This fun book, part of the popular Cool series, is a fascinating introduction to world mythology, broken up into handy bite-sized chunks. It covers all the main world mythologies, including Sumerian, Incan, African, Native American, African, Egyptian, Persian, Hindu, Norse and, of course, Greek and Roman, including the famous Olympians (Zeus, Hera, Poseidon and others).

It begins with a selection of creation myths from different cultures (for example the Dreamtime of Aboriginal Australian mythology) and delves into individual stories from mythology, such as Perseus meeting Medusa and Pandora's box. It covers fantastical mythological creatures from the fearsome Manticore from Persian legend to the modern-day Yeti, plus giants, dragons and the Phoenix. It explores mythological places like Atlantis and various versions of the afterlife, from the idyllic Arthurian Avalon to the rather less pleasant Yomi, the dark and gloomy underworld of Japanese mythology.

Ancient myths are still relevant to today's society, explaining traditions and giving lasting moral lessons. But most of all, they're entertaining adventures that connect us to the past - and this book is the perfect introduction to how cool mythology really is.

Word count: 20,000

This book is part of a book series called Cool .

There are 112 pages in this book. This is a reference book. This book was published 2016 by Pavilion Books .

Damien Weighill was born in the north-east of England and now lives in London. He creates illustrations that are full of ideas (smart and silly) for a host of international clients. Malcolm Croft is a celebrated music journalist and author. He has worked with many of the world's most important bands, including the Flaming Lips, Coldplay, The Verve and many others. He is the author of the highly successful One Direction Confidential.