Gr 9 Up-Daly's volumes are newly updated with additional entries and new illustrations; the addition of Japanese myths to the series is welcome. Both Greek & Roman and Norse include places, practices, some rituals, objects, and myth sources. Daly is discreet: Cronus is "mutilated," Daphne "pursued." Stories of Jason, Odysseus, Balder, Loki, and lesser-known figures such as Melampus, Otr, and Starkad are briefly retold. Roberts's volume is a concise cultural introduction to Japan: the author explains kana, emaki, calligraphy styles, important historical figures, and periods (inexplicably, Tokugawa Ieyasu has no entry). Again, entire tales are told. Tiny errors-the underworld, Yomi, is confusingly called Youl and Yous, and the description of tanka under waka is incorrect-do not detract from an excellent introduction to Japanese mythology and its culture. Roberts deserves credit for including the sensitive Horse Rider Theory and connecting ancient history and archaeological finds to myths. None of the volumes have genealogical tables, and Greek & Roman and Norse lack the pronunciation help that is so useful in Japanese. Daly omits some alternative Norse spellings, but gives variant Greek and Latin forms in the classical volume. All of the titles include unattributed, undated black-and-white illustrations that are sometimes pedestrian and/or bland. The relatively brief entries will attract browsers. All three books offer fine, and in the case of the Roberts's volume, otherwise scarce, resources.-Patricia D. Lothrop, St. George's School, Newport, RI Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.