Mythology Books

Folks, the chapter, 'Never Without a Book' is worth the price of the book alone.

Thank you Bro. Haki for the inspiration and the early awakening. Since reading "Black Men", I have been able to properly increase my "education" and it all began with your very important contribution.

Black...on...Black...LOVE!

This book is a must reading for those who are serious about advancement for those of african desecnt. The author hits on several critical points, and he does an excellent job at providing solutions. THIS BOOK WILL OPEN YOUR MIND!

Understand yourself and the world around you in a way that you never had before.

ALL black people need to read this book!

You will not be able to put this down as you read about the simplest differences between you and your white equivelent. Madhabutis' almost poetic language is peaceful to read.

If you're a black person who believes that change is necessary but you don't know what to do about it, the educative source is right in front of you, it's now up to you.

This eloquent, yet hard-hitting book gives a blueprint, instructions and provocative reasoning behind why Black families are in crisis today, and most of his criticsm is leveled at the "men" in the Black community who have yet to step up to the plate and claim their rightful responsibilities in the home and in the world. In often humorous ways, Haki breaks down what the issues are, where the solutions lie and what we should demand of each other in our collective struggle (from our Black mates, children, leaders, etc.). He does all of this without being condescending or pious, but stern and loving, an accomplishment in itself, and I recommend this to any Black person commited to the struggle to make lives better for Blacks in this country as a whole, starting in their own backyards. If more Black men took these word to heart, the world would be a better place for all brothers and sisters. VITAL, CRUCIAL and NECESSARY!!!

We are in a dark wood wandering in these fascinating retellings of well known fairy tales, as if we entered them from another direction; it is an amazing forest, full of things we think are familiar and characters we thought we knew well and paths that we know ended in a village or a cottage but no longer do. In one, a good witch, whose joy is to fly with her sisters at night, comes into possession of a small mortal girl and by the springing up of that amazing thing, human love, gradually makes the girl her life and postpones her desire to join her sisters. Flight becomes a memory until the good witch is not sure she remembers how -- but the girl is human and when she grows up so beautiful in her tower, lets down her hair to a waiting lover. In another, Cinderella goes to the ball and happily marries, but her greedy desires after the marriage estrange her from her prince who becomes not a shining gallant but something sadder and estranged by her desertion....and so on.

BLACK PEARLS: A FAERIE STRAND is for little girls grown into adolescence and even into their adult and older years...the same stories we loved told for us again now that we have grown up and have begun to understand the many paths of the human heart.

I am the author of several historical novels including MARRYING MOZART, the story of Mozart in love.

The intriguing title is perfect for this collection of "twisted" fairy tales. (The lustrous pearl, once considered the "Queen of Gemstones," was valued above the lives of enslaved divers - men whose lifespans were cut short by the dangers of the dive.) In this story collection, Hawes transforms seven fairy tales with her magical pen: Rapunzel; The Pied Piper; Hansel and Gretel; Cinderella; Jack and the Beanstalk; Snow White; Lady Godiva.

The reader enters the backdoor of the moldering palaces of our childhood, drawn by Hawes's evocative wording and dream-inspired characters. Behind overgrown hedges of blood-red blossoms and menacing thorns, we find complicated emotions - forbidden love, desperate longing, suicidal despair, wrenching guilt.

The richly-detailed, black-and-white illustrations are a fine complement to the luscious wording. This short story collection would be a fine addition to a classroom library for teens. It would make a splendid gift for an imaginative teen reader/writer. Leave an extra copy on the night-table of your guest bedroom.

Lush, Buoyant, Terrifying, and Heartbreaking. What Hawes has accomplished with her new collection of stories, Black Pearls: A Faerie Strand, is nothing short of Brilliant! This is not just a retelling of the oldest and most cherished fairy tales you heard as a child, but a bold and breathtaking re-envisioning of such memorable stories as the Pied Piper, and Hansel and Gretel. Through Hawes' powerful imagination and stunning prose, these stories have "grown up," infused with a mature and wondrous new charm.

