As for every collection of stories, some chapters stood out for me than the others. The true beauty of this work are the illustrations!

Featuring charming illustrations and a diverse range of personalities among the MCs, each story in this collection is immersive and atmospheric, with a wealth of food, slang, insights into familial structures, and, of course, the local customs and superstitions of each spotlighted culture. I love that amongst the creatures shown, we get a range from those who are human-loving and friendly to the less welcoming variety. Those of primary to middle school age would benefit from reading the array of stories here, ranging from light-hearted to mellow because of troubles with friends, school, or family. By the end of each story, readers are inspired to maintain curiosity, hope, and appreciation for the world around them.

Thanks to Netgalley, ABRAMS Kids, and Amulet Books for providing me with the e-ARC/DRC in exchange for an honest review.

This book comprises a collection of 17 short stories for middle grade readers with each story highlighting a mythical creature/cryptid that is known in South East Asia with each story written by a different author like June CL Tan, Jesse Q. Sutanto and many more including Hanna Alkaf who also edited this book.

Each story given that it is written by a different author is unique in its own way consisting of different themes and told in the POV of the child encountering the mythical creature for the first time. Themes like grief, change, adoption, bullying, fitting in, family and hope are strongly featured in these short stories. Every chapter includes a useful history of the mythical creature feature along with some illustrations of the mythical creature providing a more visual image to young readers to follow along.

I really appreciate stories like these as a nod to South East Asia culture. Being from Malaysia, it’s always lovely to see books like these to preserve the culture, legends and myths I grew up hearing. I find the use of the local dialect wonderful with a touch of food and religion peppered throughout hinting at the unique heritage to readers. I would also hope the final edition may add a glossary of terms that may help a lot of non-local readers to grasp the unique terms we use in the book to provide a better understanding.

My favourite stories are:
The Girl in the Graveyard
The Curse of Sang Kelembai
Dance of the Unicorns
Kusu Island
The Mawas in the Airport
Melati And The Eternal Battle
Naga Fireball
Ellie Takes Flight

I enjoyed this collection as it brings me back to the roots of my heritage and the stories I grew up with and it’s definitely one not to be missed!

As an avid fan of Hanna Alkaf and the unapologetically Malaysian stories that she brings to the table, I knew I was going to fall for these short stories from the moment the anthology was announced.

One of my favorite things about this anthology is that, not only does it explore the myriad of mythical creatures from various parts of Southeast Asia, but it also includes illustrations!! They are wonderful, complete with little fun facts about each beast that really add on to the reading experience of the short story that follows. Kudos to the artist!

These short stories not only portray the way the characters interact with the beasts featured in their story, but also navigate through heavy themes such as loss and grief. Be it a parental figure or a friend, or even yourself—it's refreshing to read about these real life issues through the eyes of adolescents.

Writing in a middle grade perspective can be challenging, especially when we are adults who can barely recall what it's like to be a child. To be a pre-teenager seeing the world through a different lense. And these short stories capture that essence. It's not perfect, but I'm glad it exists.

As it is with anthologies, of course there are stories that I love and hold dearly more than others. Maybe I'm a bit biased, but as a Malaysian, it's no doubt that the stories feel closer to me than the rest. That doesn't make me love the others any less!

If I could name my top three short stories, it would be (in no particular order): The Girl in the Graveyard because it illustrates grief in stages and the twist made me tear up; The Curse of Sang Kelembai (everyone act surprised) because out of the various portrayals of grief, this one is of losing a parental figure but not to death, and the feelings of the protagonist hit a little too close to home; and Oliver Santos and the Best Birthday Yet because it's very unique to see the way the characters themselves can become the beasts. I especially liked the detail about the grandparents.

My only complaint is that I wish some of these stories were longer. And maybe it's because the characters are of a younger age group, the voice/writing style can sound a little too similar at times even though the stories are each written by different people. But this only occurred to me during a few stories. Some of these writers have quite distinct voices.

All in all, I had fun reading this anthology! I can't wait to see the final version because I'm sure the illustrations will look gorgeous. And I'm so glad to see more SEA voices and cultures in books.

Who else is going to uphold our stories and share them with the world if not us?

I was mesmerized... entranced by the many magical creatures spotlighted in this anthology. TBH, I was today years old when I learnt of so many folklores, definitely an eye-opening read and kept me going. As it's all short stories, it was an easy read to finish.

I do not have any particular favourites as each story has its own flair and carry its own tale. Most of the authors are unknown to me. I do find some of the writings and plots were not as polished. Since it is short, it was bearable and easy to finish reading it. Offhand, I would say Kusu Island, The Egg and Oliver Santos and the Best Birthday Yet were memorable to me.

