Juno

April 1, 2015

Gr 5-8-Cramming a wealth of detail into a continuous text with occasional sidebars, these slim accounts are complex and often repetitive in recounting relationships and pivotal events among the featured deities. All begin with the same full-page picture, explanation of Roman beliefs in the gods, and sparsely labeled map of Italy, and all conclude with the same family tree of Roman mythology and comparison of the gods to their Greek counterparts. Wooden text covers each subject's birth, family history, and responsibilities, as well as notable life events, including marriages and love affairs. Further reading lists often feature other works by the authors of these books, and Internet resources includes only the publisher's website. The illustrations are suitable; readers won't be enticed to pick up these works, but those who do will find some interesting material here. VERDICT A solid set covering the basics for collections looking to fill holes.

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2015
Grades 3-5 The Roman Mythology series uses graphic-novel-style art and stories to introduce the individual gods and goddesses, along with other deities in the pantheon. Each book begins with a description of Rome and the relationship between the Roman and Greek gods, and is followed by a visual of the characters and places discussed in each volume. Juno discusses the queen of the goddesses as both wife to Jupiter and the protector of women. Though the text describes her as the graceful mother of Rome, in contrast to her jealous Greek counterpart, Hera, much of Juno's story is still about exacting revenge on Jupiter's lovers. All the books have short sidebars that expand the text outside the realm of myth, for instance, a box about the life of women in Roman times. The text itself can be repetitive and sometimes carelessly written, but readers will get the gist, and the superhero-style artwork should draw them in.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)