Sun-Day, Moon-Day : How the Week Was Made

Rare Book

Gr 3-5-Each day of the week is represented by a tale from a different tradition, including ancient Greek, Norse, Roman, Old English, and Babylonian cultures. Each entry is preceded by a history of the day's name and snippets of facts from a variety of cultures. The stories, though interesting and readable, do not always have direct connections to the days with which they are aligned. A few fit perfectly, such as "The Chariot of the Sun" for Sunday and "The Buried Moon" for Monday. The retellings, softened for young readers, keep the basic story lines intact. Hall's lively illustrations, with their saturated colors, clever use of light, and fantastical creatures such as winged horses, imps, etc., will delight readers. Gilchrist gives good information, though she neglects to mention sources; charts and related trivia are appended. Perceptive students will draw conclusions from the diverse connections presented, but average readers may get confused having to wade through the mention of so many cultures and calendars. For more complete information on the days of the week, stick with Lila Perl's Blue Monday and Friday the 13th (Clarion, 1986; o.p.).-Angela J. Reynolds, West Slope Community Library, Portland, OR

Copyright 1998 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Adopting the same format she used so effectively in A Calendar of Festivals (Children's Forecasts, Sept. 28), Gilchrist devotes a spread to the origins of each day's name and significance, then follows it with a relevant story or myth. Sunday paves the way with the most effective pairing: the author briefly describes reverence for the sun in Aztec, Egyptian, Babylonian, Greek and Roman cultures, and Constantine's designation of "Sun-day" as a Christian day of worship in 321 A.D.; then follows with the myth of Phaethon, son of the Greek sun god, Helios. Readers may have difficulty following the logic that links some of the other stories to their day (e.g., Tuesday was associated with Tiw, a Norse god of battle, but the tale that follows is that of Minerva--goddess of wisdom--and Arachne), and the range of cultures from which the myths originate is more limited here than in her previous title (two legends are from ancient Greece, two from Babylonia). But the etymologies and myths are illuminating nonetheless, and the book's closing pages brim with intriguing facts: how the 365-day year was created; the Aztec names for the first day of each week in a month (Rabbit, House, Flint and Cane); and a table highlighting the names of the seven days of the week in five languages. Hall (The Book of Animal Tales) customizes her palette and style to the various cultures depicted, yet her compositions possess a familiar storybook feel. The paintings wrap around many of the spreads, lending the informative collection a classical ambience. Ages 8-12.

Copyright 1998 Cahners Business Information, Inc.