D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths

D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths is one of the best books of Norse mythology that I've ever read. While it is intended for young readers, adults will be equally charmed with its clear, concise writing and unsophisticated (yet memorable) illustrations. My kids hung on every word as I read this too them, and loved looking at the illustrations. The only flaw this book contains is a rather tacked on ending that trys to reconcile Norse mythology and Christianity. A great companion to this book is D'Aulaires' Book of Trolls.

All of the D'Aulaires' myth books are really great. The pictures are beautiful, and the myths exciting. We have the Greek and the Norse, and we have borrowed the Egyptian from the library many times.

I loved this book as a child and poured over it for hours at the public library. I am so happy that a friend told me it was back in print.

Even though the illustrations are more simplistic and do not have a tremendous number of colors, they are sophisticated in a different way. The stories of the Norse myths are compelling, and the illustrations are complimentary. If you grew up with this, like I did, it is a must-have. If you have kids or grand kids, they will love discovering this book.

Norse mythology is quite popular right now. Capitalize on this to help your developing readers improve reading skills with the well-developed paragraph structure and organization. There are just enough wonderful illustrations to keep their attention for an entire afternoon.

D'Aulaires' mythology books are some of my families favourites. We love the stories and drawings so much. I had a copy of this when I was a child and was very happy to see the store had it for a decent price for my kids to love as well. Great book, great price.

I really enjoyed this book, it's a very fun read. The only thing I'd note is that even though it is a "kids" book, there are parts that might not be quite appropriate for really young kids (a little violence).

The illustrations are beautiful, by the way! :)This book is great for a day with nothing to do and a mug of cocoa. Or if you're studying the vikings or Norse myths, it's a great introduction.

If you like Marvel comics and heroes like Thor or you like Greek Mythology you are sure to like D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths. It is very different from Greek Mythology but not necessarily in a bad way. The pictures in it are awesome and it gives you a lot of stories and background on how Norse mythology originated. A great buy for anyone.

EDITED TO ADD:
In reading our copy, there are many pages that are out of order. It skips from 21 to 83, then to 92. Further in the book, it skips the same way from the mid 40's to the early 100's. I was devastated by finding our copy to be relatively useless, as it was our son's first Christmas present. This was very upsetting, and I wish we'd discovered it before the return window closed. Unfortunately, our son was more interested in tearing the pages than sitting to be read to until very recently (6mos old).

Original review:
This book is an excellent tool for teaching children the stories of Norse mythology, whether for fun and educational or religious / family heritage purposes, or for enjoying as an adult. It's beautifully illustrated and well written, making it a nice gift or addition to any library.

It is a classic about Norse Mythology. Great introduction to the Norse myths for kids. I gave it to and read it first with my son when he was little, and now to my granddaughter who is devouring it. These myths still influence our literature, art, film and everyday lives. D'Aulaires' is required reading in many schools and just fun reading with your young ones at home.

Just another great D'Aulaires book! If you or you children like myths or if you want to introduce them to myths, then the D'Aulaires are the way to go. We started with their Greek myths book, which is well worn now; first reading the stories to my children and then them taking over and reading themselves.

I was able to finally get my 5th grader to move away from the Greeks with this book. She loves this new set of myths and is willing to read the Romans now!

It explains the a lot of the different tales of how it was started and how it ended. The book was easily understood by my son and engaged him for hours. It has given him a lot of information to share with others.

I had this book (and the Greek Myth counterpart) when I was younger and loved it. I just finished reading it to my boys (4 and 6) and it held their attention through every page--we did a story or 2 every night. I love the drawings. The art style is unique and different. Every kid should read this

The illustrations are mesmerizing and the stories are not widely known in the U.S. This recently reissued high-quality book is perfect as a gift for people of all ages, or for yourself. You will not be disappointed.

I read this as a child. It was a gift from my godmother. When I started dating my now fiance, she told me that she had the same book (I still had my copy) but hers was in shambles/lost. I IMMEDIATELY found this copy which is the exact same book as mine (and hers, it turned out) and she was absolutely floored that I was not only able to find the book but the exact same version of it.

