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“It's so dreadful to be poor!” sighed Meg, looking down at her old dress.

“I don't think it's fair for some girls to have plenty of pretty things, and other girls nothing at all,” added little Amy, with an injured sniff.

The fictional universe of J.K. Rowling is filled with fantastical creatures, and no other movie takes better advantage of this than Fantastical Beasts and Where to Find Them, which opens in theaters today.

When creating her magical world, Rowling is tapping into a literary tradition that goes all the way back to the Middle Ages and the literary genre of the bestiary.

Bestiaries are books of animals, both real and fantastical, accompanied by a description and a Christian parable. Even though bestiaries peaked in popularity in the 13^th century, they continue to influence us today. Especially when it comes to fantasy fiction.

Photo taken by Quirk Books

Moana is about to hit theaters, and one of its central characters, the demigod Maui, is voiced by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Once known exclusively as a world champion pro wrestler, The Rock has since gone on to carve out quite the acting career for himself, as an action movie star, a television star, and now, a character in a Disney animated movie.

So what's next in The Rock's impressive career? Well, how about tackling some literary roles? While we haven't seen The Rock do anything quite like this before, he's been impressing us for years with his versatility, so we have no doubt he could handle it. Below are a few characters we would love to see him bring to life.

Today is the Great American Smokeout. In the United States approximately 40 million people smoke some form of tobacco product. Created in 1977, the first of these annual events was held in San Francisco. Now with the help of the American Cancer Society, this once small event has grown to a huge movement. The idea is that for twenty-four hours on the third Thursday in November, smokers attempt to challenge themselves not to use any tobacco products. With luck, these people will be able to continue on to the next day and the day after that, eventually kicking the habit. In honor of this great event, we at Quirk wanted to take a look at some literary characters who could stand a little less smoke in their lungs.

Miraz’s Castle

In Narnia, neighborhoods don’t get much trendier than Beaversdam, but this expansive abode next to the Great River, a popular place for jogging and picnicking, is timeless.

Jean Grey regarded the Xavier estate with a unconscious shiver, as the moon illuminated the mansion’s immense spires that rose out of the Westchester fog like dark swords. Was this a school? And to be her home? The bald man in the wheelchair appeared to sense her thoughts, and beckoned from the doorway. But what of the strange, misshapen creatures behind him? What of they?