Curious reader- open your mystical map and get ready to travel through time with these 21 extraordinary stories of daring and deceit, reward and punishment. Meet gods, goddesses, serpents, talking fish and clever spiders. Cavort with sea nymphs, mystical women, terrifying beasts and volcano people as you discover different tales of how the world began.

Retold by Alli Brydon and beautifully illustrated by Julia Iredale, these fascinating myths and legends will transport you to every corner of the globe and link you to the people who preserved these tales through oral tradition. The souls of ancestors, the lives of heroes, and the fates of mortals are waiting to be discovered.

Myths from Africa include:

'The Creation of the World' from the Kuba people of the Democratic Republic of Congo
'The Tale of the Ghosts and the Flutes' from the Beba people of Cameroon
'Anansi and the Box of Stories' from the Ashanti people of present-day Ghana

Myths from Europe include:

The Selkies from Scottish mythology
'Athena, Arachne and the Dueling Looms' from Greek mythology

Myths from Asia include:

Lord Ganesh from the Hindu pantheon
'Nyai Loro Kidul, Queen of the Sea' from Indonesian mythology

Myths of Oceania include:

'The Legend of Maui' from Polynesian mythology
Uluru from the Anangu people of Australia
The Rainbow Serpent from the Aboriginal people of Australia

Myths of the Americas include:

'Coyote Steals Fire for the People' from the Native American people of the United States
'The Hero Twins Visit the Underworld' from the Mayan People of Mesoamerica
The Mapinguary from Brazilian mythology

Myths from the Arctic include:

Sedna, the Mother of the Sea from Inuit mythology
Niekija and the Northern Lights from Sami Shamanism

About Lonely Planet Kids: Lonely Planet Kids-an imprint of the world's leading travel authority Lonely Planet-published its first book in 2011. Over the past 45 years, Lonely Planet has grown a dedicated global community of travelers, many of whom are now sharing a passion for exploration with their children. Lonely Planet Kids educates and encourages young readers at home and in school to learn about the world with engaging books on culture, sociology, geography, nature, history, space and more. We want to inspire the next generation of global citizens and help kids and their parents to approach life in a way that makes every day an adventure. Come explo