Gods, Goddesses, and Monsters: An Encyclopedia of World Mythology (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Belgin Wedman (Illustrator) "An elaborate Indian temple carving combines ancient gods and 20th-century leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Nehru..." (more)
Key Phrases: world serpent, trickster god, King Arthur, Trojan War, Round Table (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This comprehensice look at mythology describes central mythical figures, summarize their stories, and highlights the ceremonies, festivals, and customs associated with each figure. Each of the fifteen chapters covers a seperate area of the world. Sidebars encourage children to make connections between cultures by pointing out the similarities of customs and beliefs among them and the influences of myth on literature and language. The fine art reproduced in the book comes from museums --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic (September 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439042895
• ISBN-13: 978-0439042895
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #986,955 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Reference for World Mythology, December 8, 2001

By	"adidas21012" (Newark, DE USA) - See all my reviews

I purchased this book last year because my 7th grade English class was going to do a unit on Greek Mythology. My teacher recommended this book to anyone who had no previous knowledge of Greek Mythology. The layout of this book is done by geographical location. It has different sectors for India, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, Africa, Egypt, The Near East, Rome, Celtic Lands, Norse Lands, North America, Central America, South America, Oceania, and Australia. It then gives you an introduction to mythology and mythological characters. After that it digs in to the information.

At the beginning of each geographical region, it gives you an introduction to their beliefs and culture. Then it starts with the mythological characters in alphabetical listing with a one paragraph summary of the charcter's life and accomplishments. It also gives wonderful pictures and drawings of some of the characters, artwork, and historical ruins from the civilization. This book was a great help for me in my studies for it gave me backround information to understand the sometimes confusing myths. It also would be a great book for younger kids (although a bit pricy!) because it has great pictures and a summary of the pictures. I am afraid that this book would only be helpful to beginners however because it is very basic and does not have a deep wealth of information on each character and it does not include any stories. However still a great buy for free reading on academic help!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for older kids, May 17, 2004

By A Customer

I bought this book for my 10 year old son. He loves non-fiction books and has some interest in Greek mythology. He is constantly reading this book. I've looked through it too and it's an interesting starter book on many types of mythology. I will probably read it once I can pry it out of my son's hands. It would probably be a good book for middle school aged kids who are starting to learn about Greek or Roman mythology in school.

4.0 out of 5 stars Mythology for younger readers, October 28, 2009

By	A. Elliott - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

A comprehensive explanation of the world's god-like creatures, this is an interesting and informative book - for someone older than the 9-to-12-year-old range stated.

Because of the text and the type of illustrations and photos contained, I have to say this book would be more appropriate for teens, perhaps 13-15.

As an adult, I enjoyed those parts of the book I browsed, but my 12-yr.-old granddaughter stated she thought it could have been made more interesting by including drawings or sketches of the various mythological creatures discussed.

In spite of this, I will give the book to the younger child for whom it was originally intended simply because it is a worthwhile addition to the library of anyone who would like to have such a reference.

I would also like to say I appreciate how carefully the book was packaged for mailing. It arrived in perfect condition.