The Fearsome Beastie by: Giles Paley-Phillips

The Fearsome Beastie by Giles Paley-Phillips (illustrated by Gabriele Antonini) is  about a fearsome beastie who is searching for something to eat and the children are at the top of his list. Will they be fooled by the fearsome beastie and his clever tricks?


I have to admit, this book caught me by surprise a little bit. I reminded me of the Grimm’s Fairytales. As someone who has read not only our watered down versions but the originals as well I must say that The Fearsome Beastie does a lot to bring me back to my childhood days. The story begins like most with the monster lurking around in the dark. what you are not expecting is that a grandmother saves the day with a rather unexpected weapon.

While I enjoyed the book I enjoyed even more that my children were on the edge of their seats as I read it to them. They could not wait to find out what happened. That alone is the best review any book could ever receive!

Giles Paley-Phillips was born in East Sussex in 1977 and grew up on the south coast. He neglected his education to pursue a career in music. He spent a number of years performing extensively around the UK, including slots at the Glastonbury festival. In 2006 Giles released a collection of lyrics and poems in aid of Leukemia Research, a charity dear to his heart, having lost his mother to the disease when he was six. After the birth of his first son, and a chance encounter with a collection of nonsense poetry by Shel Silverstein in a charity shop, he was inspired to turn his attention to children’s writing. Giles lives in Seaford with his wife, Michelle, and their two sons, Elijah and Sonny.

Rita’s Rating: