Illustrated Book of Myths (Hardcover)

by Neil Philip (Author), Nilesh Mistry (Illustrator) "MYTHS ARE STORIES of the gods and of godlike heroes..." (more)
Key Phrases: eternal ancestors, battle fury, Ahura Mazda, King Arthur, Native American (more...)

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.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• 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 (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #372,297 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

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

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

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!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

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

By	Rebecca Johnson "SeasonedwithLove.com" (Washington State) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

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

8 of 8 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 (Maysville, Kentucky USA) - See all my reviews

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.