Customer Reviews

Encyclopedia Mythologica: Gods and Heroes Pop-Up

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(1)
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The myths of the ancient world hold much fascination for readers of all ages. Children especially seem drawn to tales of the Olympian deities, Viking legends and Mediterranean heroes. Couple this interest with the fantastic engineered paper books by Matthew Reinhart and Robert Sabuda, and you have a book kids can truly experience. In Encyclopedia Mythologica's GODS AND HEROES, the bestselling duo teams up again for a three-dimensional exploration of the tales of the ancient world.

The book starts in Egypt, and opening to the first page releases a large pop-up of the falcon-headed god Horus, son of Isis and Osiris and the god associated with the ancient pharaohs. A smaller page on this double-page spread tells Horus's story with several moving parts (look behind that for Imhotep's pyramid). Next it's off to Greece, where the castle of Mt. Olympus springs forth as does the legendary city of Atlantis and the figures of several Greek goddesses. The section on the "Kingdoms of the Mighty North" features a fierce Viking and a glimpse of Freyja as she leads her Valkyries into battle and a lovely pop-up illustration of the mythical cosmic ash tree called Yggdrasil.

Unlike so many children's books introducing mythology, GODS AND HEROES doesn't stop at Europe and Egypt but takes readers farther east to Asia and Oceania and to the Americas as well. Spider Woman, from Native American mythology, holds a web made of silvery thread, adding an interesting new textural element to the book. Refreshingly, Reinhart and Sabuda also give female deities and figures equal attention, like the violent Polynesian volcano goddess Pele, who seems to be spewing and flowing out of the volcano in the center of the page.

The text is both exciting and easy to understand; the Norse god Odin is introduced as the "grizzled lord of wisdom and magic." We are told that in the Iroquois story of the Celestial Woman, after falling from her home in the sky, "gazing up from below, a giant turtle took pity and softened her landing, while other beasts offered protection." The writing is just as illuminating, informative and enchanting as the visuals!

While young readers may be initially drawn to the amazing Viking ship and colorful Aztec-plumed serpent Quetzalcoatl, there are even more amazing delights hidden in the book. The story of Japanese folk hero Momotaro is secreted behind another pop-up panel, and a peach opens to reveal the tiny infant. This whimsical scene is one of the best in the book, and in just a few sentences readers will be intrigued by the charming tale.

As with other marvelous Reinhart and Sabuda books, this one may be easily damaged by little hands. Special care needs to be taken in turning pages or putting scenes back into folded place. But the construction is sturdier than you might think, and even if torn and worn over time, GODS AND HEROES is an irresistible treasure and a very special look at the stories and figures of ancient and indigenous mythology.

I have collected pop-up books for over 30 years. This is the best one yet! It is a combination of imaginative and mind boggling artwork. The illustrations combined with information works to a great degree for all ages. I highly recommend this as a great gift for anyone for yourself or a loved one.
Sara F.

WOW! Matthew Reinhart has done it again! He, along with partner Robert Sabuda have, in the past, set the standard for paper engineering and artwork in their amazing repertoire of pop-up books, and this time they may well have surpassed themselves. Each spread is a lavish display of technological creativity, while at the same time imparting facts and intriguing information with the text. The little side pages which one expects to see from these artists/authors is, in this case, each a little gem unto itself. This is an amazing book. It would spoil the fun for me to describe what you will find in between its covers. Instead, I encourage you to purchase this treasure and get the enjoyment of an amazing experience for yourself. I wish I could give it twenty stars. Bravo, Matthew Reinhart! See other favorites here: Star Wars: A Pop-Up Guide to the GalaxyCinderella: A Pop-Up Fairy Tale The Jungle Book: A Pop-Up Adventure (Classic Collectible Pop-Ups)A Pop-up Book of Nursery Rhymes (Limited Edition): A Classic Collectible Pop-Up

This book is amazing! So much to see! Several different "pops" on every page. And just enough reading to give a good bit of background on the heroes and gods. Worth every single penny!

I absolutly love all the Sabuda and Reinhart pop-ups. Gods & Heroes is no exception- amazing detail, fun way to learn mythology. Many different cultures' mythology is included- Egyptian, Norse, Greek, Asian, South American & Native American. Would make a wonderful gift as well. A wonderful addition to my pop-up collection!

We gave this book to our 12-year-old grandson for Christmas. Much to our surprise and dismay when he first began looking at it, we discovered that he already knew quite a bit about the mythological gods and heroes, so our immediate thought was that he would be bored with it. But that was not the case; he was THRILLED with it! We give this book of incredible paper engineering an A++.

I bought this for Christmas for my 5 year old daughter who loves books and is very gentle with them. She is in love with it and I am loving looking at it with her. I have to say that this is the best pop up book I've ever seen. It's a true piece of art! I also enjoy the information about the gods and heroes. It's informative but is still able to hold my daughter's attention. If I'm totally honest, I bought this more for myself than for my daughter. :D

This book is awesome! It is high quality, with many pop-ups. I like that it offers an interesting educational experience. I bought it as a gift for a 10 year old, but I want to keep it for myself! I would recommend this for children that are a bit older, since the pop-ups seem like they could be damaged easily. A great find!

It's so great to have a quality pop-up book. It's just magic when I open it and see all the intricate illustrations come to life.

All pop-ups are truly amazing. Covers many different civilizations. Contains extra mini-pops. Sometimes the pages need "teased" into popping up correctly, as with most intricate pop-up books. I strongly suggest thoroughly inspecting any pop-up book before giving, as they sometimes need "teasing" (unstuck from where they should not be stuck) or re-glued (double-side tape works well too). This one arrived in great shape with only minor adjustments needed.