This book was amazing. I hadn't been expecting the format that it was laid out in, but as soon as I started reading it, I was hooked. The little asides by Abby were fun and funny, the pictures were GORGEOUS, and the bibliography at the back is a great place to start for kids who want to learn more, as well as being a subtle introduction to citing your sources.

I am eagerly waiting for the next book in the series. ( )

I really loved this book!!! It is very appealing how it is written to show you Abigail's diary and all of the interesting things she found out. It had a lot of pictures and bright colors, which really helped the book to stand out and get my attention. Overall, I loved this book and can't wait to see if there is a next book in the Mystic Phyles series! ( I'll be first in line! :D )

The story is told by Abigail, a thirteen-year-old girl who lacks popularity in school and lots of friends. Abigail's life is changed when she receives a strange letter from a mysterious "devoted friend", telling her to research and learn about mythical beasts. Abigail does, and writes all the things she learns about in her diary (the book).

Meanwhile, Abigail has to deal with bullies and popularity issues. I think that a lot of kids in middle school (I'm in 7th grade) could easily relate to the characters in the story in one way or another. Abigail's one and only friend, Charley, is becoming more and more popular, (only with the band geeks) leaving Abigail in the dust. What will she do? Read to find out! :)

The colorful pictures and witty comments on the side of the pages really brought the story to life. Abigail's sense of humor provides comic-relief, making the story and information enjoyable and a fun read. I love how the pictures drawn by Abigail look hand-drawn and not computer generated, helping the reader to believe that they were reading an actual diary.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book! I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy books and learning about mythical creatures. I also recommend this book to anyone who likes the Dragonology or Monsterology books, or anyone who likes the Harry Potter series. I recognized a few of the creatures in the Harry Potter series (phoenix, dragon, etc.) were mentioned in this book too :) . I recommend this book to anyone fourth grade and up. It isn't a hard book to read, but it is certainly interesting and an enjoyable book.

Five stars, all the way!!! :) ( )

The Mystic Phyles Beasts by Stephanie Brockway and Ralph Masiello is a wonderfully illuminated book combining short fictional journal entries with scrapbooking, illustrated reports, and other visual and literary elements. This engaging format brings the characters and story alive.

The adventure is told through the eyes of thirteen-year-old Abigail, a typical teenager whose life is filled with school bullies and insecurities. Along with her friend Charley, Abigail discovers the secrets of her house and it's inhabitants along with her heritage.

Many of the situations felt familiar from the many teen angst, school problems, mythical creatures themed books that have been popular the past few years. The scrapbook journal has also become a common format. However this familiarity isn't really a problem because young people love these types of books!

This new series will be attractive to young people who enjoy a visually-rich approach to storytelling. It's also a way to engage young people who enjoy reading about mythical creatures.

While many new books are incorporating scrapbooking elements, The Mystic Phyles is somewhat unique. Of particular interest is the combination of fictional diary entries and beast research reports. The inclusion of haiku, secret letters, and sketches also adds interest. Finally, the bright colors and glossy paper make the scrapbook seem even more real and visually attractive. For these reasons, I recommend this book for reluctant readers as well as anyone who enjoyed a great visual reading experience. ( )

This book has kid-appeal in spades, from the colorful cover to the diary/scrapbook format -- and fantastical beasts is a topic with enduring popularity. Abigail Thaddeus is an outsider at her school, not even cool enough to hang out with the band geeks and smart kids. Part of the problem is her over-protective grandfather, who keeps her sequestered in the family mansion. Even at the beginning of the book, there are hints that the grandfather is hiding a few secrets. One day, Abigail receives a note via cat from a "devoted friend," requesting that she do research about various mythical beasts. It's not immediately clear why the "devoted friend" has taken an interest in Abagail, nor how her research will be of help, but the topic fascinates her, so she proceeds to research (stealthily, since her grandfather must approve even a trip to the library or bookstore). The book ends with plenty of startling revelations and, of course, the promise of a sequel.

Adult readers may be put off by Abigail's personality quirks (an obsession with snack foods, and frequent mentions of how her left underarm produces more sweat than her right). At times, Abigail seems younger than her age -- but then again, don't all 13-year-olds? Still, the quirks are not overdone, and readers in upper elementary grades will eat this book up and clamor for more like it. ( )

This charming illustrated-journal-style book is sure to captivate the many, many budding young cryptozoologists who are pining for "true" books about mythological creatures. I am as a rule turned off by books with a non-traditional narrative structure, with cutesy little illustrations and doodles, but by page 10 I was absolutely hooked.

Abigail is an engaging young misfit, with school problems that most kids can relate to, and although she is in 8th grade, she'll definitely appeal to a younger crowd. The details about the mythical beasts is surprisingly sophisticated -- real-life sightings from historical sources like Pliny the Elder and Christopher Columbus -- along with Abigail's interpretations of what they might actually have been. I like the references to good research practice and her cited sources in the back of the book.

Like the Fablehaven series, Abigail's mysterious family is soon brought into the story, and I look forward to later books in the series fleshing out the mystery and Abigail's great destiny. ( )