Storyteller and children's author Lise Lunge-Larsen, who was born and raised in Norway, and grew up listening to her father's tales of the great thunder god, Thor, here sets out some of the most popular stories concerning the mighty protector of Asgard, and his adventures amongst humans and giants. After a brief introduction, in which she explains who Thor was, and how he fit into the wider world of Norse mythology, she relates the tale of Loki's bet with Brokk the dwarf, which produced such treasures as Mjolnir the Thunderbolt; explains how Thor came to have a human servant, in the form of the fleet-footed Tjalvi; sets out the stories of Thor's duel with Ragnir the giant, and his thwarted effort to defeat Outgardloki; and concludes with the humorous episode in which Thor and Loki must masquerade as women, in order to retrieve Mjolnir from the giant who stole it.

I enjoyed The Adventures of Thor the Thunder God, which presented these well-known stories in an entertaining fashion (thanks, Kathryn, for bringing it to my attention!), and which would make for an excellent introduction to an important figure from the Norse pantheon. The computer generated artwork was engaging enough (despite not really being to my personal taste, aesthetically speaking), and will undoubtedly keep young readers involved. All in all, a good selection for children with an interest in mythology! It's an advanced picture-book, probably suitable for multiple bedtime readings (or for middle grade readers capable of tackling more advanced texts all at once), and could be paired, to great effect, with more general works such as the D'Aullaires' Norse Gods And Giants. ( )