This book is GREAT. The illustrations and stories are just awesome. As a young boy I loved reading fiction and mythology and this was just perfect for me.

Pros: Large size, hardcover, great illustrations, easy to read

Cons: HA!

My daughter and I absolutely LOVE this book. It includes just enough information about the Gods, without all of the graphic, violent, or child-inappropriate parts of each story. I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to educate their child about this subject.

I purchased D'Aulaires Book of Norse Myths to complement our Middle Ages studies. I had already used D'Aulaires Book of Greek Myths last year, so I was hoping that this book was just as detailed. It was perfect! I would recommend this book to anyone that is homeschooling. My children love this book as much as I do.

This text has highly engaging pictures and the accompanying text is appropriate for children. Although the story with each picture is long, the text is engagingly written, and even children down to the age of 5 or 6, will enjoy the short myth stories. This book really deserves an A+.

Even while reading this book all I could think about was the excitement I would have reading it to children. It is well written and art is very fun. Each page contains a wealth of Norse Mythology and heritage waiting to be explored.

I grew up in a rural and remote area. The public library had this and the Greek Mythos book as well. I feel like the imagery is 50% of the reason I loved this book. Just enough to assist the imagination while reading these great stories.

This book was the second in the series of D'Aulaires books on mythology that opened me up to the world of mythology. Outstanding book to share with Elementary aged children as it is full of colorful pictures and contains enough content to relay the story lines of the mythos.

I have read other myth books and they seem to be just a quick summary. But D'Aulaires puts them together that tells each story that makes them come "alive". They weren't just a summary of the myth, but they were myth telling. Great books.

My daughter had checked this book out of the library at least 10 times. I found this on the store at an affordable price. It covers Norse mythology in an accessible way for kids. The stories are complete and wonderfully illistrated.

Several years ago my husband and I were disappointed to find that the d'Aulaire's book had gone out of print. (We wanted to be able to read it to our children.) We found a very used copy and bought it because, despite this copy's poor condition, the book was very hard to find. Now we will be able to replace it with a copy that is in one piece.

The stories are well researched and well told. The illustrations are great--if you are familiar with other works by the d'Aulaires you will know what I mean. This is a great Norse mythology for children.

Great book as stated by most everyone and beautiful illustrations - However the quality of the book itself is truly a shame. The cover is OK but the paper used for pages is so thin you can see through the print of the next page. I recommend searching used editions of this book published by Doubleday books - The original title was "Norse Gods and Giants". You'll be assured to get the same great book (story/illustrations) but on quality printed paper if this is important to you.

Before I put my girls to sleep at night we light a candle, invoke the sacred, do our little chant together, and then I retell Nordic Myths as I imagine our ancestors did long ago. For the last month and a half I have been telling them D’Aulaire’s version of the Norse Myths.

For the most part Ingri and Edgar stick to Sturluson’s Prose Edda, every once in a while they’ll slide in some other sources to compliment the stories, and in some cases, soften the stories to make them more palatable for young audiences.

While I do not show my girls the pictures, as I am retelling the stories by candlelight and they’re in their beds, they do like to look at the pictures during the day – especially when they have already heard the story and can easily ascribe it to the pictures they see.

For the most part we get the really exciting myths of the Gods: from Creation to Ragnarök and everything in between. My girls really like Thor’s stories, in particular, their favorite is the one where Loki tricks Thor into becoming a bride to get Mjölnir back (100).

All in all this is a great introduction to Norse Myths, especially if you are not wishing to dig into the Eddas. While there are many things I appreciate from Norse Myths, one thing in particular I liked was the way the authors introduced each of the main Gods by giving us some background, personality, and short stories. I can tell you first hand that my two girls, ages 6 and 8, really enjoyed themselves.

