Vivid and more expansive than usual for the audience.
A substantial gathering of ancient Greek myths and legends culled from classical sources and retold with present-day sensibilities in mind.
Broad and detailed enough to devote 35 pages to the Trojan War alone, this compendium begins with the shepherd Hesiod’s vision of the creation of Gaia and ends with the reunion of Odysseus and Penelope. Appealing, full-color character galleries at the head of each chapter help readers keep all the gods, demigods, monsters, and mortals straight. Though the authors characterize Zeus’ many rapes as “love affairs” spurred by his “lust for life” and tone down juicier events—for instance, Cronus merely “slashed” his dad Uranus with a sickle rather than cutting off his privates—the retellings feel fully fleshed out. Occasional embroideries (Perseus telling his tale in the first person; a suggestion that Persephone was fully aware of the consequences when she ate those pomegranate seeds), as well as the measured prose and contemporary-feeling dialogue, help to bring the old stories and characters closer to modern audiences. Collins adds further vim with assemblages of brawny heroes, grotesque monsters, and immortals wrapped in billowing clouds, glaring at one another or expressing large feelings, along with black-and-white spot art that’s reminiscent of ancient Greek pottery. The clean, vibrant, artwork shows figures with varied skin tones.
Vivid and more expansive than usual for the audience. (cultural notes, deity names, map, glossary, sources, QR code) (Mythology. 9-13)Pub Date: Sept. 2, 2025
ISBN: 9781836051848
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Usborne
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2025
Barnard’s brave effort to cram such an immense subject into 40 pages leads to some debatable claims. He opens with a sweeping history of Muslim expansion (“Early Muslims knew they had a lot of catching up to do to equal or surpass the great civilizations that preceded and surrounded them”) and continues generalizing throughout (“Until the twentieth century, most buildings in most cities owed much of their look to Islam”). Single-topic spreads cover the development of Arabic calligraphy and the mass production of paper, revolutions in mathematics and medicine, artistic and architectural motifs, astronomy and navigation, plus the importation of new foodstuffs, ideas (e.g., marching bands, hospitals) and technology to the West. The array of street scenes, portraits, maps, still-lifes and diagrams add visual appeal but sometimes fall into irrelevancy. Labored stylistic tics stale (the Caliph’s pigeon post was “the email of the day,” the astrolabe was “the GPS device of its day,” the translation of Classical texts was “the Human Genome Project of its day”). The author winds down with a discussion of how the dismissive attitude of Renaissance “Petrarchists” led to a general loss of appreciation for Muslim culture and scholarship, then finishes abruptly with a page of adult-level “Further Reading.” Enthusiastic, yes; judicious and well-organized, not so much. (Nonfiction. 11-13)
Pub Date: April 5, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-375-84072-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: April 5, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
Though the tone refrains (barely) from utter didacticism, the values-driven narrative just misses the goal.
An otherwise unremarkable sports biography hammers home the values of determination and hard work with an unapologetic Christian slant.
NHL forward Mike Fisher's professional and spiritual life reveals the physical and emotional battle scars he suffered on the ice. Each chapter addresses a separate season (even hockey aficionados may be shocked by the numerous times his playoff games resulted in defeat). Portrayed as a near-saint, this charity-supporting, gracious athlete received support from his religious mentors, though not with immunity from grief; the illness and then death of a beloved coach results in a cutting loss. Religious fervor is maintained in quotations and repeated references to Romans 12:12. Bubbly, fast-paced commentary hits on each score, while stats naturally blend within text. Words occasionally repeat in close proximity, disrupting the text's fluidity. Overt enthusiasm for the sport lends it a tone akin to a high-drama broadcast, though statements can veer into ludicrous territory: “Like previous years, the unknowns and distractions make life a lot like balancing on Jell-O in a blizzard at midnight.” Small black-and-white action photographs fail to evoke the rink's aggressive drama. A glossed-over review of the pro's recent marriage to singing sensation Carrie Underwood will disappoint both country-music fans and romantic hopefuls.
Though the tone refrains (barely) from utter didacticism, the values-driven narrative just misses the goal. (Biography. 9-12)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-310-72540-4
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Zonderkidz
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2011
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