I know it's meant to be an introduction to the topic, not a comprehensive collection. I know the target audience is children. But honestly, with a title like Everything Mythology, I expected more.

Everything Mythology is a slim volume from National Geographic Kids. Written by Blake Hoena, with assistance from historian/folklorist Adrienne Mayor, the book runs quickly through the most basic of mythological concepts, presumably with the hope it will inspire readers to explore the subject more fully in other books.

The problem from my perspective, as an adult who is very familiar with a lot of world mythology, is that the book glosses over the topic so lightly, I find it hard to imagine many kids read this and were so inspired. I know my children weren't! Everything Mythology gives only the barest glimpse of the stories and characters that make these stories so fascinating and enduring.

For instance, if you read only that Thor, the Norse god of thunder, "wielded a magic war hammer, Mjolnir, that controlled lightning and always flew back to him after being thrown," would you be motivated to look for more on the subject? Would you seek out a book of African lore if you read only that Ogun, an African god of iron, knives and war, "wielded an iron machete"? Nope. It's not enough to hook readers and make them want more.

Also problematic is that, although Hoena pays lip service to the concept of world mythology, the book is overwhelmingly devoted to Greek and Roman figures. Yes, I realize that they are the most familiar to most people, but that's all the more reason to give more attention to other cultures. The world is full of wonderful legends and lore, so let's step outside the realm of Zeus/Jupiter for a change.

I know I'm not the target audience for this book, but I have a lifelong interest in the subject and am eager to see young readers catch the bug as I did. Everything Mythology is not, in my view, up to the challenge of making someone care enough to read further.