The Story of Religion (Hardcover)

by Betsy Maestro (Author), Giulio Maestro (Author), Erika Weihs (Illustrator) "More than five billion people share the planet Earth..." (more)
Key Phrases: Middle East, Middle Way

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
By beginning with humankind's earliest religious beliefs and ending with humanity's organization of these beliefs, the Maestros lead children on a whirlwind tour of the world's great religious traditions. They begin by pointing out that, despite the diversity of religious traditions, human questions about the creation of the world and the meaning of death are universal. They move from animistic beliefs of early tribal religions to the mythic religious structures of ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman religions to the monotheism of Judaism, Christianity and Islam and the polytheism of Hinduism and Buddhism. The authors weave the beliefs, myths and practices of each religion into a narrative tapestry that, they believe, demonstrates the unity lying beneath the diversity of all religions as well as the dynamic character of these religious traditions in today's world. Included in the book are brief sections describing the sacred texts, festivals and holidays. There is also a short description of other religions, such as Zoroastriansim, that are not included in the book itself, and the Maestros list the various ways in which different religions express their own versions of the maxim "All things you want people to do to you, do so to them." Color drawings of the gods, founders and important practices of each religion, like a Hindu family offering a sacrifice at their home shrine, bring these religions to life. Ages 7-9.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 3-5?Using the same large format as the Maestros' The Discovery of the Americas (Lothrop, 1991), Betsy Maestro has written a fine basic introduction to religion. It is quite an ambitious effort to look at the development of various beliefs in a way that can be understood by fairly young children, but she succeeds admirably. Beginning with early polytheistic beliefs in multiple spirits or gods and goddesses, and their usual strong link to nature, the author moves on to introduce Taoism and teachings of Confucius, Hinduism and Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Even though the coverage of each is only a few pages, the author clearly explains the development of the religion and its major tenets. She takes the viewpoint that all religions are equally valid, and tries to show ideas and customs that are found in most faiths, thus showing children the diversity of beliefs in the world and encouraging tolerance and understanding. The text is written as a long essay rather than being broken into chapters, but there is an index at the front of the book. Giulio Maestro's art tries to capture the artistic tradition of the dominant culture of each religion discussed while showing major symbols or important events. This means that the book may have less artistic unity than most of his books, but it meshes very well with the text. The different styles reinforce the uniqueness of each tradition. An attractive, interesting, and informative title.?Jane Gardner Connor, South Carolina State Library, Columbia
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Clarion Books (August 16, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395623642
• ISBN-13: 978-0395623640
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #226,539 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

58 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful UN-BIASED introduction to world religions!!!, July 9, 2001

By	"tracylynn" (Indianapolis, IN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Story of Religion (Paperback)

Unfortunately, a previous review of this book deterred me from buying it for quite some time. But I happened to find it in a local used bookstore and LOVED it! I am an atheist and I tend to be overly sensitive to religious propaganda. I get very aggrivated when I feel people are forcing their beliefs on me. This book absolutely did NOT do that!

This was a very good introduction to world religions. In my opinion it gave very equal treatment to the different religions and was not biased in any way. And after introducing each of the more popular religions, the writers spent an additional five pages discussing lesser practiced religions, atheism, diveristy, and the "Golden Rule". The very last pages of the book even contain a glossary which includes information about religions that weren't included in the book.

This was exactly what I was looking for to introduce the various world religions to my 6-year-old son! Don't let the previous reviewer scare you away! I highly recommend this book!

37 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Recommended for parents who wish to raise open-minded adults, October 23, 2003

By	Virginia Reviewer (Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Story of Religion (Paperback)

I cannot say enough about how wonderful this book is. I am not a Christian, and I am not a religious person. Still, I want my children to know about and understand the powerful religious forces in the world.

The information is simple and straightforward, but there is enough there to clearly explain the foundations of the world's (and history's) dominant religions. The recommended ages are 4 - 8, but I think 4 might be too young and 11 might be a better top age.

The book focuses on acceptance of the differences in religious beliefs. I do not see the Judeo-Christian bias described by a previous reviewer.

30 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Breathtaking overview of religion, July 24, 2002

By	Reader "kpcetal" (Dublin, Ireland) - See all my reviews

Ironically, the 'fundies' ...are unlikely to approve of it! ...extremely committed 'fundamentalist' Christians (or other religion, as in ultra-orthodox Jews, or hardline Muslims or whatever). This book is not made for people whose worldview is already cast in stone- there is no way that they would be able to endorse a book that sums itself up by saying "The fact that in this world there are so many people following so many different paths to God shows that there is no one right way."

This book is a rarity in these times: a book that looks at the big picture, written in a clear, accessible but literate manner. It does not talk down to the reader- precocious 9's will enjoy it, but so will adults. It is a journey through the evolution of religion, from early concepts of powers beyond our own into increasingly structured and codified faiths. The summaries of the developments of the major world faiths of today are outstanding- they give a clear context and understanding in a very clear, succinct paragraphs. Illustrations in a variety of styles support and augment the text beautifully.

There are other books for teaching the specifics of different faiths, for every age range. This book paints a picture of how the religions of today developed, and makes a strong case for tolerance of understanding and respecting other paths to God/ Enlightenment/ Truth etc. Even the back cover quotes pitch in- I initially ignored them, assuming that they were the usual "this is a great book" blurbs, but instead they area fine selection of quotes from people as diverse as Frederick the Great and Thomas Paine.

If you are interested in a broader understanding of religion as a part of human society - for yourself or for your children- this is a great place to start. And you may just find some things that lift your faith in the world at the same time. This is a don't miss book for anybody who can accept the idea that there is more than one right answer.