The Beasts Beneath the Winds
Tales of Southeast Asia's Mythical Creatures
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
A sweeping and magical story collection showcasing the mythical creatures of Southeast Asia, including work by two-time Newbery medalist Erin Entrada Kelly and National Book Award finalist Shing Yin Khor
A turtle the size of an island. A cricket that can possess you if swallowed. A giant who turns enemies to stone. The legends of Southeast Asia—or “the lands below the winds,” as explorers used to call it—are populated with a whole menagerie of colorful beasts that inspire awe and fear in equal measure.
Yet, passed on as they are through story and song, so many of these stories remain rooted in some long-forgotten past and bound by the borders of the region, creatures of myth and memory and nothing more. Until now.
Welcome to The Beasts Beneath the Winds, a collection of Southeast Asia’s most elusive cryptids by a team of bestselling and award-winning authors. Within these gorgeously illustrated pages, readers will find the stories of seventeen regular kids who encounter these mythical creatures in the here and now, and—fortunately or unfortunately—live to tell the tale.
Contributors include Hanna Alkaf (The Weight of Our Sky, Queen of the Tiles), Nadia Mikail (The Cats We Meet Along The Way), Brandon Hoàng (Gloria Buenrostro Is Not My Girlfriend), Mandy Moe Pwint Tu (Monsoon Daughter), Moniza Hossain (Being Ace), V.T. Bidania (Astrid & Apollo and the Happy New Year), Emma Goddard, Dow Phumiruk (One Girl, Maya Lin), Erin Entrada Kelly (Hello Universe, We Dream of Space, The First State of Being), Gail D. Villanueva (My Fate According to Butterfly, Sugar and Spite), Greg van Eekhout (The Boy at the End of the World, COG), Jesse Q. Sutanto (Dial A for Aunties), June CL Tan (Jade Fire Gold), Mae Respicio (The House that Lou Built, Any Day With You), Shing Yin Khor (The Legend of Auntie Po), Van Hoang (Girl Giant & The Monkey King), Veeda Bybee (Courage on Ice, Lily and the Great Quake).
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this captivating collection of cryptid chronicles, Alkaf (The Visitors) brings together 17 authors—including Brandon Hoàng, Erin Entrada Kelly, and Jesse Q. Sutanto—to delve into the beings that populate Southeast Asian myth and folklore. Creatures such as the "playful and mischievous" tree-dwelling kapre from the Philippines and the aquatic merlion of Singapore feature in largely joyful, sometimes cautionary stories that showcase intersectionally diverse characters' experiences with the beasts. For some protagonists, these meetings are transformative: in Mae Respicio's emotionally charged story "Oliver Santos and the Best Birthday Yet," a 12-year-old uncovers untapped strength. For others, these encounters bring catharsis, as in Alkaf's hopeful tale "The Curse of Sang Kelebai," in which a tween navigates pain from a caregiver's abandonment. Each story is preceded by evocative grayscale illustrations by the Wibowos (Weirdo), which portray a creature, convey ambiance via facial expressions and expert use of light and shadow, and provide facts about the beast's temperament, habitat, and lore. This assemblage of brief tales makes for a fun, informative, and thoughtful introduction to creatures—and cultures—from Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, and more. Ages 8–12. Editor's agent: Katelyn Detweiler, Jill Grinberg Literary. Illustrators' agent: Britt Siess, Britt Siess Creative Management.