At first glance you won't recognize the names of the stories in the Table of Contents; Hawes has chosen to rename her tales. But for those of you intimately familiar with these unforgettable classics, you will not be far into Hawes' first story, "Dame Nigran's Tower," before you recognize the theme of Rapunzel. But what's different is that Hawes has chosen to tell the story from the witch's point of view, and not the horrible witch from the original tale who was so easy to hate and fear with her warts and pointy nose and bony hands, but a beautiful witch who risks her magical ability to fly for a chance to experience the power of human love. These are compassionate, sophisticated stories that will hold you spellbound for hours, long after you've put the book down.

But be warned: not everyone in these stories lives happily ever after. Through the vehicle of these re-imagined tales, Hawes' artfully exposes human nature in all its forms--at once raw and devastating, then beautiful and courageous--unwilling to take false paths for happier solutions. Hawes stays true to the story she's fashioned, committed to the characters she's shaped, faithfully following them through the dismal, dank forest if that's where they lead. But even at their darkest, these stories manage to lift you up with their boundless energy and daring, their genius and empathy, their unwavering heart and soul.

Hawes is known for her virtuosic writing and her ease of transitioning between genres, producing YA Novels, Middle Grade Novels and Picture Books, and several short fiction collections. Her work has garnered awards from the Children's Book Council, the Young Adult Library Services Association, the Center for Children's Books, the New York Public Library, and the International Reading Association. It is due to her amazing command of language and literary genius that Hawes is able to imbue these mature stories with fairy tale magic. Through the enchantment of Hawes' magnificent prose, I was transported back in time, not to my own childhood, but a realm where time has never existed, and yet, in terms of human spirit, not so different from today.

Once upon a time, there was a woman who was so caught up in a book that she did nothing all day but read it, from cover to cover.

_Black Pearls_ is a gem. Louise Hawes' dark, sensual fairy tale retellings and Rebecca Guay's evocative illustrations work perfectly together to form one of the best books of retold tales that I've ever read. I checked this out from the library, but I've resolved that I simply must have a copy of my own to treasure.

Hawes' prose is perfect for the genre. Her writing is beautiful without being heavy, and she has a talent for conveying visceral images in arch, elegant turns of phrase. She's also got a knack for metaphors. They're sometimes unexpected, sometimes familiar, and always perfectly fitting for the character who thinks them. (Rapunzel's witch compares hatred to poisonous mushrooms, Gretel notes that her angry stepmother is "set and stiff as beaten cream," and one of the seven dwarfs sees a bedraggled Snow White as a diamond that has not yet been cut.) My favorite metaphor in the book comes from the Snow White retelling as well: "watching the orange village at the bottom of the fire tumble into ruin".

My favorite among the tales is "Evelyn's Song," which tells the story of the golden singing harp from Jack and the Beanstalk. It's a haunting tale of servitude and freedom. The other stories, too, look at the old tales from new angles and explore the tangled emotions that lurk within the archetypes.

I would recommend this collection to anyone who enjoyed the Datlow/Windling fairy tale series, Tanith Lee's _Red as Blood_, and though Hawes sets her tales in "once upon a time" rather than our time, Francesca Lia Block's _The Rose and the Beast_.

...And she read happily ever after.

Have you ever longed for a fairy tale that wasn't riddled with silliness and foolish princesses and princes? Or one that held greater meaning and depth than those tales your mother told you when you were a child? Black Pearls is what you have been looking for. These seven tales are far different than those that you remember hearing, but eerily similar at the same time. Why was Rapunzel kept in that tower? Did Hansel and Gretel really make it out of that gingerbread house alive? What was the real purpose behind Lady Godiva's shocking ride? You'll learn the secrets, and much more, in this book.

