We have already noticed the same author’s re‐telling of Norse myths (Reference Reviews, 98/251), and now these two latest volumes in the series are equally welcome. The Celtic book will find a ready market with the current fin de siècle vogue for things Celtic, while the South American introduces commendable geographical and cultural diversity to the series. Philip Ardagh is a notable children’s author, formerly a librarian, who is here producing a useful, accessible range of introductions to world myth and legend.
Introductions they must be, as selections from sometimes (especially the Celtic) an enormous and complex corpus of source material. The author tells the stories anew in his own words to attract and hold the attention of a contemporary audience of nine‐ to 12‐year‐olds. He also provides an introduction with short paragraphs of background material (What is a myth? What is a legend? Who were the Celts? How do we know?) and of brief reference material (an alphabetical list of main characters and two more short paragraphs about how Celtic myth is characterised and presented). The same pattern is followed for the South American volume.
The selection of stories is wide‐ranging: the Celtic volume gives tales of Llew Llaw Gyffes, Lug, Deirdre, Arthur (the Sword in the Stone and his death), Cuchulain, and the Changeling of Green Knoll. The South American work contains more creation legends and foundation of the Inca people, with two more specific tales (Voyage of the Poppykettle and Asare and the alligators). Each volume is completed by a single‐page index.
Both volumes are attractively designed and printed in a large format, and well illustrated in full colour (by G. Barton Chapple for the Celtic volume, and Syrah Arnold for the South American) and with eye‐catching covers. Most important, they tell ancient legends ‐ an integral part of any child’s world heritage ‐ in clear, accessible modern English. This will build into a fascinating series, well worth its place in any school library or classroom.
