In the Beginning is a collection of 25 myths that tell how the world was created. The myths are about gods, superhuman beings, animals, plants, and about the first people on the earth. The myths tell about the events that cause changes in the way humans feel and act.
These stories are told from different places around the world, from Eskimo myths to Blackfoot American Indian myths. These myths engage the readers and get them intrigued about what is going on during that time. It is often hard to understand some of the wonder that they are describing because it is a place that we will never see.
I believe that this is a Newbery Honor winner because of the many different stories and how engaged the book keeps its readers. These narratives convey truth to the people that believe in them and the cultures that they come from.
One of my favorite creation stories from this book is The Pea-Pod Man: Raven the Creator. This myth is about a man that lay still in a pea-pod. On the fifth day he pushed his legs out and hatched from the pea-pod. He ran into the Raven that created the vine he was from. The Raven went on to create a mate, woman. Then he went away and the woman and man created children and the world prospered.
If I used this in my classroom, I would have my students choose two creation stories and read them with a partner. I would then have them compare and contrast the creation stories to tell how they are alike and different.
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