December 1, 2011
Gr 5-7-Despite the strange choice of anime and high-fantasy-style cover art, these books offer solid introductions to the stories, cultures, and gods and goddesses of four regions. Ollhoff writes in a clear and engaging fashion, presenting complex issues in a way that will be easy for youngsters to grasp. He is sensitive to the continuing impact of the stories on modern cultures, in the case of Japan, India, and Mexico and Central America, never presenting the legends as exclusively relics of the past. Middle Eastern Mythology, on the other hand, covers a wide range of Mesopotamian and Canaanite legends and stories that are presented as tales from long ago; there is only one mention of the Hebrews as a tribe, and any additional information about Jewish legend and culture is presumably left for another entry in the series. The photographs and reproductions of art tie directly into the texts; the short biographies of various gods in each book will be helpful to beginners. Strong additions.-Alana Joli Abbott, formerly at James Blackstone Memorial Library, Branford, CT
Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
February 1, 2012
Grades 4-7 For kids who have graduated from the Greeks and Romans and are looking to delve into the lore of other cultures, the books in the World of Mythology series will be tempting. Rather than retelling particular legends, the books focus on presenting a who's who for each pantheon and forming a basic foundation of how mythology played a role in each culture's history. Mayan and Aztec Mythology splits the book down the middle for the two Central American cultures but manages to dispel the conspiracy theory that the Mayans thought the world would end in 2012 (they didn't) and introduce a few impressively unpronounceable Aztec gods (just try wrapping your tongue around Chalchiuhtlicue). The wicked-looking dragons and superheroic figures that grace the covers are a good deal more exciting than any of the illustrations inside, but the assortment of photos and reproduced artwork effectively add a dash of pizzazz. Useful for both personal and assignment reading.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)
January 1, 2012
This series provides a glimpse at mythologies of ancient cultures from around the world. After a short introduction to the specific civilization, various gods and heroes are presented. Each deity is given a short section, so only the most cursory treatment is provided. Reproductions of ancient artwork as well as modern illustrations provide colorful portraits of the featured gods. Glos., ind.
(Copyright 2012 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)