D’Aulaires’ Book of Norse Myths is a gorgeous hardcover that is approximately 12" x 9". It was originally named "Norse Gods and Giants" before New York Review Books reissued and renamed it. The book is over 150 pages long and is slammed with illustrations! On the inside of the front cover and back cover is an illustration that shows you the Nine Norse Worlds, with their original Norse names. For example, Hel & Nifl Heim is the Underworld. This illustration is very helpful in understanding Norse mythology. There is also a very useful glossary in the end with very detailed definitions, as well as page references for where the terms appear in the stories.

There are approximately thirty stories in this collection. As to be expected a great deal of them focus on Loki and Thor (two of the more well-known figures in Norse mythology). The first several stories are creation stories, which includes who the first gods were, how the world was created, and how man was created. I found these most fascinating, as I am a sucker for a good origin story. For example, man and woman were originally trees that three gods (Odin, Hoenir, and Lodur) gave life to. Unlike in Biblical accounts where people grew more sinful, in Norse mythology people grew better in every way. In fact, a disguised Odin walked among them teaching them how to behave. The book closes with the tale of "A New World." In this conclusion, there is a new sun and new earth and two people have survived. However, they don't worship the old gods anymore but God Almighty. Truly a fascinating book!

Great book, Chabon ruined the introduction. Why? The previous edition was much better.
I love the D'Aulaires' books, and have all of them. Why they let Chabon write such a ridiculous introduction is beyond my grasp.
This is a children's book, obviously, and his introduction describes how as a child he loved to read books filled with "rapes" and murders, yet that was fine with his nine year old self, and possible for all nine year old boys. He's a sexist jerk, and it pains me to think that he ruined the work of the D'Aulaires with his tripe.

Growing up, my knowledge of mythology centered almost entirely on Greek Mythology. I had, of course, heard of Thor, and there were a handful of times when I had come across Odin and Loki in my other readings, and there was the reference to the comic book version of Thor in Adventures In Babysitting. My studies into Norse Mythology did not go much deeper than that. Sadly it was not until I saw Thor (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy) that I wanted to read more about the Norse Myths.

I am a firm believer that the best place to begin researching a topic is the children's section. In most cases, the information in those books is presented simply and they tend to stay on the point and not drift onto information that is just a bunch of filler. And having immensely enjoyed D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths from the time I read it in sixth grade, I knew this would be a wonderful place to start my reading.

The pictures in the book are just as beautiful as they are in the Greek myth version of this book, and the stories are told as simply. While I truly did enjoy this book, I didn't enjoy it as much as the Greek myth version, which is the only reason I gave this book a four and not a five.

I still feel that is the best place to get started with learning the true stories about Odin, Thor and Loki.

D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths is a wonderful collection of Norse myths masterfully put together as a series of short stories. They are perfect for reading in the car, before bed, and in between times. The book covers the birth of the god to their death and has wonderful stories to tell when the world was young and the adventures they have as it ages. The stories are about a page long normally and on a few special exceptions up to maybe 5 pages long. The book is easy to read with large print and a good start to reading ancient myths. The book is good however I would recommend reading it from the library first to see if you like it.

I remember having this book read to me when I was a child. It was only when I saw a photograph of some of the illustrations in a book review of the NYRB reprint that I ordered a copy for myself and devoured it. All through my childhood, I knew of Odin the One-Eyed, duplicitous Loki, and the willowy Freya -- but I had not recalled where it was that I learned about them.

One of the things that most struck me about the wooing and fighting gods of Asgard was that they were mortal. The world tree, Yggdrasil, was threatened by a dragon in Niflheim that gnawed at its roots; and the giant wolf Fenris was hogtied by a magic cord. Around the same time, both of them cut loose and attacked. What ensued was Ragnarok, the Twilight of the Gods.

Why the old Norse peoples should have killed off their gods was always a question in my mind. Did it happen before or after Olaf Tryggvason, the Kind of Norway, was converted to Christianity around the year A.D. 1000? It does make some sense to establish the new religion by dusting off the old.

