Island of the Minotaur: Greek Myths of Ancient Crete [Hardcover]

Sheldon Oberman (Author), Blair Drawson (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

This book weaves together the famous and forgotten myths of the mysterious Minoans of Crete. Their island empire was obliterated by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions but their clever puzzles and riddling tales were rescued by the Greeks and became an essential part of Greek mythology.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-8–Crete offers an effective site to stage the Greek myths, although a few figures assume unusual importance here. An informative introduction connects the myths with the political struggles between Minoans and Greeks, and a few details about Cretan history and ritual are worked into the stories. In 13 tales, Oberman covers the high spots, whether indirectly (creation, Jason and Medea) or as a main event: Cronos, Zeus, Europa, Minos, Theseus, Daedalus, and Icarus. Chapters are linked for narrative impetus, but background is repeated when necessary so that each tale is self-contained. The author adds fairy-tale touches and soft-pedals the brutality. There are some omissions (Persephone, Psyche, Atalanta, Artemis, Orpheus, and Eurydice are among the missing). The myths end with the destruction of Thera (Atlantis), followed by an account of Arthur Evans's discovery of Knossos. The glossary is good, but gives no pronunciation help. Colorful illustrations punctuate the large pages of text, but are not in the mode of the narrative. The nonhuman figures are modern and gripping, with a Picasso-esque bull and a mazelike background to the Minotaur, for instance. Human figures are cartoonishly distorted, with little effort to use Minoan motifs, dress, artifacts, etc. While the author takes the stories seriously, the illustrator somewhat undercuts them. Nevertheless, the discordant pages are relatively few. This volume should compete successfully with the many myth retellings available.–Patricia D. Lothrop, St. George's School, Newport, RI
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About the Author

Sheldon Oberman is a storyteller and author of twelve books.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 103 pages
• Publisher: Crocodile Books (December 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566565316
• ISBN-13: 978-1566565318
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 9.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,773,465 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It's Greek to me!, March 3, 2004

By 

Tom Knapp "Rambles.NET editor" (Lancaster, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Island of the Minotaur: Greek Myths of Ancient Crete (Hardcover)

Sheldon Oberman draws various Greek legends together in a neat package that is suitable for young children (8 and above) to get their first taste of gods, goddesses, heroes and monsters. Adults, too, should enjoy the book, which is a fast read and a refresher on several key stories.

The stories are written clearly and plainly, suitable for young readers without being dumbed down so much to insult them. Illustrations by Blair Drawson are colorful, exaggerated and humorous. Island of the Minotaur is a fun and informative reinterpretation of these ancient myths for a new generation of readers.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An engaging compendium of ancient tales, April 6, 2004

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Island of the Minotaur: Greek Myths of Ancient Crete (Hardcover)

Presented by Sheldon Oberman, Island Of The Minotaur: Greek Myths Of Ancient Crete presents classic tales including the story of the deadly Minotaur that roamed the terrible Labyrinth, the winged boy Icarus who flew too close to the sun, Theseus' struggles against the ruthless witch Medea, and much more. A final, true tale of Sir Arthur Evans, a real-life treasure hunter who discovered the buried secrets of the ancient Minoan civilization adds a particularly welcome embellishment to this outstanding compilation of Hellenic mythology. Full-color illustrations by Blair Drawson well serve to highlight this engaging compendium of ancient tales told down the generations from antiquity to the present day.

5.0 out of 5 stars My 7.5 yr old loved it!, May 8, 2011

By 

D. Bartch - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Island of the Minotaur: Greek Myths of Ancient Crete (Hardcover)

We got this book as part of our history curriculum for homeschooling. We read it while also learning about the ancient island of Crete.

The story of the Minotaur has always excited my son, and this story just added fuel to the fire. We both enjoyed learning the background to who the Minotaur was. The writing style was exciting and informative. The final chapter was very helpful in showing what we really know about Crete and what was myth.

The illustrations are a little strange, but intriguing.

I must warn you, this is not for the faint of heart. Some of the stories are violent and gruesome. It is not meant for young children. My 7 year old does not mind this kind of stuff, but I know many kids this age or even older where parts would not sit well. If this is a problem, I would suggest reading it first and figuring out what to leave out (if using it as a read aloud as we did). Not all the stories are problematic in this way. (Although with Greek Myths there is going to be a certain amount of death involved anyway.)

I do not have any real knowledge about Greek Mythology, so I cannot comment on how true to the myths these are or are not. But being as they are myths anyway, they make for a good explanation to Crete history.