Chambers, Catherine. African Myths and Legends.

Chambers, Catherine.    African Myths and Legends.    Capstone/Heinemann      2013 48p    ISBN 978-1-4109-4971-4  series: All About Myths ms  Hardback  VG  Nonfiction

This visually appealing volume in the All About Myths series aims to make the myths and legends of cultures throughout the African continent accessible to ‘tween readers by exploring the gods, goddesses, heroes, villains, tricksters, and quests that make African myths and legends so compelling.  This is not a subject that is often paired with this age group.  The book is neither a children's picture book nor an exhaustive encyclopaedia; instead, it mixes dramatic retellings of select myths with factual information to give readers an intriguing glimpse into the variety of myths of the African continent.  There is not a great deal of organization to the volume, so it can be difficult to tell which culture produced which myth.  However, there are further additional resources suggested that readers can take advantage of independently if they wish to know more about a particular figure or legend.  There is a pronunciation guide and a list of key figures at the end; however, both are extremely limited and do not sufficiently address their intended subjects.  Truly, it is the excellently matched colors and well-selected photos that help prevent this book from being a somewhat disorienting chore to read.  

This series of four volumes mixes dramatic retellings and non-fiction information to give a full picture of a culture’s myths, exploring gods, goddesses, heroes, villains, tricksters, and quests.  Given the unique combination of subject matter and intended age group, this is probably a good volume to have in most libraries, since it is a good starter resource for students writing reports.    

Summary: Part of the All About Myths series, this volume explores the myths and legends of various African peoples in brief chapters filled with colorful photographs and illustrations.     

African myths                                               --Bethany Geleskie

Nardo, Don. Classical Civilization: Greece.

Nardo, Don.  Classical Civilization: Greece.    Morgan Reynolds   112   $28.95  978-1-59935-173-5     ms/hs   Series: World History(MR) VG-BNS

This volume provides an overview of ancient Greece and its continuing influence on contemporary society.  Modern-day Greece is a small country with modest input into contemporary world affairs.  However, the ancient Greeks set in motion ideas and practices that greatly influenced Western civilization as a whole. 

Readers will find the concise, straightforward prose easy to understand as they learn about Greek warfare, tactics, and heroes.  Nardo clearly describes how ancient Greeks created the foundation of modern political, artistic, and social culture.  The Greeks’ contribution to the development of scientific disciplines such as biology, botany, and astronomy are included.  Greek architecture is also addressed. The chapter on the Olympics dispels the myth that the original games were limited to amateur athletes who received no financial gain through participation. 

Photographs and illustrations are judiciously included, highlighting related text.  The sidebars contain useful facts and offer more insight to the topics under discussion.  A useful timeline, extensive source list and bibliography, plus a list of related websites will be helpful to student researchers.  There is also a glossary and index.

Nardo’s text provides a solid overview to the many ways Greeks helped to shape Western civilization, and continue to influence contemporary life.

-- Hilary Welliver