Manning-Sanders, Ruth. A Book of Magic Animals. New York : Dutton, 1974.
Plot: A collection of supernatural animal stories from around the world. Some of the creatures, such as a clever monkey, small-toothed dog, golden goose, and eloquent bear, merely hide human beings under the enchanted coats of their respective animals. Other beasts are genuinely what they appear to be, such as a generous ox from Europe. A few, though, hide genuinely magical traits within their furry bodies or slimy skin. All of them participate in the destruction of evil to achieve happy endings.
Genre: Animals, Folktales
Reading Level: Grades 4-9
Similar Titles: A Book of Dragons, The Barefoot Book of Animal Tales from Around the World, Aesop's Fables
Personal Thoughts: A book tragically no longer in print. Rather than try to tempt readers with new stories or updated revisions, Manning-Sanders simply records the stories in a classical manner, which manages to capture ageless themes in a refreshing form. The title proves a book does not need to be original to be entertaining, but needs to offer a good story.
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