Cyclops [Paperback]

Leonard Everett Fisher (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Describes the encounter between the cyclops Polyphemus and Odysseus and his men after the end of the Trojan War.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Fans of Fisher's well-sourced retellings of the Greek myths will shiver with terror at this emotive episode in the adventures of Odysseus. The most electrifying aspect here is the astonishing art: readers' attention is grabbed with the cover painting of the hideous Cyclops and held by one riveting spread after another. The mariners' boat is dwarfed and battered by waves; the sky is an ominous blue-black; the landscapes are dramatically lit by a sun that breaks through heavy clouds. The richly toned paintings intensify the theatricality inherent in the confrontation between Odysseus and the mythic monster. Excitement builds with the interplay of light and shadow in the paintings of the doomed captives in the one-eyed giant's cave; the giant himself is so immense and threatening that the pages can barely contain him. Although the story's grisly aspects make it less palatable to those youngsters at the low end of the age range, this is in any event enticing fare. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6-- A terse, three-line summary of Odysseus's Trojan experiences and a succinct explanation for his subsequent wanderings set the scene for the hero's unwitting landing on the Cyclops's island. The encounter with Polyphemus follows, but not in Homer's expansive epic style. Fisher's narrative is compressed and direct; the illustrations, in rich, saturated oils, complement its simplified and dramatic qualities. The dense forms on the landscapes and the device of showing only part of the giant emphasize the inhuman scale of Odysseus's opponent and the vastness of the world in which he wanders. Polyphemus is repellent, and several depictions of him after he's been blinded (with the sharpened stake still protruding) are quite gruesome. Readers with a taste for the monstrous, or for a classic adventure yarn, may find this kind of visit enticing. --Patricia Dooley, University of Washington, Seattle
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Paperback
• Publisher: Holiday House (December 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823410625
• ISBN-13: 978-0823410620
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.5 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,846,427 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Thrills and chills, July 27, 2011

By 

M. Heiss (USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cyclops (Paperback)

Wowie!

You almost never get to see a scary myth illustrated in a scary manner in children's literature! This one shows the cyclops eating Odysseus's men. ANd it shows them impaling the Cyclops's eye with a sharpened log. Blood spurts! It is so exciting for boys to read a well-written book that gives them the chills -- this is such a book.

We have read a lot of Greek Mythology; this book is a keeper.