In the Beginning: Creation Stories from Around the World

An excellent collection. We borrowed this book from the library, and my daughter liked it so much we bought it for her.

With a little bit of interpretation, this book is fine for younger children. My 5-year old is already curious about the where the world came from. This book is a great way for her to begin to consider the historical context of the biblical creation story. We read the stories (for now I omit a few of the passages about death and suffering), and then we look at a globe to see where each story came from. We discuss how different people looked around at their world and drew different conclusions about it. We also read children's books about the big bang and evolution, and talk about why modern people see the world in a new way. The main point is that all people are curious about their world and feel connected to it in different ways.

This book works well as a read-aloud for as young as preschool age. The illustrations are very exceptional. My favorite is the painting of "Woman" on page 6.

This is the perfect book to introduce readers of all ages to the creation myths of different religons and cultures. In these days when the teaching of evolution and modern cosmology are controversial, this book provides valuable perspective on the way different people have accounted for the earth and its inhabitants. It should be required reading for all public school administrators, and would be a valuable addition to any school (or home) library.