Goddesses A world of myth and magic

Gr 4-6-Little more than an expanded dictionary, this book is more suitable for browsing than research. More than 100 goddesses are featured in the alphabetically arranged entries; each deity is allotted a paragraph that briefly explains her attributes or outlines a legend associated with her. The attention to goddesses from a dazzling multiplicity of cultures is laudable, but the shallowness of the material presented is regrettable. The writing is clear but lifeless. Ranging in size from small vignettes to full-page paintings, the watercolor-and-gouache illustrations are colorful and serve to break up the blocks of text. A different vertical border decorates the pages for each letter of the alphabet. Perhaps this broad introduction will whet readers' appetites and encourage them to delve further into the topic, but it's additional at best.-Miriam Lang Budin, Chappaqua Public Library, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Delicate mixed-media paintings illustrate this encyclopedia of goddesses from around the world. Each alphabetical listing, from Aataentsic of North America to the Zorya of Czechoslovakia, provides the subject's land of origin, power, and representation (e.g., animal, flower). Because the profiles are so brief, it's disappointing that the author doesn't provide specific sources and a reading list appropriate for the book's intended audience. From HORN BOOK Spring 2004, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.