This book has stayed with me for the better part of a lifetime. As a parent, I think you can certainly do worse than sharing this memorable book and its glowing illustrations with your children.

One little footnote: Last Christmas, I sponsored a wolf at the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary in Ramah, NM whose name is Fenris. Look out, world!

My 9 year old loves the edition of D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths we bought for him several years ago so I thought it would be an easy decision to go with their Norse Myths as well. However, I'll be returning this book and searching for an edition that does not include Michael Chabon's (or any other person's) preface. I do not wish to have my son's view of this book (or the Bible) colored by a grown up's reflections on reading this book as an eight year old, and including commentary on mythology, religion and politics. I would like the myths to stand on their own and for my son to have the opportunity to develop his own perspective about them. As a lesser, but important note, I agree with another reviewer's comment that the quality of the paper used in the book is poor and probably won't be of lasting value.
Update: I ended up choosing to keep the book and tear out the pages (which I'm keeping in a folder for the future, because it is afterall, a well written and interesting piece). When my son questioned me about the missing pages and heard my explanation about not wanting his opinion of the book to be influenced by that of a grown up, he thanked me!

My 8-year-old and I loved D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths so, even though I personally had no interest on Norse mythology, I had to give this book a try. I'm glad I did! This book is as well written and as beautifully illustrated as the other book, the myths are as compelling and interesting, and my 8-year-old could not wait to hear the next one. As an adult, I was fascinated by just how different Norse mythology is from the Near Eastern & Classical mythologies I am more familiar with. I personally appreciated that the last chapter described Ragnarok as having already happened and the suggestion that Christianity is the next stage. The implication, of course, is that Christianity is just as true or untrue as Norse mythology. As an atheist, I like books that send that message :)

My kids and I enjoyed D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths, but wow. This one is even better. It's not just a retelling of some famous old tales. It's not just a roller-coaster summer blockbuster epic. It is those things; and it's good literature. Maybe great.

One key way the Norse myths differ from the Greek myths is that they have a suitably epic ending: Ragnarok, the final battle between the gods and the forces of destruction, literally "the fate of the gods". The D'Aulaires place Ragnarok in the past, and their framing (briefly) identifies it with the rise of Christianity and the waning of the Norse religion (around 700-1200 AD). This is a pretty serious departure from the source material, I gather, so you have to think of this book as an "inspired by" adaptation, a la The Once and Future King, not a survey course in old Norse customs.

Anyway, the reason they did it is clear enough. In the D'Aulaires' version, Ragnarok is an inevitable consequence of the characters involved, the decisions they make, and... well, human nature. (The characters aren't human in the literal sense, but their passions, dilemmas, and relationships sure are.) The ending is artfully foreshadowed throughout. Events build and accelerate toward that fate, and when it arrives, rather than make a jarring switch to the future tense, they plow right into it. Gods and monsters from stories throughout the book return to play a role in Ragnarok. It's a tremendously satisfying conclusion.

There is continual violence and war; to Thor every problem is a nail, if you get my drift; and almost all the characters end up dead at the end. But the storytelling and illustrations are gentle throughout. I had no qualms reading it to my five-year-old daughter; any seven-year-old who likes books will devour it. An epic masterpiece.

This book and the one of Greek myths by the same couple were my childhood! I remember borrowing these over and over from my school library when I was in second grade, because I simply couldn't get enough of reading either one. The stories are told in clear, readable language, appropriate for young readers without unnecessarily mangling the traditions that weren't always kid-friendly to start with. Deeply, deeply beloved.

