Customer Reviews

The McElderry Book of Greek Myths (Margaret K. McElderry Book)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've read many collections of Greek Myths to my children, but this one is the best by far. The illustrations are gorgeous, Eric Kimmel's narrative flows wonderfully(as usual), and it's just plain fun to read aloud. I checked this one out from our public library, but I will definitely be purchasing it. I know D'Aulaires Book of Greek Myths is considered the gold standard of Greek Myth books, but the illustrations in that book just aren't exciting and colorful (I know it was published awhile ago, when full color art wasn't as common). I will probably buy that one when my children are older. Right now, my kids like to look over my shoulder at the pictures, and the McElderry Book of Greek Myths has beautiful, colorful pictures throughout, illustrations that really capture the spirit of these myths.

This is currently my 5-year old son's favorite book. Although I sympathize with the criticisms of the previous review regarding the "accuracy" of the storytelling in this book (anyone who has studied mythology knows that many versions of various myths have existed over the centuries), these stories and the accompanying illustrations are wonderful and will thoroughly captivate young readers. Certainly, it is not a definitive source for scholarship, but that isn't its intent. It is an introduction intended for young children. These stories are filled with a fair dose of brutality and cruelty (as they have always been), but some have been changed to shorten them and others to avoid some more difficult and disturbing topics -- for example, the "true" story of the Minotaur's origin is not told in order to avoid the subject of Pasiphae's amorous encounter with a white bull. Nevertheless, this collection of foundational stories will delight children and adults alike. Those with a continuing interest will surely find other, more mature versions of these myths as they grow older, but this book is a wonderful place to start.

How do your average everyday children's book illustrators go about proving themselves in this day and age? Well, I don't know what they teach these youngsters in design school. To my mind, there must be a couple standard tropes they all follow. Illustrators like to prove themselves by creating alphabet books and stories in the public domain. Nursery rhymes, Aesop fables, fairy tales, that sort of thing. Greek myths also happen to be in the public domain, but not that many artists have taken the time to illustrate them beautifully for children. There's the D'Aulaires version and that's really the only collection of myths to come to mind. I'm waxing poetic on the subject of artists and myths because I have recently had the pleasure to read "The McElderry Book of Greek Myths", as retold by Eric A. Kimmel and illustrated by Pep Montserrat. In it we read about every myth from Echo to Persephone. From Icarus to the Minotaur. Kimmel retells each tale with his own particular style. It's a problematic retelling, but not without its perks.

I think I may have stared for the longest amount of time not at any one picture in this gorgeously illustrated book, but at the copyright page instead. According to the publication page, "The illustrations for this book are rendered electronically." Hmmm. Nope, I don't know what that means. How do you define "rendered"? If these pictures were truly created entirely on a computer then color me very much amazed. Truly illustrator/artist Pep Montserrat has outdone himself with some of these images. The endpapers call to mind the black and red figure painting techniques found on ancient Greek vases. You can almost see the brush strokes on some of these images. Many look as if they were painted on top of wood. If it's all the work of a computer then it's advanced work indeed.

Montserrat includes a level of detail in his pictures that demands to be appreciated as well. Look, for example, at the image of Hades reclining merrily under a tree mere moments before seeing Persephone and falling in love. Montserrat angles the red god's arms so that they form the curves of a red heart. The leaves that have fallen around him are heart-shaped as well. You almost wouldn't notice the mole, earthworm, and centipede sticking their noses out of the ground, calling to mind the place where Persephone soon will be. I also loved that some of his characters have a distinctly early 21st century touch. Orpheus, for example, sports a haircut that any hipster in Williamsburg would be keen to repeat. And there is also the sheer beauty of Montserrat's art to consider. From sunsets to moonlit nights, Montserrat's pictures will ensnare and engage readers young and old with their beauty.

These myths belong to the world, and I suppose that you could make the argument that no one author owns the "true" story behind each one. Yet I would have liked very very much for Mr. Kimmel to have said where he got these stories in the first place. I know he retold them, but the Note from the Author is silent as to where they were found and there is no back matter to this book. It's important to know where an author gets his source material, particularly when his adaptations of certain myths sound new. Pandora now is lured by voices coming out of the box, begging her to release them, rather than her own curiosity. Moreover, her husband (here it is Epimetheus) says that the fault is his because "I should have explained what was in the box and why it had to remain closed." And remember the story of Medea and what happened to her children? Well, according to this version Medea and Jason never had any kids. She even decides not to marry Jason saying, "You are a coward, like all men. I do not need a husband," before flying away in a chariot. And Narcissus falls in love with his own image because Artemis makes a spring reflect objects to be ten times more beautiful than they are (Montserrat ignores this change, however, and the illustration just shows a standard reflection no prettier than its subject).

Kimmel's changes serve to, ironically enough, humanize the gods. They become more sympathetic under his hand. Hades is the kind of guy who likes to lie on the grass picking flowers. When Ariadne is abandoned by Theseus she ends up with, "a much better husband than Theseus could ever have been," in the god Dionysius. I understand that with myths there is usually not a single version of any story. And authors are allowed to play with the existing tale and liven it up a bit. Yet without citing any of his sources we're not sure if Kimmel just produced these stories from memory, if he consulted other children's book versions, or if these come directly from a Greek translation somewhere. Even if he had just said that it was the Ovid version or the Hellenistic, that would have been enough. And without knowing it's hard to hand this book to a kid without wondering if you're given them a flawed text.

