Canadamon
Publisher: J. J. McCullough
Published: 2021
Language: eng
Description: Canadamon are 151 original made-up creatures inspired by the culture of my home country of Canada. Each one embodies something specific and iconic about the country, ranging from food and wildlife to history and pop culture.

There's nothing I love better than cracking the "cultural code" of a foreign land — learning all about their private customs, patriotic touchstones, obscure in-jokes, and beloved artifacts of daily life. When you really get in deep, learning about a foreign culture can feel like gaining access into an exciting parallel universe, where everything is just a little bit different.

Learning about fictional worlds is no less fun, and I've always been equally captivated by video games, movies, and cartoons that portray a rich universe full of distinctive imaginary creatures and characters. I loved the "monster collecting" video game craze of the 1990s, as well as collectable cards and toys that were similarly based around vast worlds populated by dozens of weird and wild characters.

I wanted to come up with a creative project that would allow me to combine these two joys — the intellectual stimulation of cultural learning with the fun of a fictional world packed with made-up characters. 

I hope you enjoy the book as much as I enjoyed creating it.

J.J.