Eyewitness: Mythology ANNOTATION
Surveys the treatment of gods, goddesses, the heavens, creation, death, and evil as expressed in various mythologies around the world.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Here is an intriguing and captivating introduction to the culturally diverse world of mythology. Photographs of masks, jewelry, and sculptures offer a unique view of mythology and its gods, heroes, and monsters.
FROM THE CRITICS
Children's Literature - Marilyn Courtot
In this "Eyewitness" book, readers are taken on a world wide tour of mythology. Starting with the creation of the world, there are snippets from Native American, Hindu, Greek and Viking myths, as well as contemporary scientist's big bang theory. Readers can then delve into a variety of excerpts from stories telling about the creation of men and women. The natural world and the forces of nature have lent themselves to explanations through the antics of god and goddesses and also to superheros some of whom are children of the gods or a least favored by them. There is plenty more, and it is all illustrated with painting drawings and reproductions of artifacts. While a useful visual reference, this book will probably work best when paired with other books that retell the myths or those that offer a more comprehensive survey of world religions.
School Library Journal
Gr 4 Up-Covering creation, the cosmos, the sun and moon, supreme beings, floods, the natural world, fertility and birth, ancestor worship, forces of evil, divine weapons, war, spirits, love and happiness, tricksters, idols, mythical beasts, death, and the end of the world, this book leaves few stones unturned. Collected from museums worldwide, lavish photos of figurines, paintings, mosaics, masks, textiles, and other treasures display a veritable gallery of culture within these pages. Philip points out similarities of world myths and provides quite a bit of introductory information, though the sound-bite presentation that makes this series so popular cannot go into the detail that the subject deserves. There is no sense that any of the practices, such as shamanism, still exist, and the overall tone of the book is rather patriarchal. Report writers may glean a few facts, but will have to look further for more information or for the actual stories mentioned. The wealth of illustration far outweighs the literary value, but as a browsing tool, this is bound to be used.-Angela J. Reynolds, West Slope Community Library, Portland, OR Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.
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