Japanese Mythology

April 1, 2008
Gr 5-8 -"Japanese Mythology" presents not only an introduction to Shinto and Buddhist beliefs, but also Japanese history and mythology in general. Porterfield does the same for the Scandinavian nations, introducing concepts and characters central to Norse myths. Both books spend almost as much time on history, giving context to the stories and settings featured, as they do on the tales themselves, and both show how they still impact the culture of the nations where they originated. The focus on these aspects means there is less space devoted to the actual tales, but both books feature an overview of the cosmology and some myths of gods and heroes, giving the flavor of the tales in a succinct fashion. The most remarkable part of these books, however, is the respect they show for the mythological customs, treating them throughout with the same care that writers of books on major religions might offer. The illustrations show both ancient and modern incarnations of the deities and heroes described in the texts. Libraries hoping to strengthen their mythology collections will find these books ideal."Alana Abbott, James Blackstone Memorial Library, Branford, CT"

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