Book recommendations for religious stories and myths

[Satori]

Literature borrows from its rich past. Classical homeschoolers (and everyone) undoubtedly benefit from understanding such religious symbolism and allusion they encounter in reading literature.

 

Let's draft a list of books and resources to help us draw upon these sacred stories to help us understand works of literature and art. I am only just beginning to build my library and have ordered a few books mentioned on another thread. The first book I have is:

 

Marduk the Mighty by Andrew Matthews - a compilation of creation stories from various world cultures, both ancient and contemporary

 

I'll be happy to list more once my new books arrive, if they are not mentioned already.

[Haiku]

Sacred Myths by Marilyn McFarlane

 

I own this and I don't particularly care for it, but it might be just the thing someone else is looking for. The stories are pretty good, but the art is weird and (imo) unattractive).

 

The books by Demi about various religious figures are also good.

 

Tara

[swimmermom3]

In the Beginning: Creation Stories from Around the World by Virginia Hamilton. I was not allowed to sell this book.

[Satori]

Ancient Israelites and Their Neighbors by Marian Broida

 

This book arrived earlier this week, so we haven't had a chance to do the activities. It covers the ancient cultures of Israelites, Philistines and Phoencians and focuses on their art, architecture, food, clothing, writing, history, religion and work. Have fun while learning about these cultures with historical accuracy and sensitivity.

[HRAAB]

I have In the Beginning: Creation Myths from Around the World on hold at the library - so I can't comment on it.

 

I'm looking for creation myths from cultures other than the ones usually read in a study of western civilization if anyone has any recommendations.

[HRAAB]

In the Beginning: Creation Stories from Around the World by Virginia Hamilton. I was not allowed to sell this book.

 

You beat me to it.

 

Why were you not allowed to sell it????

[Corraleno]

Why were you not allowed to sell it????

LOL, I think she means her kids wouldn't let her sell it because they loved it so much.

 

Jackie

[HRAAB]

LOL, I think she means her kids wouldn't let her sell it because they loved it so much.

 

Jackie

 

Ah, I get it. That's good to hear.

[swimmermom3]

You beat me to it.

 

Why were you not allowed to sell it????

 

My son (11) really enjoyed it. For our study of the ancients, I had planned on doing only the standard fare. However, another board member recommended the following books:

 

Goddesses, Heroes, & Shamans: The Young People's Guide to World Mythology

 

Eyewitness Mythology

Geraldine McCaughrean's world mythology books- I have The Crystal Pool and The Silver Treasure

Usborne Stories from Around the World

Anything from Finn Bevan's Landscapes of Legend - I have all of the books. It looks simplistic but we appreciate the tie-in with nature and science before reading the myth.

 

I added Mythology: A Teaching Unit

 

Our study of mythology has been highly satisfying so far. We read a two-page layout from the DK book each week and do 2 lessons from the Teaching Unit book. Assignments in the other resources are lined up with the culture we are studying. The picture books are intermixed with more challenging books like Tales of Ancient Egypt. My son is in 6th grade so that mix works well.

[Hathersage]

Well, here is a link to online books of sacred texts (you can search by topic)

 

http://www.sacred-texts.com/

[MelanieM]

I was searching around the boards and found this great post by Moira. (Click the little arrow by her name to go to the original thread -- lots of other great recommendations there as well.)

 

This is what we're in the process of doing, though ours are integrated with history and not done in one year. There's more I want to cover, but this is what we've done/planned so far.

 

Gilgamesh

 

 

Geraldine McCaughrean's

Gilgamesh the Hero

 

Ludmila Zeman's

Gilgamesh Trilogy

Egyptian (particularly Osiris cycle)

 

 

Lancelyn Green's

Tales of Ancient Egypt

 

Sara Quie's

Ancient Egypt

Greek myths (Iliad/Odyssey included)

 

 

McCaughrean's

Greek Gods and Goddesses

and

Greek Myths

 

Padraic Colum's

The Golden Fleece

 

Sutcliff's

Black Ships Before Troy

and

The Wanderings of Odysseus

 

Olivia Coolidge's

Greek Myths

Roman myths (Aeniad included)

 

 

McCaughrean's

Roman Myths

 

Penelope Lively's

In Search of a Homeland

China

 

 

France's Carpenter's

Tales of a Chinese Grandmother

 

Linda Fang's

The Ch'i-lin Purse

Hindu mythology (yes, we ended up spending a long time here)

 

 

Uma Krishnaswami's

The Broken Tusk

 

Uma Krishnaswami's

Shower of Gold

 

Harish Johari's

Little Krishna

 

Harish Johari's

How Parvati Won the Heart of Shiva

 

Harish Johari's

How Ganesh Got his Elephant's Head

 

Harish Johari's

The Monkey's and the Mango Tree

 

Erik Jendresen's

Hanuman

 

Bulbul Sharma's

The Ramayana for Children

 

Jatinder Verma's

The Story of Divaali

 

