The Pyramids

School Library Journal

ea. vol: 47p. illus. maps. photogs. glossary. index. (Mystery of Series). CIP. Crestwood. 1987. PLB $10.95. Gr 4-7 The Great Pyramid of Cheops is the subject of The Pyramids. Its con struction is shrouded in mystery, but Abels ignores conventional scholar ship, such as the ancient Egyptian view of the afterlife as one motive for the construction of the pyramids and the archaeological treasures found within them. Her emphasis is solely meta physical: Edgar Cayce's psychic read ings of Atlantis and the Great Pyramid, ``Pyramid Power,'' and the Great Pyra mid as a predictor of the future. This highly speculative work is misleading in its oversimplification and of no use for assignments. Illustrative material in cludes uninteresting or poorly repro duced stock photographs and amateur drawings. Abels does a creditable job of explaining the latest theories regarding the construction of Stonehenge . Short, clearly written sentences, combined with attractive photographs and a glos sary, make this overview accessible to young readers. Some contradictory statements are in evidence, however, such as describing both Stonehenge and the stone structure at Avebury as being the oldest existing prehistoric structure in western Europe, but the general tone of the book is lively and nonsensationalized. Marguerite F. Raybould, Glendale Pub . Lib . , Calif.