Welcome young readers to this codex of monsters that you should know before you venture out into the world. These are creatures from myth, legend, and popular culture, they exist, and you should be prepared to encounter them. Each monster's description details strengths, weaknesses, cultural background, tips and tricks for spotting and eluding the monsters, and often a suggestion for further reading. The illustrations helpfully show how horrible and frightening the creature would be should you bump into one, and the map indicates where in the world monsters and creatures from mythology and folklore might be found should you decide to go looking for them.