Black Pearls is spellbinding. Each and every wonderfully crafted story is stunning, and just as enrapturing, inviting, and exquisite as the next. This sophisticated collection reveals the complexity and deeper nature of each tale, and will especially appeal to those who ever wondered about the practicalities of each classic story. Anyone who has out-grown the childish fancies that fairy tales are notorious for, but not the tales themselves, will fall in love with this book, and the more mature content will add to its appeal. Hawes has a way of highlighting the intricacies of human emotions and relationships, making Black Pearls a bold, brilliant read.

http://thecompulsivereader.blogspot.com/

I was so disappointed to find she has not written any more- The trilogy was full of everything you could possibly want in any story- The twins made the bridge and I just wanted to keep climbing it........... who knows if I'd still be in Midgard~

The Bridge, Forrest�s third and final installation in the story of Tomas the Rhymer, presents a game of intrigue, a game that will determine who controls the pivot-world Midgard (earth). Elfland sickens as it continues to drift from Midgard. The elves grow weaker. On earth, Loki assumes the name and identity of Lucifer. While Loki seeks to sever all ties between Midgard and the other eight realms, Tomas and his allies strive to create a permanent link between the worlds. Owein and Fraine�the twins of the Elves Prophecy�use their unique capabilities to create a bridge that ties Midgard to the other eight realms. This bridge becomes the focal point of conflict. Unable to destroy the bridge, Loki turns to manipulation. The game boils down to a single choice for those who oppose Loki: love or duty? Both bonds cannot be preserved.

A bittersweet novel about choices and perspective, The Bridge brings the story of Tomas to a satisfying end.

For the past week I've been so mesmerized by Jodie Forrest's magical world that I've scarcely been able to concentrate on my work. I love her vivid imagery. I love her rich characters, who seem to be real people, and so much more. I loved the interplay between Tomas and Moira, between Tomas and his twin children, and between the twins themselves. Their relationships were complex and compelling, filled with love and trust and mistrust and rebellion and misunderstanding. This is a book that makes you think about your place in the natural world, in the spiritual world, in your family, among your friends, and in the span of your life.

"The Bridge: The Book of Necessity" is a remarkable, even magical read that satisfies on every level. It surpasses the two excellent earlier volumes of the trilogy, which were also immensely appealing to this journalist whose "fun" reading typically consists of more realistic material. If more fantasy writers had Jodie Forrest's command of language, vivid imagination and ability to develop characters and plots, fantasy would probably become my favorite genre. In addition to its ample entertainment value, Forrest's book feeds the mind. Never "preachy," it gracefully weaves into the narrative issues of the environment, spirituality, the masculine and feminine and more. It's a thoroughly enjoyable and rewarding read that goes beyond entertainment to enchantment.

Well, Jodie Forrest did it again-she kept me awake all night reading. "The Bridge" is even better than the first two books in this series! There's an evil Loki and a bad elf queen who are lots of fun to hate and a good elf queen where you're never really sure if she's good or not and it's all set in history in a way that's easy to believe in spite of the magic. The main character from the first two books, Tomas the Rhymer, seems older and smarter now, but you don't see him as much as before. The action has sort of shifted to the children he and the elf queen had, but those characters are really cool as well. They're not sure if they are human or elves and so you see a lot about their different points of view, and a lot about the way Christianity collided with the old religions. It's not a "Christian" book though, reallly pagan instead! Mostly it's just a really good story. It says its a trilogy so I guess this is the last one. I wonder if Jodie Forrest's audience will make her write more like they did with Stephen Donaldson and the "Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever" books. I hope so. If you like fantasy that seems real, you'll love these! -Brad Snipes

This a great introduction to Ganesha for kids. My daughter is five and she loved all the stories.

The Broken Tusk tells seventeen different stories of Ganesha in easy reader format for second grade and up. The stories also lend themselves well to the read-aloud format for younger children. Many of my old favorites are here including the ones about how Ganesha got his elephant head and about how he made a "pradakshina" around his parents, into a trip around the world. Some might find the versions of certain stories here to be different from what they know. That is understandable considering how many of these have been passed along strictly through oral tradition. There are also some rarer stories here including one borrowed from Buddhist folklore.

Krishnaswami has done a thorough professional job with this one. She has prefaced the book with a brief introduction to Hindu mythology and to the god Ganesha himself. Also complementing the stories are a glossary of terms, a list of characters (kids would appreciate that!), a list of other names for Ganesha, and a pronunciation guide.

