Arion and the Dolphins [Hardcover]

Vikram Seth (Author), Jane Ray (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1995

A retelling of the ancient Greek legend of a young Corinthian musician who, having won a gold prize for his singing, is thrown overboard by greedy sailors and befriends a dolphin who becomes his rescuer and protector.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This unusual picture-book retelling of a Greek legend, about a young musician who swims with a dolphin, combines verse and prose, taking its life from Seth's (A Suitable Boy) libretto for an opera also called Arion and the Dolphin. The murky plot involves a music contest, a fateful journey across the Ionian Sea and the dolphin's demise, and it may prove difficult for younger readers to follow. The stiff and often formal-sounding phrasing is also a potential stumbling block. Ray's (Noah's Ark; Magical Tales from Many Lands) foamy greens and blues and her playful perspectives provide many passages with much-needed movement, and her chiseled-faced, toga-clad characters fit the ancient setting perfectly. Kids will readily identify with a few Free Willy-esque moments here, especially when the dolphin is seized for use as a performer (it dies in captivity). However, a mild environmental theme and the pleasant visuals are not likely to hold the reader's interest for long. All ages.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Vikram Seth was born in 1952. He trained as an economist and has lived for several years each in England, California, China and India. He is the author of A Suitable Boy, which was an international number one bestseller, An Equal Music and several other novels. He has also written five volumes of poetry including Beastly Tales. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile; 1ST edition (June 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525453849
• ISBN-13: 978-0525453840
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 9.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,052,583 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Out of print? Aaargh!, July 1, 2004

By 

Zeeshan Hasan (Dhaka, Bangladesh) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Arion and the Dolphins (Hardcover)

Beg, borrow or steal this from someone and read it. Truly a beautiful tale, told in Seth's unique verse.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Cute story with an important message, June 14, 2002

By 

Isabella K. Badenoch "izi" (Vientiane, Lao PDR) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Arion and the Dolphins (Hardcover)

I am a big Vikram Seth fan and this was a cute children's book. The drawings are simple, yet effective. The story is close to a classic Grimm tale, an animal that helps a human, but ends up getting killed by humans keeping it in captivity. Maybe not suited for very young children, but a very well written story. A story that you can discuss afterwards on themes portrayed, asking questions like what would you have done?