Five stars aren't enough to rate THE book that connected my heart and my life to Norse mythology in such a profound way. I first encountered this book in the library of my elementary school (Gillespie El./Flint, MI) and checked it out numerous times ... and never returned it! Sadly, it got misplaced over the years, and I always lamented the loss of this wonderful book. Imagine my excitement to find it back in print! As to the book itself, its material is informative and able to capture the power, beauty and ultimate tragedy that is the legacy of the Norse gods. (As a child, I actually cried after reading about Ragnarok.) And the illustrations! They are rich, and with a distinctive Norse flair. (This is how I would picture Odin, Thor and the looking like.) In short, buy this book! It offers an excellent introduction to Norse mythology for children that the adults will enjoy, as well. One last note: as I said, this book was the genesis of a more than 30-year-long love affair with Norse mythology, which has culminated in my writing and releasing my own viking fantasy fiction novel, "Legacy of the Bear." (Available on the store Kindle.) I can't think of a more powerful endorsement than that!!!

John P. Ribner is the author of Legacy of the Bear (Book I of the Berserker's Saga), a viking fantasy-adventure novel that transcends historical fiction to deliver a hero's journey filled with action, adventure and emotion that resonates with today's readers.

If your child loves the Thor movies, this is a terrific way to get him (or her) interested in reading and learning the classical mythology behind the comics. This was my favorite library book when I was a youngster and it sparked a life-long love of mythology. I was elated to receive the book as a nostalgic birthday gift that I can share with my own daughter. The illustrations are lovely. Be aware that the images and tales are violent, by the nature of the culture, but the material is created with children in mind.

It is impossible to over-recommend this book. It fired my young daughter with a love of literature that has lasted her through grad school and beyond. This book is my standard present for every newborn among my family and friends. "Start reading it to him at two years," I tell them. "You'll think he's too young, but he won't be." The illustrations are perfect for little children, their apparent roughness disguising their artistry, and the stories are kid-fun. A great book, and a great start to a life of loving books.

I haven't bought this edition of the book yet, but soon will. I just wanted to express my true love for this book, and gratitude that it's finally back in print. When I was ten or eleven years old, my mum borrowed the original edition of this book from the library for me. I had always enjoyed Greek mythology, but this...I just fell in love with. (Particularly, I fell in love with Loki.) Ever since then, I've been collecting Norse mythology books, but this one remains the one that I love the most of all. I have always thought back to it, always wanted to own my own copy.

If you enjoy reading folktales and mythology to your children, please buy this book for them. Or, if you're an adult who enjoys mythology, buy it for yourself. The tales are retold charmingly, and the artwork is astounding. I love all of the books by the D'Aulaires, but this one is, without a doubt my favourite. I can promise with 99% certainty that you'll really enjoy this book.

The D'Aulaires create great beginners' books on mythology for children. I bought this and the Greek myths one to hand to either a future child or my nephew. It will enrich their lives for reading it. It can still do the same for adults, because the book portrays a simple, nuts-and-bolts narrative for oft-complex Norse and Germanic myths.

When I was a kid I was put off by Norse mythology after Loki killed Balder, so I never introduced it to my own children. Now that my oldest grandchild is heavily into myths, someone suggested that I send her this, as a companion to the D'Aulaire book of Greek mythology.

Almost-eight-year-old Alex found it, read it in one sitting, and then sighed "I'm so sorry I finished- it's like saying goodbye to a dear friend."

Like all the D'Aulaire stuff it's beautiful, engaging, and totally bearable to adults to read, even as it is appealing to kids. Unlike the others though, it is usually totally unfamiliar to them. Everyone knows the Greek stories, but these are far less well known, and therefore all the more worth discovering.

The dark tales of the Norsemen and their frozen home are often overlooked in mythology collections, but this book -- thankfully reprinted after a too-long hiatus -- fills this void like no other. As they did with their collection of Greek stories, the d'Aulaires took the myths of the Norse people and brought them back to vivid life with stunning text and glorious illustrations. Trolls, jotuns, elves, Odin, Thor, Loki, all the gods and goddesses, monsters, Valhalla, valkyries, Ragnarok -- they're all there, and then some. Love, jealousy, greed, majesty, terror, pettiness, drama and heroism and humor all come through these stories of the all-too-human (and surprisingly mortal) denizens of Asgard and the other Norse worlds. The stories' voice is true to the original source material in the Poetic and Prose Eddas, yet written in a style that is very accessible for modern readers. And it's not just for kids; for anyone who's interested in Tolkien or other writers inspired by ancient Icelandic literature, this is a must-have. So glad to see this one come back!

