Berenstain, Michael. The Creature Catalog. A Monster Watcher’s Guide. New York, Random House Inc., 1982.
Offers brief descriptions on the origins of monsters, and animal creatures from mythology, legends and folklore. It has very brief definitions accompanied by a picture of each of the monsters and creatures.
Bierlein, J.F. Parallel Myths. New York, Ballantine Books, 1994.
A great resource for the new reader to mythology. Bierlein elaborates on the universality and importance of myth in human history and culture.
Blythe, Richard. Dragons and Other Fabulous Creatures. New York, Grosset and Dunlap, 1977.
The book is divided into chapters by the names of dreadful dragons, fabulous birds, fabulous horses, men or monsters?, monsters of the deep, spiders and serpents, and curious creatures. A wonderful book that will grab anyone’s attention by the illustrations and captivating stories. Among other myths, includes the Phoenix and the Chimaera.
Bruchac, Joseph. Iroquois Stories: Heroes and Heroines Monsters and Magic. Trumansburg, New York, The Crossing Press, 1985.
An anthology of Bruchac’s own versions based on Iroquois legends. Contains a list of references with an introduction on storytelling. Many of the stories, following the Native American tradition, explain the how and why of the creation of the world with all its diversity in fauna and vegetation. They have been written with children in mind and would be appropriate for storytelling or individual reading.
Bruchac, Joseph. Native American Animal Stories. Golden, Colorado, Fulcrum Publishing, 1992.
With a foreword by Vine Deloria, this book focuses on the relationships among Native American people and animals. Includes a map of Native North America with the location of many different stories exploring the role of animals. It is a great source of stories with animals playing the most important role. Under the categories of creation, celebration, vision, feathers and fur, and survival.
Bryan, Ashley. Beat the Story-Drum, Pum-Pum. New York, Atheneum, 1980.
A very good collection of short stories with a moral lesson. Among the best stories in this collection are “Hen and Frog”, “Why Frog and Snake Never Play Together”, and “How Animals Got their Tales”. The animals in the story reflect human characteristics, exploring a problem we all have in one way or another.
Chafetz, Henry. Thunderbird and Other Stories. New York, Pantheon Books, 1964.
A collection of three Native American stories. “Thunderbird”, the first of the stories, tells how the Great Spirit, converts Nasan, the greatest of the giants, into a thunderbird after having stolen the Evening Star Lady. The next tale, “The Tale of Bat”, takes place at the beginning of time and explains how bats came about. The last of the stories, “The Peace Pipe”, gives an account of the perils of war and how they arrived to peace.
Courlander, Harold. A Treasury of African Folklore. New York, Marlowe and Company, 1998.
A collection of the oral literature, traditions, myths, legends, epics, tales, recollections, wisdom, sayings, and humors of Africa. Includes a bibliography and an index.
Dewey, Ariane. The Thunder God’s Son. New York, Greenwillow Books, 1981.
Based on a Peruvian folktale retells how the young Acury, son of the thunder god, is sent to earth by his father to learn the human ways.
Erdos, Richard and Alfonso Ortiz. American Indian Myths and Legends. New York, Pantheon, 1984.
A diverse collection of stories from all over the Native American tradition. Includes a bibliography and an index of tales.
Garai, Jana. The Book of Symbols. London, Lorrimer Publishing, 1973.
A wonderful collection of all sort of symbols by theme. Defines a symbol as an art of thinking in images and as a reference to something mysterious and unknown which has been created by the part of the man that is god.
Goble, Paul. Buffalo Woman. Scarsdale, New York, Bradbury Press Inc., 1984.
This story teaches us how buffalo and the people of the Great Plains are related. In its origins the story was not meant solely to entertain but to bring change within each of us. It has beautiful illustrations.
Kanawa, Kiri Te. Land of the Long White Cloud. Maori Myths, Tales and Legends. New York, Arcade Publishing, 1989.
A personal selection of stories from the Maori tradition. It begins with the birth of Maui, the trickster god, and continues with a series of adventures including a creation story, legends, adventures in the underworld, and even romantic stories. It has very colorful illustrations. Recommended for read-aloud or for an advance reader.
Klyse, Thomas S. Intro to Greek/Roman Myth. Arch Publishers Group. 1998.
Inter-active presentation in four parts with educational games. The program includes a glossary and a collection of the most important myths.
Leeming, David, Margareth A. Leeming. A Dictionary of Creation Myths. New York, Oxford University Press, 1995.
Each entry in the dictionary refers and identifies the culture that the myths originate in. Each myth is retold in prose with extensive cross-referencing to guide readers to other entries.
Lurie, Allison. The Heavenly Zoo. New York, Farrar, Strauss and Giroux, 1979.
A collection of tales explaining how each of the creatures that our ancestors saw up in the sky got to where they are. These tales are short and have an illustration depicting the figures of legend and myth and show them against the stars of the night sky that indicate their position. Included are: the eagle, bear, dog, lion, water-serpent, dragon, scorpion, crab, ram, swan, whale, fish, bull, wolf, sea-goat, and dove.
Manbazo, Ladysmith Black Gift of the Tortoise. Redway, California, Music for little people. 1994.
This is a wonderful CD recording retelling through storytelling and music of some of the traditions of the Zulu people. Using Fudugazi, the tortoise, as the narrator of the stories, Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s music makes this recording a great source of Zulu traditions. Stories and songs such as “Rain Chant”, or “The Boy Who Turned into a Cat” will delight the young as well as the old.
McDermott, Gerald. Sun Flight. New York, Four Wind Press, 1980.
Retells the story of Daedalus from his imprisonment by King Minos of Crete. It has beautiful illustrations and it would be appropriate for the beginner or intermediate reader.
Nesbit, Edith. The Phoenix and the Carpet. London, Octopus, 1979.
An entertaining book for children relating the story of a Phoenix still in the egg and wrapped in a magic carpet.
Pilling, Ann. Realms of Gold Myths and Legends From Around the World. New York, Kingfisher books, 1993.
The stories in this anthology fall into three parts: myths in which people try to explain the wonders they see around them; stories that explain the great themes of love; and tales of fools and heroes. Written with children in mind, the stories are easy and entertaining to be read independently or as a read-aloud.
Rosenberg, Donna. Folklore, Myth and Legends: A World Perspective. Lincolnwood, Ill., NTC Pub. Group, 1997.
A great source of myths, legends, and folklore with an extensive bibliography and index.
Seton, Julia M. Indian Creation Stories. Santa Fe, New Mexico, Seton Village Press, 1952.
A collection of stories based on diverse American Indian tribes. Written for children its main drawback is the lack of background (where do they originate?). However, the stories are very entertaining and appropriate for young children. Even though the stories can be read independently of each other, there is a continuous thread in the stories from one to the next.
South, Malcolm. Mythical and Fabulous Creatures. Westport, CT, Greenwood Press, 1987.
An extensive source book and research guide of mythical and fabulous creatures. Each chapter describes in detail each mythical and fabulous creature. Includes a bibliography.
Stein, Diane. Creation and Creation Goddesses. The Women’s Spirituality Book. St. Paul, Minnesota, Llewellyn Publications. 1995.
A feminist collection of stories on the historical views of creation and creation goddesses.
Willis, Roy, Ed. World Mythology. New York, Henry Holt and Company, 1993.
A Henry Holt reference book. Divided into sections by country and region, it offers an extensive bibliographical list. It provides the reader with a great source of pictures and illustrations depicting mythological representations in the arts.