Introduces the history of religious belief and the practice of religion in the world today, illuminating the differences that make each religious group unique and the fundamental beliefs that all groups share. Grade 3-5?Using the same large format as the Maestros' The Discovery of the Americas (Lothrop, 1991), Betsy Maestro has written a fine basic introduction to religion. It is quite an ambitious effort to look at the development of various beliefs in a way that can be understood by fairly young children, but she succeeds admirably. Beginning with early polytheistic beliefs in multiple spirits or gods and goddesses, and their usual strong link to nature, the author moves on to introduce Taoism and teachings of Confucius, Hinduism and Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Even though the coverage of each is only a few pages, the author clearly explains the development of the religion and its major tenets. She takes the viewpoint that all religions are equally valid, and tries to show ideas and customs that are found in most faiths, thus showing children the diversity of beliefs in the world and encouraging tolerance and understanding. The text is written as a long essay rather than being broken into chapters, but there is an index at the front of the book. Giulio Maestro's art tries to capture the artistic tradition of the dominant culture of each religion discussed while showing major symbols or important events. This means that the book may have less artistic unity than most of his books, but it meshes very well with the text. The different styles reinforce the uniqueness of each tradition. An attractive, interesting, and informative title.?Jane Gardner Connor, South Carolina State Library, Columbia Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. Gr. 4^-7. As the title suggests, the Maestros have taken on the subject of religion in its entirety, beginning with how religion evolved. First, primitive people wondered about things they could not understand. Next came the stories that explained those events, and polytheism arose. The book quickly surveys the Egyptians, Greeks, ancient Mayans, and early Chinese religions, such as Taoism and Confucianism, and then moves on to Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Each religion is presented in only a couple of illustrated pages of text that manage to emphasize important points. The artwork, executed in colored pencil, ink, and watercolor, is varied and lively, with the illustrator looking to each religion's artistic traditions for inspiration. However, the format, which has the look of a picture book, is very crowded and, like the text, tries to fit a lot of information into a limited space. In closing, the Maestros volunteer some thoughts on religious diversity. Information on sacred books, festivals and holidays, other religions, and the Golden Rule as it appears in various faiths is appended. A useful, chock-full offering. Ilene Cooper An illustrated synopsis of the genesis and basic ideas of each of the world's major religions, as well as of some minor ones. Among the back matter is a list of sacred books, another of major festivals, and an interesting compilation of the various renderings of the Golden Rule, a form of which exists in almost all systems of belief. Betsy Maestro (with Giulio Maestro, The Discovery of the Americas, 1991, etc.) begins carefully, earnestly preaching the importance of diversity and balance, and taking for granted that religions are not handed down by deities but evolve from a people's own need to find meaning in life. She gallops through primitive religions, and hits her stride when she begins telling about the actual beliefs and histories of various cultures, beginning with the Chinese. Given the space limitations of the picture-book format, these are elegant and precise pieces. Giulio Maestro's beautiful illustrations are done in an array of styles, often reflecting the motifs and palettes of the culture under discussion. Most children will want to know more, but there is no bibliography nor list of further reading. Still, this is, in many ways, a revelatory work and a provocative introduction to a complicated subject. (index) (Picture book/nonfiction. 7-11) -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. "A revelatory work and a provocative introduction to a complicated subject." -- Review The history of religious beliefs and the practice of religion is revealed in a fine in-depth title recommended for advanced elementary into middle school grade levels. Photos of relics and artifacts, drawings, and strong discussions reveal the foundations of various religious beliefs and make for an excellent introduction. -- Midwest Book Review