The Great Book of World Myths: 45 Stories Gods, Heroes, and Monsters from 22 Cultures — Retold for Young Readers

Most books of myths for young readers are Greek books. This one is not.The Great Book of World Myths retells forty-five stories from twenty-two traditions - Korean, Inuit, Māori, Hawaiian, Yoruba, Akan, Persian, Turkic, Greek, Norse, Irish, Finnish, Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Hindu, Maya, Aztec, Andean and Zulu - in one volume, at one standard, with one voice.These are stories to READ, not a picture book to flip through. Every story runs about a thousand words: long enough to fall into, short enough to finish before bed. A black-and-white illustration opens each one. The book is built for the eight-to-twelve reader who has finished the Greek shelf and wants to know what else is out there.WHAT IS INSIDE- 45 stories from 22 cultures, grouped into six regions of the world - A hand-drawn map showing where every tradition comes from - A culture card for each tradition: who tells these stories, where, and whether they are still told today - Say These Names - how to pronounce every name in the book, with sources - Who's Who - a guide to the gods, heroes and monsters - Where the Stories Come From - the real sources behind every retelling - A two-line cultural note at the end of every storyHONEST ABOUT THE STORIESWhere the tellers disagree, this book picks one version and says so. Nothing has been made gentler than it is: some of these stories end badly for people who did not deserve it, and changing that would be a different kind of lie. Nothing has been made harsher either - violence is present but never staged.Some traditions are deliberately left out. Australian Aboriginal stories are held by their communities, and who may tell them is decided by rule, not by preference. The book says so, in the book.For readers aged 8 to 12. For parents, grandparents, teachers and school librarians who would like the shelf to be wider than one country.