Krishnaswami finishes every story she narrates with a line or two that ties the legend to modern day reality. For example, after the story about Ganesha's head, Krishnaswami explains that in Indian (especially South Indian) temples today, sometimes elephants are fed and maintained reverentially. These acts, Krishnaswami explains, probably acknowledge the sacrifice made by the elephant in the original story. Small explanations like these place the stories in context, a service that I think is especially useful. The last word belongs to the wonderful old-world illustrations by Maniam Selven that complement the stories wonderfully.

With this book, Krishnaswami demonstrates that she is not only a gifted storyteller, she is also a thorough one. The Broken Tusk will get an enthusiastic nod not only from the young reading set but also from their grateful parents. This book is as charming as the elephant god himself!

As we all know How old is our Hindu Religeon ! If you see the Lord Ganesha or children say's elephant trunk god with a big belly..Do you relaize that The science was developed at that time as well as surgery too.Lord Shiva was a Doctor ( Master of Surgon) and he cloned the elephant head witha human body ? Do you believe it..Yes you have to be !

I bought this book for my niece and nephew, but before I gave it to them I read it too. It brought back the stories of Ganesha I had been told in childhood, and made me smile at them again. It may not have the pictures of "How Ganesha got his elephant head", which I bought for another child, but the it has more stories of this altogether charming lovable god.

This book was written to be a children's book, but in fact it is probably the best collection of storytelling about the mythology of Ganesha that that I have ever found. The Hindu parthenon's mythology has always been passed along from generation to generation by tales of the Deity in it's various forms. This exquisite book has all the well-known tales of Ganesh as well as some obscure stories and some tales from other lands and religions. I don't have kids but do delight in the simple stories that bring the attributes of Ganesha into light in simple, vivid parables of joy. If you love Ganesh like I love Ganesh, then this is a 'must have.' If you are a storyteller, this is the book that will be a Ganesh guide. If you just want a book that you can read story's in occasionally just to smile and search for meaning in, again, here'tis. This is a delightful exposing of this beloved Deity into Western civilization in our time. GAM.

I took a Norse mythology course last quarter, and this was the only dictionary I could find on the subject at the time in all of the bookstores I visited. But if I could only find one dictionary of Norse mythology, this would be the one to find. The definitions are straightforward yet thorough. It's not an encyclopedia, so don't expect it to provide all the known details about a particular character or term, but it does give you a clear and complete definition that includes the important details and information.

It also has a sturdy cover and thick pages that hold up well to being frequently used and carried around in a bookbag.

Note: search under author's name for new paperback edition under a slightly different title.

The Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend by Andy Orchard, published in 1997 by Cassell, ISBN 0 304 34520 2, is also excellent. Despite the title, it also has entries on terms from non-Norse areas of the Germanic world. It is a somewhat larger book in terms of page size, and very nearly gives the impression of being a coffee table book. It is very attractive and is illustrated, howbeit not lavishly, with black and white photos. However, it is only 223 pages in length. It also has bibliographical information after the individual entries, but these are coded and you have to look them up in the back.

This book is a very useful book for those delving into Norse Mythology. I checked it out from the library and kept renewing it until they wouldn't let me renew it anymore. This book is a reference, not a place to read mythology. If you're looking up one of Odin's names, looking for the name of a frost giant, or trying to figure out what Harbard's Flyting is, then this book is for you. Looking through it, you may discover little known bits of Norse Mythology and where to read further.

Sadly, this book is out-of-print. It took a long while for a copy to show up on Amazon, but I was very happy when it did.

This first-rate compiliation is now (2003) available, under the slightly different title of "Cassell's Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend," as a mass-market paperback (which I have reviewed at length), in addition to the trade paperback and hardcover editions listed under the titles of "Dictionary..." and "Cassell Dictionary...". If all of these are available through Amazon, purchasers will probably want to compare prices, and consider the durability of the various formats. Another factor some will want to consider is that the original hardcover edition (and I believe the trade edition) contained about forty illustrations, which were omitted from the mass-market edition.

Since the mass-market paperback is the edition in print, however, I strongly suggest checking that page before ordering. And if you are already familiar with the volume, and definitely want the larger format, you probably don't need my advice.

