This is a fascinating (if brief) look into the legends and myths passed down within tribes of the Amazon. Although the tone sometimes struck me as a bit condescending--especially when it came to the notes after the stories that offered more context--I'm not sure how much of that tone came from the intent of the stories and their cultural placement vs. the authors themselves, and for the most part, I simply took that tone as being a side effect of the authors' goals. It's also possible that the book was shaped in a way as to make it appropriate for children (which, in large part, it is), and that that choice affected tone. Either way, I enjoyed the look into the Amazonian legends, and although I wished for more detail and depth, this was a good starting place for venturing into the subject and seeing into the heart of such myths. ( )

The message to many of the tales retold in the book is the importance of respecting the needs of the jungle.
Unlike in Greek mythology where gods and goddesses play paramount roles, the tales of Brazilian Indians are dominated by animals, humans of animal ancestry, and even humans transformed into plants. Anything can be transformed into anything else.

This collection of stories is interesting to read, but it is not something I am particularly interested in. It is a collection of stories of how the indigenous people of the Amazon came to understand the creation of man, of animals, night and day, and other things they had no explanations for. Some of the stories resembles those of other cultures (particularly those of Native Americans) and could be used to compare and contrast the myths of various cultures.
To be perfectly honest, I do not believe I would use this book in my classroom. I feel that there are better texts that address the same topic. ( )