Overall, if you are looking for some easy read with mythical elements, please give this book a try. I am glad to be given the chance to read and review this e-ARC, all thanks to the author and editor, Hanna Alkaf.

i received this as an e-arc!

this is the book that i'd always wanted to read. a book with different southeast asian mythical creatures and how they appear in their respective countries' stories. what i was most intrigued by was the approach that the authors of this anthology took with framing these creatures as cryptids more than folklore/myths that i grew up listening to/reading about.

as far as i know, when speaking of these mythical creatures, we think of them as folklore and some believe that they exist and some don't, most do. it's just the belief in the supernatural that pervades southeast asians i feel. so to frame these creatures as cryptids feels like something that should have been obvious to me as its equivalent but to me, SEA mythical creatures have such heavy mythology that perhaps there is a hesitance to modernize them, i may be digressing.... my point is that i think its super unique and called for to 'modernise' (or more like, to keep up with the times) this for a mostly YA/MG audience could absolutely fall in love with it. i have no doubts that esp SEA adults would love it very much too (exhibit a: ME)

i loved the profiles for each creature and the variety of stories from different authors! i'll admit that i was drawn in by erin entrada kelly and hanna alkaf but these are some short stories that particularly stood out to me!

- 'the girl in graveyard' by brandon hoang
- 'oliver santos and the best birthday yet' by mae respicio
- 'rich and strange' by greg van eekhout
- 'the mawas in the airport' by shing yin khor
- 'lexie libot gets lost in a wedding' by gail d. villanueva

what i also loved from this anthology was the love and life of SEA that's apparent in every story. some stories are mainland, some diaspora, in the end, we share our struggles of identity and trying to fit in. the usage of non-human creatures to bridge the gap of understanding between an 'outcast' and their 'otherness'? i eat that up every single time. i'm so happy that this book exists and definitely can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy of this as soon as i can...

4.5⭐

Basic Premise:
- 17 different stories of mythical creatures from Southeast Asia.
- Has themes of grief, loss, alienation, change, hope and love.

Thoughts:

This is a lovely collection of stories that's suitable for young readers. Each story showcases a different mythical creature/cryptid that's particularly known in that Southeast Asian country. There are 17 different ones, each written by a different author with different themes and styles.

It's an interesting read as every story has a deep connection with the culture of that particular nation. Southeast Asian readers might've heard stories of these mythical creatures but they're usually scary stories. This collection changes it to a light-hearted beautiful retelling of these myths in the eyes of a child encountering the cryptid for the first time.

Sometimes the stories have a sad undertone to it, with explorations of grief and change. The stories featuring Than Trung and Sang Kelembai for example. Sometimes they're fun with a comedic undertone. Examples of this would be the story with the Aswang which I thought was horror! There are also many stories with themes of alienation, of children feeling ostracized for being different, for not fitting in. All of the stories end on a hopeful note and I love that.

Stories I particularly enjoyed:
- The Girl in the Graveyard
- The Curse of Sang Kelembai
- Kusu Island
- The Mawas in the Airport
- Melati and the Eternal Battle
- Naga Fireballs
- Lexie Libot Gets Lost in a Wedding

What I thought could've been better:
- Naturally there are usage of different languages in the stories, like the one with the Orang Mawas which was especially funny. Perhaps a glossary at the end would enhance the reading experience. However, as I was given the ARC to read, I am not sure if a glossary will be added to the published edition later. (Might change the review later once I get the final copy!)

It's a lovely collection and one I'll get for my nieces/nephews to read. Highly recommended!

"Escaping Reality, Embracing Southeast Asia's Diversity"

Seventeen storytellers weave a magic portal to Southeast Asia cultures through the lens of enchanted folklore, captivating the readers’ imagination with heartfelt wisdom at its core. Featuring a team of award-winning authors, The Beast Beneath The Winds curates vibrant mythical creatures drawn from the writers’ ancestral lineage as they re-emerge into modern life. Through seventeen children’s tenacious adventures, the book uncovers the warmth and timeless wisdom that lies beneath.

Each short story has immersed me in Southeast Asian cultures through its narrative. I could relate to the nuances in the foods, scenery, and the characters’ conversations. All the authors beautifully conveyed their unique heritage to the readers. Therefore, I recommend slow-paced reading to keep the younger readers engaged with the culture and context. However, some parts of the narratives felt too rushed, yet overall, it is still cohesive and entertaining.

I also appreciate the authors’ way of shedding a strong light on emotional struggles, which are usually dismissed or buried by the older family members. It is a powerful reminder that children also need a safe space to navigate their challenges, especially their family, friendships, and school-related life. Somehow, it feels uplifting, especially when the writers encourage the children to be brave and wise, graceful yet vulnerable. It remains soul-stirring even for adults. However, I'm surprised that one of the stories mentioned LGBTQ+ issues, and it makes me wonder if it is the right place to bring such a sensitive topic for children.

I also admire the cryptids’ illustrations, one of my favorite parts of the book, for providing greater clarity to the readers. In addition to the illustrations, the writers offer a brief and concise introduction about the magical creatures, which I found very useful.

Ultimately, this book has swept me away on a mystical journey into the roots of Southeast Asia, as I carried my 12-year-old self into fearless adventures. A book that encourages young readers to embrace the unknown through the ancient stories of Southeast Asian magical creatures.

Thank you for Hanna Alkaf and the publisher Abrams Children's Book. I am sincerely appreciate the opportunity to read the e-ARC.