This first-rate compiliation is now (2003) available, under the slightly different title of "Cassell's Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend," as a mass-market paperback (which I have reviewed at length), in addition to the trade paperback and hardcover editions listed under the titles of "Dictionary..." and "Cassell Dictionary...". If all of these are available through Amazon, purchasers will probably want to compare prices, and consider the durability of the various formats. Another factor some will want to consider is that the original hardcover edition (and I believe the trade edition) contained about forty illustrations, which were omitted from the mass-market edition.

Since the mass-market paperback is the edition in print, however, I strongly suggest checking that page before ordering. And if you are already familiar with the volume, and definitely want the larger format, you probably don't need my advice.

Grandmother alert! This is the perfect book to give to your [...]granddaughter; and if you're really smart, you'll throw in a sheaf of black paper and a pair of sharpened scissors.

The tale of Cinderella has been retold many times (my own version, written for adults, is called The Fool's Path: A Tale from the Lothemian Legacy) but, surely, never before has a retelling been written that will appeal to modern pre-teens as much this one. Ensor's Cinderella is a pony-tailed heroine who dwells in a timeless world filled with castles and wallpaper, patent leather shoes and armor, pageantry, peasantry, and golf. The prince may be charming, but not as charming as the silhouettes that illuminate the pages, adding texture and depth to the story. What a delight!

I bought this book as a read aloud for my six year old and yes, she loved it. The illustrations and hand written notes from Cinderella to her dead mother added a degree of postmodern hilarity perfect for a smart nine to twelve year old and for me as well. This book makes a great gift.

The book expresses all of Cinderella's feelings, unlike the Disney version. When Cinderella writes a note it's sort of sloppy handwriting - but at the end it's elegant and beautiful. If I could, since it is summer vacation right now, I would tell all of my friends that it is the best book in the world.

By Helena

"Cinderella" is one of the most popular of fairy stories. It has been not only translated into about every language, it has also been modified for our diverse cultures and times. Barbara Ensor's CINDERELLA is a fun little version that is decidedly for contemporary readers. In this version Cinderella tells her story through a series of letters to her dead mother. The letters are sweet, poignant and often funny as she unburdens her heart. When she writes the letter telling of her father's remarriage, she ends with:

P.P.S. Don't worry about writing back, I don't expect miracles or anything. (We don't believe in them,) or do we?

Of course, this is a story that abounds with miracles. There are fairy godmothers, magic slippers, pumpkins turning into carriages, and all the usual magic of the traditional fairy tale. With several clever twists, however, Cinderella falls in love with a prince who is terribly spoiled and is put out when his parents aren't as concerned about finding the girl who fits the shoe and instead choose to go on a golf outing. The stepsisters are as conceited as ever, but not really as ugly as we have been led to believe:

The truth is, they were nice enough to look at, maybe not as pretty as you or Cinderella, but certainly not ugly. All right, some of what they said was ugly, yes, I agree...

So this is the book that lets us know what actually happens to everyone. Did they really just live "happily ever after?" There are some surprises here. The nasty stepsisters have to move out so Cinderella and the prince can provide a sanctuary for wild animals. Cinderella's father and stepmother are given royal dispensation and allowed to stay in the castle (provided the stepmother works double shifts on the cleaning staff). Most importantly, Cinderella and the prince learn a great deal about each other: "As the love between them grew, they began to trust themselves, even the dark scary places." No one pushes little Cinderella around anymore. So finally there is peace in the kingdom as Cinderella insists that big bombs just don't interest her in the least.

The artwork is made up of creatively rendered silhouette cutouts. Cinderella's letters to her mother are handwritten, smudged with ink and scratched out words. This book could easily translate into an animated Shrek-like film that would delight people of all ages. Don't miss this very original retelling of a beloved classic.

--- Reviewed by Sally Tibbetts (stibbetts@maine207west.k12.il.us)

This retelling of the Cinderella story offers the reader the traditional story, though slightly updated. Cinderella shares her worries and concerns about her life in letters to her deceased mother. Her father has remarried (but does not die) and her new stepmother and stepsisters are just as unpleasant as in the traditional story. Cinderella's letters to her mother are heartfelt with amusing edits so we know what she is really thinking. The silhouette cutout illustrations added a touch of whimsey and quirkiness to the story that I enjoyed.

