My daughter and I both loved this story of how King Midas wished to be rich, and then soon learned that the gift that was bestowed upon him after that wish, to turn everything to gold, was more of a curse than a blessing. King Midas found that he would turn his loved ones and even his food and drink to gold, and so asked to have the "gift" returned. His wish is granted, and he never forgets the valuable lesson, that family and the basics in life, such as food and drink, are ever more important and valuable than anything gold can buy. The illustrations are vivid and somewhat simple, but do offer some dimension. They depict what one thinks of when instructed about classical Grecian characters and gods, such as men wearing togas. I think that this simplistic, yet detailed version of this myth would be suitable for almost any age, and especially for those studying mythology for the first time. It would also be an appropriate story for discussing family values, love, and the results of greed. ( )

This book of mythology is retold using elaborate illustrations with gold leaf overlay. Simply to follow. Not overly interesting, but retells the myth nicely.