One of eight titles in Philip Ardagh's World Book Myths & Legends Series, this collection of Celtic tales is taken from the Welsh, Irish and Scots tradition. With seven selections, extensive suggestions for further reading at the rear, as well as a mythological "Who's Who," a glossary, and an inclusive index - all fit into a brief 64 pages - this is less of an introduction to the subject matter, than a brief sampling of the available tales.

The stories begin with the Welsh Llew Llaw Gyffes - The Bright One, in which the cunning Gwydion continuously tricks unwilling mother Arionrod into providing for their son. Next are two Irish tales: Lug - The Master of Masters, which relates the adventures of the immortal High King who led the Tuatha Dé Danann in their fight against the Fomori; and Deirdre - A Life of Sorrow, in which the doomed loved of Deirdre and Naoise - and King Conchobar's reaction to it - brings about the downfall of Ireland. Two Arthurian tales follow: the classic Arthur and the Sword in the Stone, in which Arthur's destiny as king is revealed; and The Death of King Arthur, which sees the fall of Camelot. The selections conclude with another Irish tale, Cuchulain - Hound of Culan, and a story from the Western Isles of Scotland, The Changeling of Green Knoll.

I hesitated, in rating this entry in the series, as I'm not sure it was really appealing enough to warrant three stars. On the other hand, it was not unappealing, so I decided to err on the side of generosity. Like Ardagh's Ancient Greek Myths & Legends, there are far superior works out there on the subject. Still, young readers looking at this entire series might want to take a look at this one. ( )