School Library Journal Starred Review (Mon Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 2014)

Gr 6 Up-This guide to mythology is everything the title promises and more. After an introduction setting out the book's goals and an initial chapter outlining a working definition of mythology, Leeming delves into the mythological traditions across the world (which include African, Asian, Polynesian, Cletiv, Greek, Roman, and Native American), one chapter at a time. These traditions are covered in great detail, and the author examines the geography, history, and culture associated with them and highlights important figures and tales. There is a great emphasis on the influence of psychology on the study of mythology. Early on, the author discusses the work of Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, and Joseph Campbell and how they brought the importance of mythology into academic circles. Leeming concludes by discussing the idea of the monomyth, or Campbell's concept that there are certain motifs and themes that are common to many traditions and that transcend individual cultures. The glossary, index, and bibliography make this volume an excellent reference source, and the appendix takes it further, offering lists of characters and stories that fall under categories such as "The Great Earth Mother Goddess" and "The Hero Quest" and the pages where readers can find them. This title is an ideal starting point for reports as well as an entertaining and informative read for interested students.— Heather Talty, formerly at Columbia Grammar &; Preparatory School, New York City

ALA Booklist (Sat Nov 01 00:00:00 CDT 2014)

This helpful guide on mythology covers the basic definitions and origins of mythology, with subsequent chapters covering myths by geographic area (e.g., Middle East, Africa, Asia) or major tradition (e.g., Greek, Norse, Celtic). The chapters themselves are broken up into easily digestible paragraphs, each framed as the answer to a question. This format makes the substantial information included seem very accessible to the student or general reader. The volume is rounded out by useful appendixes with parallel myths, texts from selected myths, a list of characters in mythology, a glossary, a bibliography, and an index. Highly recommended for most libraries serving adults and students high-school age and above who need an update to their general mythology materials.

Voice of Youth Advocates

A junior version of Joseph Campbell's research, Leeming's sourcebook summarizes the most familiar branches of the mythological canon. Divided into Q&A, the text introduces the basics of primitive theology by ethnicity, as with Welch rhymer Taliesin and the Mabinogion, Pele and Hawaiian creation lore, and the prototypical trickster and White Buffalo Woman among the North American Sioux. Illustrations incorporate a cuneiform tablet of Gilgamesh along with book art, tables, and sculpture. Vocabulary and a glossary introduce the reader to orisha, dualism, ananse, kami, manitou, Baal, Vishnu, yin/yang, saga, Isis, and other standard terms from world theology. Missing from the overview are the Book of Mormon and the Ethiopian Book of the Dead.Unlike most young adult works on myth, Leeming's book incorporates Judaism and Christianity. Valuable appendixes pull together motifs. By allying the gods of Sumer, Babylon, Islam, Phrygia, and Iran with Yahweh, Elohim, and Jesus, the text skates on treacherous ice among fundamentalist readers, parents, and librarians. Leeming chooses to limit the number of Judeo-Christian references in comparative lists, omitting Genesis from creation lore, David from culture heroes and homosexuality, "the deep" from primordial waters, Laban from tricksters, Joseph and Potiphar's wife from the femme fatale, and Jacob/Esau from twins. Errors are few, including the misspelling of the Greek Rhea. Overall, this is a valuable work for larger school and public library collections and as desk references for humanities and world history teachers.Mary Ellen Snodgrass.