In the Beginning: Creation Stories from Around the World Library Binding

A lot of reviewers complained, but I'm glad I didn't let that put me off. This is just what I wanted for my hubby, who enjoys reading up on different cultural viewpoints. I started reading it myself and I really enjoy it. The author does a good job of summarising tales which often have many different versions to them and I appreciate the work she put into simplifying things. Each story takes a couple minutes to read-- not taxing at all. Plus she tells you which culture each story is from so you know where to look if you want more. I wanted many different cultures summarized in one book and this was the only title I found that seemed to fit the bill. Regardless of your religious beliefs, I think this would be a useful read. It's always beneficial to be reminded that there are many ways to view the world, and how you are taught when you're young really affects your worldview. As a counselor, I find it fascinating to see what themes different cultures emphasize.

The tales come from around the world and include Classical Greek, African and Biblical creation myths.Beautiful watercolours accompany each myth and a short commentary at the end of each one highlights the important themes. The stories are concisely encapsulated in a few pages of text. Some myths fare well by this treatment, but others, with their intricasies and complications can be difficult to grasp without greater detail.It is not really a children's storybook to be read from cover to cover, but the stories can be enjoyed by children and used to ignite their imaginations. How did people, lacking the wealth of knowledge that we enjoy, make sense of the world? And how do their conceptions on what a god is differ from those we know in our post-Christian culture?A good starting point for discovering the world's stories.

This book has creation stories from all over the world. It's quite interesting and gets the kids asking important questions.

These short stories hold my kids attention and are great conversation starters.

Great book! Love the illustrations!

My children are 12 and 5. Both of them are enjoying learning mythology from other countries. I think it is important to let your child explore other creation stories from around the world.I really enjoyed this book. The pictures are beautiful, the book is very informative and it is objective. I was very surprised to see the Christian creation myth being presented as a story like the rest.I seen other reviews about the book not being a kid book, I disagree. If your child is used to long stories and even chapter books at 5, they will be able to sit for this book. If you have never read those types of books to your child then it will be new to them and you will lose their attention. I would say 12 is probably the perfect age but 5 was very possible. It depends on the child and what their past experiences have been.Overall, buy this book! It's a must have for a skeptics library or for parents who are allowing their children to pick their own path in life.

The art work is rich and beautiful, and the stories are presented without bias and without unnecessary interpretation - the short commentary at the end of each story is sufficient. My third grader and I both love this book, and reading the stories together has allowed us to explore questions of creation myths in general and their role in various cultures and religions. The stories show how early people without the benefits of telescopes and scientific equipment constructed mythologies to explain the world around them, often with remarkable similarities between very diverse cultures. This has helped her to place the creation vs. evolution argument in a much better context, and to be able to defend her own emerging opinions on the subject. This book is a great complement to the "Parenting Beyond Belief" books.