The color and detail in both in its illustrations and stories are beautiful. This is the book that got me hooked on Norse Mythology when I was in middle school. It was beneath my reading level, but I still loved it. This version of The Death of Baldur is still my favorite version.

I frequently borrowed this book from the Harris Park Elementary library. It is as entertaining as an adult as it was as a youngster. Along with Edith Hamilton's book, these re-tellings are great for simply and concisely relating mythic tales to my high school students. The artwork is a bonus. D'Aulaires' book of Greek myths is also well done.

I've had this book since I was a child, and I've always loved it. It's a great overview of Norse Mythology, though it leaves out some of the more complicated stories like the ring cycle. Norse mythology is darker than some cultures, but the D'Aulaires have set a nice balance for children. The artwork is very appropriate to the tone.

I bought this book to donate to a group my fiance volunteers for that tutors inner-city kids. He reports that they love it.

This is a fabulous collection of Norse Myths. They are written to be enjoyed by young people as well as adults. The D'Aulaire illustrations are wonderful. I have used this book for teaching and just to enjoy the myths for myself. A great addition to any personal or educational library.

We get this out of the library over and over again. It will be nice to have our very own home library copy. My boys have been listening and delighting in this story from ages 3 and 4, still loving it a year later. We love the D'Aulaires' books!

My older(now grown) children read the earlier edition of this book and we all thoroughly enjoyed the rich illustrations and playful stories. Now I'm getting to enjoy this fine book again with my younger children.

my children enjoyed this book very much. they were interested as they had heard that Tolkien had based Lord of the Rings on Norse myths and they wanted to read them. My teenagers and preteens were the age that enjoyed these stories.

I grew up reading these stories and the fabulous illustrations were a memorable part of my childhood reading. I now teach a mythology class in high school, and we loved using this book! Wonderful for all ages.

The tales are well written and beautifully, lovingly illustrated. However, the volume itself is printed on cheap paper--experience tells me that in a few years this kind of paper begins to yellow, especially around the edges, and some years later, to fall apart. I was hoping this would be a more permanent addition to my collection. I would rather have paid more and had better quality; I feel as if the publisher has short-changed me and didn't do justice to this wonderful work.

My eight-year-old daughter and I really enjoy reading D'Aulaire's Greek Myths together. These Norse Myths, however, lack good story telling. There's no emotion, no fun, no intrigue, no excitement to the stories -- the writing is dull. I'm sure Norse Myths are interesting, but you wouldn't know it from this book.

This book, the text, and the illustrations inside are the sole key to happiness. If you buy this book, open it, and are not immediately happy, then you're a God damn Communist.

God Bless America, and God Bless D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths.

A complex cast of characters with unpronounceable names adventuring through the worlds of the Yggdrasil, vaulting from story line to story line, proved to be just too distracting. My grandson (10), who is very much into medieval legends, science fiction and super heroes, found it very little more engaging.

This book's author is one of an ilk that cannot abide to leave the stories of other religions than her own unscathed by her yen for monotheism. The Preface of the book, rather than simply forwarding the myths in their entirety, sets the stage for euhemerization of the Norse stories to fit her own need for bland orthodoxy. And the final myth of the book is hideously rendered to completely alter the cosmogeny of the Norse pantheon, again to suit her own weak religious predisposition. This is akin to changing all of the Old Testament stories by, say, removing any references to rape and murder simply to white-wash those books to suit modern, enlightened sensibilities.

If an author proposed to write on the myths of still-extant religious practices, then the least that author can do is present them unedited and unsullied, clear in their original form and intent. This book's author is unable to see her way past her own religious indoctrinations, and so ruins otherwise lovely stories with her poisoned pen.

A far better story book of the Norse myths to be read for children is "The Children of Odin", by Padraic Colum, and illustrated by Willy Pogany.