The book was a pleasant read and offers young people the comfort of an enjoyable, familiar and very readable story.

"....In this universe of painted manuscripts [from ancient Mexico) an extraordinary volume has recently appeared--a study of the Codex Telleriano-Remensis by Eloise Quiñones Keber. This primary source for the study of Aztec history and ritual is one of the few surviving codices from this culture and presents to the reader a treasury of information about the people of Mesoamerica. This high-quality facimile edition focuses especially on the Aztecs prior to and after the Conquest. But above all, congratulations go to Quiñones Keber, whose excellent work and years of dedication and research have been recognized by the granting of the Ralph Waldo Emerson Award, given...in 1996 for her 'outstanding contribution to humanistic learning.' The University of Texas Press is also to be congratulated for this superior production, as is the Getty Foundation, which has made the fine volume available to scholars, libraires, and art lovers...."

"Few codices exist that provide scholars of the Aztecs (Nahuas) with a pictorial version of native depiction of the Aztecs' origins, culture, and history prior to and after the Spanish conquest that began in 1519. Among them is a manuscript now housed in the Bibliothèque Nationale of France, the so-called Codex Telleriano-Remensis, named after the man who contributed it to the library of Louis XIV....Fifty folios in length, this fragile and irreplaceable source was microfilmed in color in 1990. Thanks to the interest of the University of Texas Press and a subvention from the Getty Grant Program, a full-color published facsimile of the images and commentary is now available to scholars, students, and others fascinated by the Aztecs. Splendidly annotated by Dr. Quiñones Keber, a well-known specialist in Mesoamerican art and iconography, this volume truly must be seen to be fully appreciated...."

"The 16th-century Codex Telleriano-Remensis was a rare colonial enterprise: an intercultural exchange between Indian artists and Spanish overseers. It was created in an attempt to understand Aztec culture in light of its transformed present. The result was a well-organized manuscript with invaluable information about the Aztec calendar, mythology, rituals, history, and politics. Through the centuries, the Codex has been a fruitful source of knowledge for academics and a source of cultural identity and power for the diminishing Aztec (Nahua) survivors. This new edition includes a full-color photographic facsimile of the entire Codex as well as an English translation of the Spanish commentaries that explain the work's intense visual imagery. It contains over 100 pages of brilliant visions of bellicose earth-mother goddesses and other mythical creatures. [Quiñones] Keber is professor of art history at Baruch College and The Graduate School and University Center of the City University of New York. She provides a comprehensive text that complements these images with core information about Aztec culture and gives the reader a deeper appreciation for the art of Aztec manuscript painting. Most people will never see the original manuscript, now well guarded at the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris, but [Quiñones] Keber provides the immediacy and excitement of actually holding a copy of the ancient text. She has opened a window onto a unique cultural fusion born of the encounter between old and new worlds. Silvia Heredia '95C"

Couple with the Herbal Codex, this lays the superfluous groundwork for the understanding of Spanish/Aztec integration and the loss of indigeniuos knowledge. What this really does is preserves the spiritual awareness the Pre Meso-American people knew as a intimate interaction with Mother Earth/Father Sky representative gods. A must for those needing to know where your place is in the world order and for those whose spiritual growth has stopped. Leads you to the Aztec Calender and, with little promting, shows the coorelational ideas of modern myths, legends, and assumptions that modern religions make. Does time really have one dimension? Does the etheral body remain on this plain or steps to make its assendence to the Higher Divine? With little knowledge of ritual rites, show materialism is a major modern flaw.This helps to bridge old mythogical rituals into understandable terms.

"....In this universe of painted manuscripts [from ancient Mexico) an extraordinary volume has recently appeared--a study of the Codex Telleriano-Remensis by Eloise Quiñones Keber. This primary source for the study of Aztec history and ritual is one of the few surviving codices from this culture and presents to the reader a treasury of information about the people of Mesoamerica. This high-quality facimile edition focuses especially on the Aztecs prior to and after the Conquest. But above all, congratulations go to Quiñones Keber, whose excellent work and years of dedication and research have been recognized by the granting of the Ralph Waldo Emerson Award, given...in 1996 for her 'outstanding contribution to humanistic learning.' The University of Texas Press is also to be congratulated for this superior production, as is the Getty Foundation, which has made the fine volume available to scholars, libraires, and art lovers...."

