a little human baby. She embarks on a beautiful journey across the land to bring the child to safety, and out of the clutches of an evil witch. Hauntingly beautiful illustrations.
Read my full review
Find it here: Canada USA
Monster and Son by David LaRochelle
Darling father and son duos battle their way through cities, terrorize civilians and horrify swimmers. It’s hilarious. It’s gorgeously illustrated. It’s heart-warming destruction at its finest.
Read my full review
Find it here: Canada USA
Mamasaurus by Stephan Lomp
An adorably bold story of a wee little Babysaurus on a quest to find his mommy. The best part of this book is undoubtedly the amazing illustrations. Black backgrounds are so unusual in children’s books, and that helps this one stand out among the crowd!
Read my full review
Find it here: Canada USA
Good Families Don’t by Robert Munsch
This book is about a giant, huge, terrifying, horrible Fart. It slowly attacks Carmen’s family (who don’t believe her) and finally it’s up to Carmen to rid her house of the miserable stank. Best line from the book: “Good Canadians do not have farts, what would the Americans say?”
The Storybook Knight by Helen Docherty
A brave bookworm of a mouse reluctantly takes on a quest to rid a town of a pesky dragon. Armed with a new blade and a satchel full of books, our intrepid hero sets off on his journey. Will he slay the dragon? Or is the pen really mightier than the sword?
Read my full review
Find it here: Canada USA
The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson
One of the most fun books to read in our entire collection. The pacing is perfect, the text rolls off the tongue, and it lends itself perfectly to reading with different voices for the characters. Add in a hilariously clever protagonist and several villains and you’ve got yourself the perfect tale.
Read my full review
Find it here: Canada USA
Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea by Ben Clanton
This book certainly stars the most fantastic beast of all – the narwhal! Narwhals seem to have sprung straight from the pages of a fairy tale and into reality, and we love them for it. In this book Narwhal meets a new friend, Jellyfish. Reminiscent of Elephant and Piggie, but for a slightly older audience, this book is always at the top of our reread list.
Bonus Book: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander
Okay how could I not?
There you have it folks! One bonafide eclectic menagerie of fantastic beasts!
What books would you add to the list?
Quillable 
November 15, 2016 at 7:46 am
I love this list! So many great choices. I am so excited for the movie to come out! It’s going to be incredible.
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November 15, 2016 at 7:52 am
Thanks so much! I’M SO EXCITED TOO!!!!
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November 15, 2016 at 9:24 am
What a great idea! Seriously ❤ What age group would you put Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea in? My son is 11, but utterly obsessed with Narwhals and we have a hard time finding books. He did a report and it was like pulling teeth to get info 😦 It sounds like this is a more of a story, but still wondering if appropriate for him or maybe a younger audience.
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November 15, 2016 at 9:39 am
Thanks so much! It was fun to put together 😁
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November 18, 2016 at 8:29 am
Okay weird it showed me a different comment from you when I replied… That’s why I didn’t answer your question, haha 🙈
There is a fact page in it but it’s definitely a story. It’s for younger than 11 but if he’s obsessed with narwhals then you should definitely check it out! It’s a cute read!
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November 18, 2016 at 11:35 am
Okay, he doesn’t like fiction so maybe not the best choice for him if the facts are limited to one page. Still, so cute!
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November 20, 2016 at 11:41 am
Great! What program do you use to make those cool collages?
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November 22, 2016 at 7:48 pm
Canva!! I love it!
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November 22, 2016 at 8:59 pm
I’m trying to use Canva but I am not doing well at it! I think you have to be creative to begin with. Like, do you start with a specific template, or do you know what size to make the pic in advance? I never know which template to choose for blogging pics!
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