October 23, 2012

Religious mythology


Out of the Ark: Stories from the World's Religions
by Anita Ganeri
illustrated by Jackie Morris


Strange, frightening, violent, and fantastical, this collection of stories is sure to puzzle a lot of kids. The stories are retellings derived from several different religions, including Buddhism, Christianity, and Hinduism. They are further grouped according to themes like creation stories, flood stories, animal tales, and stories about Buddha, Abraham, and Jesus. 

As with most story collections, some tales are better than others, subject to individual taste. Also, the inexpressive illustrations do not complement the text very well. Still, the book may be useful as an introduction to religious mythology.


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