Chinese Myths

Most American schoolchildren (and comic-book lovers) are familiar with Greek and Norse mythologies, but not many others. The Graphic Mythology line aims to correct the imbalance; this volume brings three Chinese myths to the attention of younger readers. In "The Four Dragons," a quartet of dragons of different colors defies the Jade Emperor to bring food and water to the Chinese people. When they are punished for their defiance, they become the four major rivers in China. In "Nu Wa Makes People and Mends a Hole in the Sky," a Chinese goddess with a human head and torso but a snake's tail creates the Chinese people. And in "The Ten Suns," heroic archer Yi is forced to shoot and kill nine of the 10 suns in the sky to save the people from fiery extinction. Shone's scripts are simple but precise, keeping the stories moving while hinting at a richer body of myth for those willing to do the digging. Saraceni's illustrations demonstrate a high level of craft: the storytelling is always clear, and the layouts and characterizations play off the narration to create emotional resonance Shone's (understandably) limited word count might not otherwise allow. (Mar.)