World Myths and Legends: 25 Projects You Can Build Yourself

Description

All societies have their own myths and legends, but they're much more than just stories. Myths and legends tell us about a people's history, science, and cultural values-the things they knew, the things they believed, and the things they felt were important. World Myths and Legends retells tales from the Middle East, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Americas. From the Greek myths to ancient epics like Gilgamesh and the trickster tales of Anansi the Spider, it helps readers think about why the same themes, characters, and events may show up in different parts of the globe. Along the way kids will also find lots of fun and interesting projects that let them experience the stories first-hand. World Myths and Legends unveils wonders of the ancient world as it takes readers on a fascinating adventure of mystery and imagination.

Kathy Ceceri is About.com's Homeschooling Expert and a fan of art mixed with science. Her books include Robotics: Discover the Science and Technology of the Future, named "Best of the Best" by the Chicago Public Library, and Geek Mom: Projects, Tips, and Adventures for Moms and Their 21st-Century Families. She lives in Upstate New York. Shawn Braley is an award-winning illustrator. He attended the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art, Inc. He specializes in cartoon and editorial illustration. Braley is also a world traveler, musician, cat owner, and comic art collector.

Calliope Magazine "...Another in the well-done "Build It Yourself" Series. Sidebars, eye-catching illustrations, and explanatory text accompany the hands-on activities that will take you on a world-wide adventure you won't forget." Wired Magazine "World Myths and Legends can quickly become a favorite due to it being about some of the most exciting and fantastical stories in existence. I've had this book for several weeks and we're not even 25% into completing the crafts... I haven't seen my nine year old excited about a book like this for a while." Charlotte Library "Although this book might sound like a fairly ordinary craft book, it is much more--it is also an excellent introduction to the cultures and myths of a diverse selection of peoples, and one I highly recommend to home-schoolers in particular... The projects themselves are extremely varied, and go beyond simple craft-ness. For instance, one activity for the Greek section is to use Euclidian geometry to make an equilateral triangle--fun with compasses! The point is that these are rather cool projects, such as I have never seen elsewhere." William Hansen, Professor Emeritus of Classical Studies & Folklore, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana "Sophisticated and fun." Robert A. Segal, Sixth Century Chair in Religious Studies, University of Aberdeen, author of Myth: A Very Short Introduction. "This book is a terrific introduction for children to the subject of myths and legends. I cannot imagine a work that would more readily win the interest of children in the subject."