Scandinavian Mythology (Mythology Around the World) is an impressive little book that is packed full of exciting information--historical, cultural, mythical--and excellent, helpful illustrations that complement the text. It's a high interest, easy-to-read choice for young people who enjoy learning about other people and their stories. While the book seems a bit pricey for its actual size and depth, it truly is a well-made book, and I like the "scholarly," but child-friendly, approachable format. Contents: Introduction (Explains who the Norse were & where they lived--Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland; Includes a lovely pictures of a sixteenth century map; the introduction discusses the relationships between the people and their environment and the impact of these relationships on their beliefs) 1 Ancient Scandinavian Culture (Discusses the emergence of the Scandinavian people & Includes a picture of a carving of a Viking Warrior) 2 Origins and Evolution of Scandinavian Mythology (Includes a discussion of poems, runes, and Icelandic Eddas) 3 The Scandinavian Mythological Landscape (Describes the making of the world and The Giant Ymir; offers a fantastic illustration of Yggdrasill, the world tree--one of the best I've seen) 4 The Scandinavian Gods and Goddesses (Describes Odin, Thor, Loki, Freya, & Others; offers a fantastic painting of Thor and his hammer, Mjollnir) 5 Heroes and Villains in Scandinavian Mythology (Tells about Otter, Sigurd, Dwarves; Hrungnir; Kings; picture of an interesting artifact, "Sigurd's Helmet") 6 The Scandinavian Myths (Discusses Asgard's Wall; the Apples of Youth; Balder's Death; Ragnarok) 7 The Scandinavian Legacy (Offers brief summaries about The Hammer of Thor; Christianity; Days of the Week; Walpurgis Night; Norse influence on Tolkein's Lord of the Rings; provides some great pictures in this section) Glossary (Presents a listing of key words and concepts, most helpful for young readers) For More Information (Presents cool Websites & Addresses for more info / research about Scandinavian Culture) For Further Reading (A good reading list to further one's study in this topic) Bibliography Index We believe this book to be a wonderful addition to our home library. We are interested in purchasing more titles from the Mythology Around the World Series.
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