Myths are culturally significant traditional stories about gods and heroes and the best illuminate problems of human existence (Saxby, 2004). One important category is the creation story which attempts, within a particular cultural setting, to explain how the world began.
The imaginative power of many of the retellings and the possibilities for art, drama, writing and discussion make them a strong part of the English programme. Because their origins are often in the oral tradition they can be modified and adapted for different audiences and purposes. For a delightful tale seeking to explain why different animal species are unable to live together see Francesca Martin’s The Honey Hunters: a Traditional African Tale (Walker Books, 1992). If you want a collection for younger primary children or less able older children Marcia Williams’ Greek Myths for Younger Children (Walker Books) presents the stories of Orpheus, Perseus and other Greek heroes in amusing cartoon format. Myths often have quite complicated narrative structures and many collections of retellings are most suitable for older primary school children. Even then, they are often best read out loud and shared. Examples include the story based on a Zulu myth retold by Margaret Wolfson and entitled Marriage of the Rain Goddess: a South African myth (Barefoot Books, 1996) and Ishtar and Tammuz: a Babylonian myth of the seasons by Christopher Moore (Frances Lincoln, 1996) which explains the rhythm of the seasons.
The Belitha Press collections of myths and legends include stories from Africa, China, South America and Celtic tales. Each collection has an introduction putting the tales in a helpful context. There are further annotated booklists in Stones (1999), pp. 27–34 and Phinn (2000), pp. 29–32.
Phinn, Gervase (2000) Young Readers and their Books London: David Fulton.
Saxby, M. (2004). ‘Myth and legend’, in Hunt, P. (ed.) (second edition) International Companion Encyclopedia of Children’s Literature Volume I London: Routledge.
Stones, Rosemary (ed.) (1999) A Multicultural Guide to Children’s Books 0–16 London: Books for Keeps.
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