Reinhart and Sabuda provide an introduction to world mythologies. The book's defining characteristic is the elaborate, very impressive pop-ups that accompany the serviceable text. Occasionally, though, the layout feels cramped, with the larger, central pop-ups getting in the way of the text and of the smaller, secondary design elements. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.

Fairies and Magical Creatures (2008), the rock stars of the pop-up world move on to deities in volume two of their Encyclopedia Mythologica. Egyptian, Greek (the Romans are elided), Norse, Asian and New World mythologies (Africa is entirely ignored) each receive the duo's customary dazzling, perfunctory treatment. A giant central pop-up (Anubis, Olympus, a pretty fabulous hammering Thor, etc.) serves as a focal point, while folios to the side contain additional, smaller pop-ups and brief character sketches or stories. While the impulse toward comprehensiveness is essentially praiseworthy, the package might have been stronger if they had limited themselves more. The coverage of Asian, Oceanic and North and South American mythoses is so scant it only serves to diminish the subject and confuse readers. Now, an entire book on the 12 labors of Heraclesthat would have been mighty cool indeed. (Pop-up. 8-12)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

The creators behind the popular Encyclopedia Prehistorica series of pop-up books offer this second volume in the Encyclopedia Mythologica (following Fairies and Magical Creatures, 2008). Ranging beyond the better-known canon of classical mythology, the book is evenly weighted to include Egyptian, Norse, Eastern, and New World legends. Each of the six main spreads is dominated by a large centerpiece, which is surrounded by three or four flaps that open to reveal smaller but often no-less-impressive pop-ups that dive into substrata of the spread's main theme. Some of these pop-ups reveal even smaller flaps in a kind of nested-doll-like series of diminishing size. The page constructions are what you'd expect from the duo, which is to say intricately detailed and exquisitely designed but also sturdier than they look, though certainly prone to mangling when overhandled. The information, though well conveyed, is both necessarily truncated by the nature of the format and demanding of a higher reading level than most pop-up books. Still, definitely neat.--Chipman, Ian Copyright 2010 Booklist

Reinhard and Sabuda continue to raise the bar in their second Encyclopedia Mythologica pop-up (following Fairies and Magical Creatures), a global tour of gods and other deities. Multiple stories unfold on each page within layered tableaus in miniature booklets, like treasures to be unveiled. A sort of flip book detailing Hercules's 12 tasks is triggered by pull-tab; one booklet shows the destruction of Atlantis; elsewhere, a grimacing Pele erupts from the spewing lava of a volcano; and the plumed Aztec serpent, Quetzalcoatl, seems to fly toward readers on the final spread. A fun and engaging assemblage that seamlessly marries its form and content. Ages 5-up. (Feb.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Gr 3-8-This handsome volume introduces beings powerful enough to "push the seasons forward, forge mighty civilizations, and shape the very earth." Six gloriously illustrated spreads, each graced by a dramatic paper-sculpture centerpiece and additional fold-out booklets, provide a glimpse at gods and heroes from around the world along with appetite-whetting tidbits of myths and legends. Represented are the deities of ancient Egypt, the Greek pantheon, mortal champions of the classical world, Norse gods and goddesses, Asian and Polynesian divinities, and the "Great Spirits of the New World." The artwork, set against pastel backdrops, combines traditional images with modern sensibilities to stunning effect. An airy pop-up of Olympus includes all 12 primary gods; a pull-tab flips miniature pages to reveal Herakles's 12 labors; a 3-D Thor swings his famed hammer down with a powerful thrust; hot-headed Pele emerges from a volcano base; Spider Woman weaves a celestial web out of silver cord; and more. The text covers a lot of ground but is well written and works hand-in-hand with the striking, innovative illustrations to encourage further exploration. Use this attention-grabbing overview to brew up reader interest and launch studies of ancient cultures and mythology.-Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.