Four Corners of the Sky: Creation Stories and Cosmologies from Around the World [Hardcover]

Steve Zeitlin (Author), Chris Raschka (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 11 and up

What is the universe? How did it get that way? Here are thought-provoking answers from throughout history and around the world.

"In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth." -King James Bible

"In the beginning, before men, before the Gods, all was chaos." -Greek myth

Folklorist Steve Zeitlin gives answers to the questions everyone asks about the nature of the universe: What is it? Where did it come from? Will it end? A picture of the universe is a cosmology, and every culture has its own. People build these stories from the world around them. The ancient Egyptians who saw the Nile flood yearly told stories of gods who rise, die, and are reborn. The Maori living on the wind and sea-battered island of New Zealand tell of sea, land, and sky gods in eternal combat.

Readers will discover the Iroquois who pictured the world on a turtle's back; the Southeast Asians who described the world as a flat disc held up by three elephants; even Genesis and the Big Bang theories are included. Zeitlin retells each myth, legend, folktale or theory as a story filled with wonder and imagination.

Now every child who tries to build a picture of the universe will see how he or she fits in the grand tradition of human thought and imagination.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5 Up-Zeitlin introduces 16 cosmologies from ancient cultures, including Maori, Egyptian, Greek, Hebrew, Inca, Jain, Desana Indian, Haitian, Iroquois, Fon, Chumash, and Chinese. Early Western scientific theories as well as contemporary scientific views are noted, and nearly every cultural view is accompanied by a myth about how the universe came to be. Stories with a similar theme, such as the Hindu and Norse beliefs in cycles of creation and destruction, have been grouped together. Each cosmology is accompanied by a brief introduction and a black-and-white illustration based on designs, objects, or artifacts of the culture it represents. Thorough source notes and a further reading list enhance the research value. While there is some overlap here with Virginia Hamilton's more poetic In the Beginning (Harcourt, 1988), Four Corners will be a valuable resource for storytellers, teachers, and students with a serious interest in mythology.
Ginny Gustin, Sonoma County Library System, Santa Rosa, CA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 7-12. "No culture is content just to see and describe its universe--we always want to learn where it came from and where it is going," says the author in his thoughtful introduction to this collection of world cosmologies. Grouped according to common theme ("Between Two Parents, Earth and Sky," "Cycles of Creation and Destruction," etc.), the selections represent a wide range of both ancient and modern cultures and religions: Greek, Maori, Egyptian, Norse, Hindu, Jain, Iroquois, Chinese, and Haitian, as well as an excerpt from the Book of Genesis and a highly readable introduction to the big bang theory. Zeitlin introduces each entry with cultural and historical background, written, like the myths themselves, in powerful, straightforward language that brings a concise simplicity to such broad, abstract concepts. Chris Raschka's stylish, culture-specific graphic designs enliven the text without literally translating the stories. A conclusion calling for tolerance across cultures and extensive source notes round out this intriguing volume that will find wide curricular support. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 11 and up
  
• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR); 1st edition (October 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805048162
• ISBN-13: 978-0805048162
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.7 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: #1,257,703 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I loved it, July 10, 2002

By 

sherry (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Four Corners of the Sky: Creation Stories and Cosmologies from Around the World (Hardcover)

I loved this book. I've seen so many different books on origin stories from around the world - there are dozens of them. This once is totally unique - it's about how different cultures picture the world. From the Maori, to the Egyptians, to the Desana Indians, the book explores the different visions of the universe that each culture has set forth in its myths and stories. There are even wonderful chapters on both medieval and modern science - even a chapter on Genesis. Most of the chapters are accompanied by myths and stories - all of them beautifully written. This book is perfect for a curious Middle School reader whose interest in the cosmos is just awakening - but it's great for all ages. It's one of my favorite books