Out of the Ark: Stories from the World's Religions [Hardcover]

Anita Ganeri (Author), Jackie Morris (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

A collection of religious stories from around the world highlights the often striking similarities in the beliefs of different cultures with tales of the Incan Viracocha, Buddha, the Aborigine's Baime, and the Christian and Jewish God.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Ganeri's retelling of stories from a wide range of the world's religions provides a much-needed book on comparative religious studies for children. The stories are categorized by theme-Creation stories, flood stories, lives of religious leaders, etc.-so that children can see for themselves the wide variety of understanding available globally. There are a few unfortunate factual errors, particularly in the telling of tales shared by Jews and Christians, wherein the stories are labeled either Jewish or Christian, instead of both. For the most part, however, this book, with its joyous watercolors, will help children learn and value the stories from many of the world's faiths. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 4 Up?Ganeri does a fine job of retelling traditional stories from seven major world religions in a straightforward and respectful manner. They are arranged thematically, such as "Flood Stories" or "Birth, Courtship, and Marriage," and each section includes from 5-10 selections. The reteller places each tale in the context of its religious tradition but does not allow doctrine to dominate story. Similarities between certain tales are noted, but usually readers are left to draw their own comparisons. Appendixes offer basic facts about each religion represented and brief identifications of characters. Unfortunately, there are no source notes or bibliography for those who want to find longer versions of these tales or related stories from a particular religion. Morris's attractive watercolor illustrations provide visual variety to the layout. Although it is unlikely that most people will read the volume cover to cover, the book can serve as a worthwhile resource for comparative culture or mythology studies.?Kathy Piehl, Mankato State University, MN
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 104 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt; First US Edition edition (March 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152009434
• ISBN-13: 978-0152009434
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,875,141 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)