Cry of the Benu Bird: An Egyptian Creation Story [Hardcover]

C. Shana Greger (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up

A vibrant retelling of the ancient Egyptian story of the early days of men and gods on Earth.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-5?The glowing Benu Bird arises from the timeless waters of the Nun, a "sleeping ocean...surrounded by Chaos," starting time and chasing away darkness. Another being, Atum, emerges, and from his breath two children are born: Shu, "life," and Tefnut, "order." Land is created, mountains rise up, rivers and lakes form, and Shu and Tefnut give birth to Geb, the Earth, and Nut, the sky. Geb and Nut's first child is the sun, Re, followed by the moon, stars, and planets. On one of the mountains, Atum and his offspring build the city of Heliopolis, and he makes many gods and goddesses to thwart Chaos. From his tears, he creates humans to take care of these gods and animals and plants by calling out their names. In time, he meets with the son of the Benu Bird, bringing the story full circle and emphasizing the bird's importance as an eternal protector of the light. Greger has provided an excellent source note and includes information about pronunciation of names. Her beautifully luminous watercolors make use of aspects of ancient Egyptian temple art without appearing stiff. The vibrant pages depict abstract concepts successfully through stylized design and recurring graphic elements, such as waves of water or light rays. An entertaining addition to the much-loved topic of ancient Egyptian mythology.?Jennifer Fleming, Boston Public Library
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 4^-6. In the darkness of Chaos, the sleeping ocean Nun awakes. A glowing bird bursts from Nun's waters, and Chaos flees. Nun names the bird Benu, "which means Brilliant Rising." In a series of complex, framed watercolors, Greger then depicts the birth of the boy Atum, his legacy, and his relationship to the strange, glowing bird that fights back the darkness. Drawing on a variety of sources, including the basic Egyptian Heliopolitan creation myth, Greger has shaped a cohesive and powerful telling. Her paintings, heavy with golds and blues, have the texture of metalwork, their strong curves and stylized geometric figures lending uncanny reality to the Egyptian divinities depicted. Janice del Negro

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin; First Edition edition (March 3, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395735734
• ISBN-13: 978-0395735732
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 9.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,374,535 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #44 in Books > Children's Books > Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths > African

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful!, December 10, 2009

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Eris (Florida) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Cry of the Benu Bird: An Egyptian Creation Story (Hardcover)

The artwork in this book is amazing. I find myself staring at the pictures, and my 10 year old loves it! Great visual aide to learning alternative creation myths.