Again, this is from the person who is collecting books for her future (Gd-willing) children. This is beautifully illustrated by one of my favorite artists and it is another good contender for a bedtime story.

Wonderful book. I found it in the library and decided I needed to own a copy. I use it to read from in my writing workshops on finding the mysteries and depths of life. The words and illustrations are as perfectly coupled as Psyche and Cupid themselves, offering the great beauty of mystery, love and the inward journey.

Not many modern children's books have the beauty of traditional mythology or folklore, either in text or illustrations. This particular book is a refreshing change in the modern market. As an artist and writer, I find this work inspiring, and highly recommend it to anyone interested in the fantasy genre, or fairy tales and mythology. Classic tales should be introduced to new generations, and this type of book is perfect for that purpose.

I am an artist and collector of beautifully illustrated books. Not only is this book exquisite in its illustrations, it also gives a child a very comprehensive understanding of the mythological tale of Cupid and Psyche. I definitely recommend to anyone as a must.

Being a mother of two children...I buy lots of children's books. But also being an artist, I gravitate toward beautifully illustrated books. And this is one of the most beautifully illustrated books that i have ever come across. And because of this, I plan to track down other books with the same illustrator, Kinuko Craft. I love mythology and the story of Cupid and Psyche is one of my favorites. M. Charlotte Craft and Kinuko Craft deserve high praise for there superb work of Cupid and Psyche! Buy this book!!

Thanks for the quick shipping! The book is in perfect condition as described.

A great read filled with colorful illustrations & all the usual excitement you'd expect to find in a troll adventure. Of course, there is also a beautiful princess to be rescued. I don't know why Amazon lists the reading level as "baby, pre-school"!!! No baby or pre-schooler would sit through the first page. Maybe the illustrations would interest that group, but the amount of reading is far too lengthy. As a "read alone" book, I would say it is best suited for grades 3 and up.

My grandsons loved this book. The illustrations are beautiful and the tales are quaint. We will be certain to treasure this book for years.

As someone who is trying to cultivate a love of literature AND a lengthy attention span in my homeschooled children, I *did* purchase this for my pre-schooler and he sat happily through the entire book (3 evenings worth of reading for us). The d'Aulaire illustrations were, as always, engaging, soft, and encouraging to the child's imagination. Detailed without taking over the telling of the tales. Basically, it covered all of my criteria to be purchased: well written and if it has illustrations they need to be worthy of the story and worth looking at.

The down side to this book is that it is in some ways a long treatise on trolls that happens to include some stories as examples. This means that your child ends the book having been exposed to a lot of the folk beliefs of Scandinavian trolls, with a limited number of stories, and that it doesn't simple cut-off points for bedtime reading. On the other hand, it means it is a book worth revisiting as a child grows older; in our case so our children will be versed in the folklore and belief of their ancestors. A simpler bedtime book with lovely woodblock illustrations would be Lise Lunge-Larsen's "The Troll with No Heart in His Body." It is a collection of the stories with very brief intros that can be included or omitted according to the moment (at bedtime with my pre-schooler I tend to leave them out; when reading during the day I am more likely to include them).

I'm not really suggesting one book over the other. In a search for either cultural literacy or multiculturalism, both have their place and are both well told, well illustrated and will add to your child's imaginative landscape.

This was one of my favorite books as a child. I checked it out of the library over and over . The pictures just seem to come to life, the stories are enchanting. A must have for troll collectors. I purchased a copy at long last! Thanks Amazon

This piece of traditional fantasy features an adorable cast of mice dancing a traditional Native American dance while a predator seeks to devour them all. The artwork is particularly beautiful with rich, bright colors.

