Illustrated Book of Myths [Hardcover]

Neil Philip (Author, Compiler), Nilesh Mistry (Illustrator)

Book Description

Grade Level: P and up

"Uses classical cultural categories -- creation, destruction, fertility. and the gods' relationships with humans and animals -- to draw connections between the diverse traditions of five continents. A rich, handsome resource". -- Booklist

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Every culture in history has had its own myths to help explain the world through the power of story. This engaging book offers a delightful, sweeping view of world mythology--not just the famous stories of the Greeks and Romans, but also the stories of Native Americans and legends from South America, Africa, Scandinavia, Asia, and Australia. Young readers will learn about Zeus and Pandora from Greece, King Arthur from England, Maui-of-a-Thousand-Tricks from Polynesia, the Rainbow Serpent from West Africa, and dozens of other colorful, larger-than-life characters from around the world.

Myth-master Neil Philip has taken a thematic approach, organizing the legends around themes such as creation myths, fertility and cultivation, gods and animals, and visions of the end. Within each theme, eight to twelve myths from different cultures are retold, enhanced by abundant full-color illustrations and photographs of related sites or artifacts. At the side of each page are further explanations of characters or situations in the stories. The appendix includes a section called "Who's Who in Mythology," with the pronunciation for each name and charts of both the Greek and Norse Pantheons. Philip's retellings are clear and powerful, retaining the flavor and message of each story. This fascinating book of myths belongs on every young scholar's bookshelf. (Ages 9 to 13)

From Publishers Weekly

Philip has sifted through myths from numerous cultures-Inuit, Aborigine, Native American, Greek, Norse, African and Celtic, among others-skillfully winnowing them down to a representative selection arranged around such topics as "Fertility and Cultivation," "Creation" and "Visions of the End." Thoroughly researched, diverse and richly retold, it's a first-rate collection, showcased with DK's signature design style, featuring an attractive blend of photographs and full-color illustrations. A "Who's Who in Mythology" and an index make this a one-stop volume for those desiring an overview of world mythology. Ages 8-up.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: DK CHILDREN (September 9, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789402025
• ISBN-13: 978-0789402028
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #156,605 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful cultural experience!, December 9, 1999

By 

Tracy (Indianapolis, IN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Illustrated Book of Myths (Hardcover)

This book suited my purposes perfectly! It was bought with the intent to introduce the myths and legends of other cultures to my young son. The stories are not terribly long, an average of 1-4 pages in length. A great book for children and adults alike!

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magical Myths, December 29, 2001

By 

Rebecca Johnson "The Rebecca Review" (Washington State) - See all my reviews
(COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Illustrated Book of Myths (Hardcover)

When Neil Philip and Nilesh Mistry work on a project together, something almost magical happens. I am completely in love with every book either of these highly talented souls have worked on.

Myths, these narratives, involving supernatural or fantasy people, embody admired ideas on expected or social phenomena. In this selection, we are given glimpses into the culture from which the myth originated.

Background information, color photographs, geographical context and the illustrations by Nilesh Mistry make this a compelling read. The most popular myths from all over the world are included and are retold by Neil Philip who is an authority on mythology and folklore. The stories are grouped together so you can see not only the variations in the same type of story, but also see the similarities between cultures.

The myths are divided up into: Creation Myths, Beginnings, Fertility and Cultivation, Gods and People, Gods and Animals, Visions of The End and a special section about who is who in mythology called: Gods and Pantheons.

The myths are: Egyptian, Serbian, Norse, Chinese, Japanese, Australian, Iranian, Native American, Siberian, Sumerian, Indonesia, Sumerian, Finnish, Greek, Norse, Polynesian, West African, East African, Celtic, Hittite, Indian, Anglo-Saxon, Welsh, Haitian, Roman, Aztec, Irish, Inuit.

While the Greek story of Midas and the Golden touch is very familiar, the Japanese story of Benten and the Serpent King was completely new to me. More familiar tales include: Gilgamesh, The Great Flood, The Tree of Life, The Sword in the Stone, The Holy Grail, Beowulf and The Fall of Icarus.

You will enjoy reading the retellings that evoke a feeling of the original tales, and seeing the amazing full-color illustrations and color photographs that breathe new life into these delightful stories.

A Celebration of our Infinite Imaginations.

~The Rebecca Review

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Stories and Great Research, September 5, 2001

By 

Dr. Martha D. Bone - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Illustrated Book of Myths (Hardcover)

The Illustrated Book of Myths is full of wonderful stories from all over the world. I give this book as a baby gift. It is great to read to small children and the stories will reappear for the children as they grow. Characters and stories from myths occur in much poetry, drama, essays, and fiction. This is also a good book to "look stuff up in" as one of my children says. The information is readily available and easy to find. And the illustrations are just fabulous.