Vatsala Sperling's

Ganga

Hanuman

(movie, animated -- we have an English version of this)

Buddhist

 

 

Jeanne M. Lee's

I Once Was a Monkey

(Jataka tales)

 

Jonathan Landaw's

Prince Siddhartha: The Story of Buddha

Christian (we're secular)

 

 

McCaughrean's two Bible adaptations

 

Fran Manushkin's

Daughter's of Fire

 

 

Norse

 

 

Colum's

Children of Odin

 

Philip's

Odin's Family

Siegfried

 

 

Barbara Leonie Picard's

German Hero-Sagas and Folk-tales

 

James Baldwin's

Story of Siegfried

Beowulf

 

 

Sutcliff's

Dragon Slayer

Arthur

 

 

Sutcliff's Arthur trilogy

 

 

Edited to add:

 

I forgot some....

 

Padraic Colum's The King of Ireland's Son (big hit)

Gwyn Thomas and Kevin Crossley-Holland's Tales from the Mabinogion

Colum's Trojan War and Adventures of Odysseus

[Satori]

Awesome list Melanie! I'm getting some great ideas from everyone. I'm also reminded of some picture books I purchased for Ancients. Here's some we love, that may have been listed above, but we've read these and so I'll post my thoughts:

 

 

The Gilgamesh Trilogy by Ludmila Zeman - beautifully illustrated, fascinated story of one of the world's oldest stories, and Gilgamesh was probably once a real king.

1. Gilgamesh the King
   
2. The Revenge of Ishtar
   
3. The Last Quest of Gilgamesh
   

I myself finished Epic of Gilgamesh last week for my own education. :)

 

I'm getting a ton of Egyptian myth picture books, but I'm only listing the ones we're getting the most mileage out of. It's fun to learn the story of Nut and Geb and how they came to be though when reading a picture book like The Star-Bearer: A Creation Myth from Ancient Egypt.

 

Our current read-aloud is Tales of Ancient Egypt by Roger Lancelyn Green, covers in depth Egyptian myths and the stories of their gods and goddesses.

[MelanieM]

We're enjoying The New York Public Library Amazing Mythology: A Book of Answers for Kids right now.

[Capt_Uhura]

Here's one I haven't seen mentioned here. Granted it was harder to find than Hamilton's Book.

 

In the Beginning...Creation Stories For Young People

 

I like this one b/c it is broken into regions so it makes it easy to go along w/ history. Africa, Asia, Europe, Greenland, N. Am, The West Indies, Mexico and S. Am, The Middle East, Oceania

 

Here it is at Half.com but also out of stock. I kept checking and one popped up for a couple of bucks and I snagged it. Libraries would probably have it though. http://product.half.ebay.com/In-the-Beginning-Creation-Stories_W0QQtgZinfoQQprZ771176

[Medieval Mom]

In many ways, fairy tales represent a "folk mythology" of a people. I don't know of any collection more appealing than Lang's Fairy Books. :)

 

Free collection here

 

Dover's inexpensive reprints here

 

Lavish, gilded, leather-bound editions here

[Jayne J]

I humbly submit the following:

 

The Complete Book of Bible Stories. http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Bible-Stories-Jesse-Hurlbut/dp/0310702070/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265314703&sr=1-5

 

 

**Disclaimer*** I am a Christian. :D

It is an especially well written book of Bible stories. It *does tell the stories as if they were true (it is says "God did this or that," not "Christians believe God did this or that..." ) I like it because it does an excellent job of showing the "story arc" through all of Scripture, not just a series of disarticulated miracle stories. The Bible is an amazing piece of literature and this does it justice in that sense as well.

If what you are looking for is a great grounding for your child in the themes and story arc of Christianity (IMHO vital to understand much Western literature) this is a great choice. It is very long--we are reading one story/day and it will take all year, so it would not fit into a short Christian stories type category.

[PollyOR]

:lurk5:

[Guest Cindie2dds]

I have nothing to add, but I would like to thank you all for the list of books and reviews.

[nmoira]

I'm looking for a chunky book on the lives of saints; DD the Elder's interest was peaked after reading Catherine, Called Birdy. I've seen some nice picture books, but she'd like something fairly substantial.

[Nicole M]

I'm looking for a chunky book on the lives of saints; DD the Elder's interest was peaked after reading Catherine, Called Birdy. I've seen some nice picture books, but she'd like something fairly substantial.

 

My favorite is Ursula Synge's The Giant at the Ford. It can be difficult to find, but it is often tucked away in storage in libraries.

[Spy Car]

I'm looking for a chunky book on the lives of saints; DD the Elder's interest was peaked after reading Catherine, Called Birdy. I've seen some nice picture books, but she'd like something fairly substantial.

 

We (my wife) has an old copy of Butler's Lives of the Saints. I'm quite remiss in not reading from it more fully, however, the horrible (horrible) ends most of these people met was simply too much for my delicate sensibilities.