I enjoyed this story as it reminded me of the Pow Wows that take place all over Oklahoma. It would be a nice addition to a Native American unit or a Multicultural Traditional Fantasy unit. It is so interesting to see the stories that have been passed down through the generations of various cultures and think of what lessons were intended through the telling.

This book would be a great read before watching a Pow Wow. Students might be interested in Native American Jingle Dancers and trying to perform Jingle Dances themselves.

Some tiny mice are playing out in the field, late at night. They have a fire going and are dancing inside a buffalo skull. They are having too much fun to realize the danger they are in. Outside prowls a wildcat. Will the wildcat be successful in capturing the mice? Or, will they be able to escape? What lesson will this book teach your children? You've got to read this terrific book to find out the answer.

Author Zitkala-Ša (Red Bird), a Yankton Lakota Sioux woman, took this oral tribal history story and translated it into English in 1901. Brought vividly to life by Illustrator S. D. Nelson, a Lakota artist, I found this book to be totally awesome.

Zitkala-Ša was a very talented native author who brings this oral tale alive in a unique way. This story and others were listened to around the campfires of her youth as told by the tribe's storytellers. She sticks closely to the oral history despite the translation into the English language. This was one of many oral historical tales that she translated from Lakota to English without the help of an editor, interpreter, or ethnographer. Raised traditionally for the first 8 years of her life, Zitkala-Ša then attended boarding school and later graduated from high school and college.

I find it fascinating that this story was written and published by Zitkala-Ša, a prolific native American woman author and native civil rights activist, over 107 years ago; and that this oral tribal history story can still be relevant to children everywhere today. Amazing!

The very gifted S. D. Nelson makes this tale literally jump off the pages and give your child a real feel for the moral message of this story. The artwork is very colorful, appealing, detailed, and kid-friendly in a big way.

This is a must-have book for your child if you want them to know the wise and valuable stories that our First American children grew up with. This is a simple but fun tale that your child will want to read over and over.

This book is put out by the South Dakota State Historical Society Press and is the second book in the Society's Prairie Tale series. Dance In A Buffalo Skull just won the Mom's Choice Awards' Most Outstanding Children's Book of 2008. This is an honor well deserved. Bravo to the South Dakota State Historical Society Press for bringing back the fascinating writings of Zitkala-Ša, so that new generations of the world's children can learn from her and her tribe.
Reviewed by: Gayle Jacobson-Huset, Managing Editor

The first thing I noticed when I got the book was how beautiful the cover is. It just makes you want to open it and discover the story within. The introduction to the book gives parents a great understanding of the history behind the story. If you are the type of parent who wants to expose your child to different cultures, this book is an easy and fun way to introduce them to the Sioux Indian Oral Tradition.

The imagery in the story as well as the beautiful artwork make this story a delight to both the eyes and the imagination. The vocabulary of the story is a bit more challenging than is found in your typical children's book, but there is a glossary to help with those words, for the older children enjoying the story.

I don't personally have children, although I've always loved reading aloud to them. I lent my copy of this book to a good friend so she could 'test' it on a real child. Her son, 4yrs old, loved the story and asked for it to be read multiple times. She said he normally doesn't do that. So not only is this book a delight for an adult to read, it is a delight for a child to listen to.

Dance in a Buffalo Skull has been voted as the Most Outstanding Children's Book of 2008 by the Mom's Choice Awards.

The Mom's Choice Awards® honors excellence in family-friendly media, products and services. An esteemed panel of judges includes education, media and other experts as well as parents, children, librarians, performing artists, producers, medical and business professionals, authors, scientists and others. A sampling of the panel members includes: Dr. Twila C. Liggett, Ten-time Emmy-winner, professor and founder of Reading Rainbow; Julie Aigner-Clark, Creator of Baby Einstein and The Safe Side Project; Jodee Blanco, New York Times Best-Selling Author; LeAnn Thieman, Motivational speaker and coauthor of seven Chicken Soup For The Soul books; Tara Paterson, Certified Parent Coach, and founder of The Just For Mom Foundation(tm) and the Mom's Choice Awards®. Parents and educators look for the Mom's Choice Awards® seal in selecting quality materials and products for children and families. This book has been honored by this distinguished award.