Working in the Scholastic archive, we sometimes discover a book in the stacks that takes us on a walk down memory lane. Today that book is... In the Morning of Time: the story of the Norse God Balder.
Author: Cynthia King
Illustrator: Charles Mikolaycak
Publication Date: 1970
Setting: Asgard (Iceland)
Main characters:
- Balder – “the most perfect god”, son of Odin, brother to Hoder, father of Forseti, husband of Nanna
- Odin – “creator of the worlds of men and gods”, chief of the gods, father of the gods, the first god, husband of Frigga
- Loki – “mischief-maker and evil thinker”, adopted brother of Odin, son of giants, parent of enemies, provider of precious gifts (like Thor’s hammer)
- Thor – “the mightiest god”, son of Odin, Sif’s husband, father of Mothi and Magni, possesses Mjollnir (the magic hammer)
Plot:
Balder is having troubling dreams, and it turns out that he is prophesied to die. His mother, father, and siblings try to prevent this outcome, and while the narrative unfolds we learn the back stories for the various gods as they each step in to play a part in Balder’s storyline.
Comments:
Prior to this month, my knowledge of Thor and Loki came solely from comics and movies, but now I am much better informed! Reading this took me back to childhood, when you first start reading myths, comparing and contrasting how different cultures explain natural phenomena and the world as a whole. The black and white artwork was a throwback as well; do you remember turning the page in a novel like The Secret Garden and finding an illustration plate? As I got to the end, there were two full page spreads that I found myself lingering on and ‘reading’.
At the back of the book there is a glossary/index, which defines words or explains the character, and then tells you where they appear in the story – the librarian in me loves that! Just as I love names like Draupnir (Odin’s golden ring), Gunningagap (a steaming void between fire and ice), Naglfar (a ship made of dead men’s nails), Ragnarok (the final conflict between Gods and giants), and Svartalfaheim (the land of the dark elves).
Readalikes:
D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths, by Ingri D'Aulaire and Edgar Parin D'Aulaire
Favorite Norse Myths, by Mary Pope Osborne
Odin's Family: Myths of the Vikings, by Neil Philip and Maryclare Foa
The Sea of Trolls, by Nancy Farmer
