Myths and Legends

Gr 2–4—This compact volume provides a brief peek into different world mythologies. The book is divided into five sections—"Gods and Heroes," "Creation Myths," "Mythology and the Natural World," "Mythical Journeys," and "Legendary Love Stories"—and each one is made up of a collection of snippets on various subtopics. Unfortunately, the ambition to include so many different traditions ends up being a stumbling block. Many of the summaries of the various myths are incredibly brief, and the lack of transitions between entries creates a disjointed reading experience. Although this could be a way to pique students' interest in exploring the topic in more depth, no back matter is provided to give direction for further research. Each spread includes at least one colorfully expressive image depicting one of the legends; these illustrations are attractive and well executed.