Mayo, Margaret. Mythical Birds and Beasts from Many Lands. New York : Dutton Children's Books, 1997.
Plot: The text includes classic stories of some of the world's most famous mythical creatures. Unicorns and Phoenix enjoy stories highlighting their unusual lifestyles and near-divine power. Other tales, particularly the story of the mermaid and pegasus, serve to warn listeners of pride and perilous creatures. A few tales attempt to explain the origin of particular land or cultural features, such as the story of the thunder bird, Quetzacoatl, and naga. The book also features bright, elaborate illustrations of the creatures and their actions.
Genre: Animals, Folktales
Reading Level: Grades 4-9
Similar Titles: The Water Horse, Greek Myths
Personal Thoughts: The book manages to utilize solid storytelling to introduce little-known creatures like the naga and refresh popular ones like the unicorn. Personally, I do not particularly care for the illustration style, which mixes watercolor, printed text, and layered paper. Yet, the pictures still manage to add to the exotic aspect of the "Many Lands" title. Highly recommended for fans of mythology and fairy tales.
No comments:
Post a Comment