Publisher Description

Get ready for a battle to rule the Underworld! The Greek god Hades is the king of the underworld and has power over the souls of the dead and the riches in the earth. But the Egyptian god Anubis also claims to rule the underworld and protect the souls of the dead. If these two ancient gods battled it out one-on-one, who would come out on top? Compare and contrast Hades' and Anubis' strengths, powers, and weaknesses in this Mythology Matchup.

Author Biography

Lydia Lukidis is the author of more than thirty-five trade and educational books for children, as well as thirty e-books. Her latest STEM title, The Broken Bees' Nest (Boyds Mills & Kane, 2019), was nominated for a CYBILS Award. Lydia is passionate about fostering a love for literacy with children. In addition to offering writing workshops and author visits in elementary schools, she is very involved in the kidlit community and volunteers as a judge on Rate your Story.

Review

These breezy volumes in the Mythology Matchups series pit two similar deities from different ancient religions against each other to see who comes out on top. Each title opens with a dramatic scene in which its featured gods or goddesses arrive before moving into four chapters that typically provide snapshots of the deities' origins, strengths, powers, and flaws, all of which are neatly summed up in concluding "At a Glance" fact pages. The engaging writing will immediately draw in readers, and well-chosen illustrations (many being reproductions of artwork), fact bubbles, and ample white space will help to retain kids' focus. The author also mindfully points out discrepancies between historical accounts and stories. Prigg vs. Aphrodite compares these famous beauties, highlighting Frigg's primary role as a loving mother and Aphrodite's unparalleled command of love. Visit the underworld in Hades vs. Anubis, which reveals Hades' ability to become invisible and Anubis' to shapeshift. Goddesses of the underworld get their due in Hel vs. Persephone, which includes the enthralling stories of how these women came to rule there. Odin vs. Ares hits the battlefield, where these war gods embody the notion of brains versus brawn, respectively. Greek and Norse mythologies see the most action in this high-interest series, leaving it room to grow. As for the winners? Those are left for readers to pick.--Julia Smith "Booklist"
Mythology fans who fancy the idea of mythological heroes facing off against each other will be intrigued by this well-written, stimulating series. The set pits pairs of legendary combatants from diverse mythological traditions against each other, though not necessarily physically or on battlefields. Each fact-packed title includes five chapters written with lively, terse sentences that ensure smooth reading and heighten reader interest. New vocabulary is boldfaced and defined in the glossary; the deities' names and other words from the languages of the myths' origins are also defined. From the outset, each book compares the gods'/goddesses' dominions, abilities, personalities, etc., to excite readers about who's more powerful and, thus, who might "come out on top." Deities' weaknesses are also mentioned. Volumes cite the heroes' origins, include snippets of stories in which they figure, and discuss their similarities. Media representation is noted. Artwork includes statuary and captioned black-and-white and color illustrations; sidebars present additional facts. An excellent sum-up feature is included in each volume, which provides a final comparison of each opponent's strengths, weaknesses, appearances, weapons, powers, etc. -VERDICT Students will learn about and compare different cultures' mythologies, understand myths are universal, and recognize different cultures value similar human traits. A fascinating series recommended for school and public libraries.--Carol Goldman, formerly at Queens PL, NY "School Library Journal"

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