 

Bill

[nmoira]

We (my wife) has an old copy of Butler's Lives of the Saints. I'm quite remiss in not reading from it more fully, however, the horrible (horrible) ends most of these people met was simply too much for my delicate sensibilities.

DD the Elder is decidedly more robust on that front. :tongue_smilie:

 

Thanks.

[Hathersage]

Does anyone have any book recommendations for the parables?

[IsabelC]

We (my wife) has an old copy of Butler's Lives of the Saints. I'm quite remiss in not reading from it more fully, however, the horrible (horrible) ends most of these people met was simply too much for my delicate sensibilities.

 

Bill

 

Thanks for the reminder, I would really like to learn more about the saints (martyrs and otherwise).

Hotdrink (who is, however, slightly skeptical with regard to Bill's alleged delicacy)

[chiguirre]

Does anyone have any book recommendations for the parables?

 

Tomie de Paola has a book of parables. I have his Bible story book and liked it, but preread just in case.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Parables-Jesus-Tomie-dePaola/dp/0823411966/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265463605&sr=8-1

[HRAAB]

I'm looking for a chunky book on the lives of saints; DD the Elder's interest was peaked after reading Catherine, Called Birdy. I've seen some nice picture books, but she'd like something fairly substantial.

 

I'm not sure if you looking for biographies or more of an encyclopedia, but The Oxford Dictionary of Saints is good. Also Dictionary of Saints by Delaney. Many of the books about saints tend cross over from fact into legend, especially the stories of the early Christian martyrs; some of those get extremely fantastical. The above books deal with known facts while mentioning the legends that have grown up around particular saints.

 

My dd is reading Fabiola by Cardinal Wiseman. It's a novel that takes place in 4th century Rome but does include some actual saints (Agnes, Sebastian) come to mind right now. From glancing through it, I suspect it was written for Catholics in England, so it might have quite a bias. But it does give a picture of the life of early christians.

[Nicole M]

We (my wife) has an old copy of Butler's Lives of the Saints. I'm quite remiss in not reading from it more fully, however, the horrible (horrible) ends most of these people met was simply too much for my delicate sensibilities.

 

Bill

 

You should try Ursula's book, then. She captures the essence of their personalities without going into details about gouging out eyes and all that. St. Jerome, for instance, is quite a curmudgeon, in a lovable sort of way. Hers is definitely "legends" of the saints, not stories of their actual lives and yes, very bloody ends.

[Mom-ninja.]

I haven't read all posts. Has anyone mentioned this book?

 

It looks interesting

[MelanieM]

I haven't read all posts. Has anyone mentioned this book?

 

It looks interesting

 

That looks great! I just reserved a copy at my library. Thanks!

[Mom-ninja.]

I'm adding another book. I saw it recommended in the Secular Homeschooling magazine.

[Jyniffrec]

Demi has books about Muhammad, St. Nicholas, Buddha, the Dalai Lama, Mary and many, many more. I love Demi! She also retells myths from around the world, my favorite so far being the Firebird. She is secular in thinking and, I believe, fair to her subjects.

Edited June 14, 2010 by Jyniffrec
corrected grammatical mistake

[Violet Crown]

I'm looking for a chunky book on the lives of saints; DD the Elder's interest was peaked after reading Catherine, Called Birdy. I've seen some nice picture books, but she'd like something fairly substantial.

 

If you don't feel it's inappropriate for DD the Elder's age, I'd say go right for an up-to-date translation of Jacobus de Voragine's Golden Legend. It's the source for all the medieval saints' stories and iconography.

 

Unlike Butler's, it's quite full of historically unlikely hagiography; it's not in Butler's that you'll learn how St. Martha made it to France and saved the locals from not just a dragon but an onachus, "which lets fly its dung like an arrow at anyone who gives chase and can shoot it up to an acre away, scorching whatever it touches as if it were fire." There's violence, occasional anti-Jewish and -Muslim references, and references to prostitution and other sexual proclivities; I don't read out of it to younger children. (I do let dd14 read it though.)

[Guest Cindie2dds]

I'm adding another book. I saw it recommended in the Secular Homeschooling magazine.

 

That looks like it would be great for 3rd and up. How fun!

[nmoira]

If you don't feel it's inappropriate for DD the Elder's age, I'd say go right for an up-to-date translation of Jacobus de Voragine's Golden Legend. It's the source for all the medieval saints' stories and iconography.

 

Unlike Butler's, it's quite full of historically unlikely hagiography;

Yes, this is exactly what she wants.

 

Thanks so much. :)

[Momling]

We really enjoyed the "Ten Best Bible Stories Ever" put out by Horrible Histories. It's a good book for kids with a sense of humor interested in stories from the Old Testament, but from a secular (or at least non-literal) standpoint.

[nono]

The Fourth Question, A Chinese Tale. "Retold" by Rosalind C. Wang. Out of all the Chinese stories we have in English in our home, this is the one the kids ask for the most. :)