I think that if you're looking for a great book of Greek myths, The McElderry Book may be more effective at providing great illustrations than retelling the stories everyone knows and loves. All authors are allowed a certain amount of creative license, but this should not be considered a primary source. It's a fine supplement for those kids who have already heard them, and the pictures are worth the price of the book alone, but consider other sources for a collection of the original myths, sad endings and all. Lovely and worth keeping, but best if it is paired with something like the D'Aulaires Book of Greek Myths.

I suggest this book:
-For the artwork.
-Those wanting to provide a captivating introduction to the Greek Myths.
-Greek Myths aside, to those who are looking for a just fabulous story book to share with their kids! What I am saying is that this is such a piece of art in itself, that even those who aren't particularly looking for Greek Mythology, will still find much to love about this book.

I love reading to my children myths, of all sorts, and also differing versions of the same myths, for each one has something unique to offer, and together they offer a patchwork of humanity. This retelling is delightful, captivating, vivid, and expresses all the humanity and emotion that are the heart of these myths.

It is worth buying for the artwork alone... the type of illustrations that you just want to sit and look at over and over again! My 6 and 4 year old were captivated by them. The textures that are used to make up the images made my son and I look closer to try to figure out how the pictures were made.

This is the book for you if you want something that really brings the stories to life, and leaves you feeling like you shared a rich experience with your children... one that invites you to think, feel, and want to revel in the stories again. The stories are clear and understandable to the young, flow from one story to the next in a way that helps you recognize the relationship of the different characters in different stories to each other, and is just plain fun to read. My 6 year old didn't want me to stop, and had me read it to him cover to cover. The stories stayed with him and later while playing the spontaneous comment "I don't want to be greedy," emerged from his musings over the stories.
While a historical overview of different versions and pinpointing and comparing where this retelling diverges from other versions would have been interesting, I don't fault the book for not having it. What it did accomplish was so well done, it is a jewel for what it is, not a failure for what it's not. Like a previous reviewer said, those who become interested in the Myths can go on to learn more about them from other sources. And this book is likely to endear these stories to the reader in a way that will encourage more learning. I fancied the way the introduction invites readers to join the generations of people who have shared these stories, and to now, make these stories your own. That is just what the author and illustrator have done... their rich craftmanship shows they have made these stories, which 'belong to all of us', their own.
I suggest buying this book and making it "your own," too!

The illustrations in this book are magnificent. The book is an oversized illustrated book, and the pictures are fascinating.

Eric A. Kimmel has made changes from some of the classic myths (Edith Hamilton being my top source). For example, I don't remember the Minotaur or Medusa as fire-breathing creatures. Still, as a way to introduce the stories and (especially) the pronunciations of the names to younger readers, this book is terrific. Before I unleashed my kids on the Greek mythology books I've collected, I read this out loud to them. May as well teach them young how to pronounce "Prometheus", "Persephone", "Narcissus" and more.

These stories transcend race, religion, and culture. To be an educated person, a child must know these myths. The themes are everywhere through classic and modern literature, and the tragedies and truths of human nature they reveal remain as valid today as 30 centuries ago.

Enjoy this with your family, including your younger children. You will not regret the time you spend opening their minds to Echo and Artemis, Arachne and Demeter, Hermes and Hephaestus. Start them young enjoying these myths.

This is a beautiful, well-made book about the Greek myths. However, being familiar with other versions, I can't help noticing places where stories have been modified to make them more appropriate for children. For example, they leave out the Apsyrtos's pursuit of Jason and Medea after. Leaving out that chase let them also omit Medea's betrayal of her brother. Having noticed that children are often less surprised and troubled by such moments in fairy tales and myths, I would prefer to have them kept in.

The book was a wonderful surprise and will make a special gift. The charming illustrations and classic myths written simply should attract young children to enjoy reading. I intend to order two more as gifts for great-grandchildren.

As some other reviewers have noted, the stories in this book of Greek myths are written more for children than for adults, in that the stories do not contain all of the background stories of some of these myths. An example is the story of "Theseus and the Minotaur" - the origin of this creature (possessing a man's body and a bull's head) is not delved into, and I am thankful for that because it does pose problems of explaining it to my 5-year-old daughter (considering the Minotaur was the offspring of Minos' wife and the Cretan bull!). I appreciated how the author, Eric Kimmel simplified the prose to make it easier for young children to follow the stories. My daughter and I both loved the illustrations - there is a modern feel to them and a fun take of these classic myths. The artist, Pep Montserrat brings these myths to life in a compelling yet subtle manner, For example, Medusa is not portrayed in all its horrifying glory - only the back of the creature's head is shown, which I felt was apt considering the target audience of this book (I certainly did not wish my preschooler to get nightmares).

The stories featured here are:
Prometheus
Pandora's Box
Persephone and Hades
Echo and Narcissus
Arachne
Pygmalion and Galatea
King Midas and The Golden Touch
Orpheus and Eurydice
Jason and the golden fleece
Daedalus and Icarus
Theseus and the Minotaur
Perseus and Medusa

For those looking for a more unabridged version of the Greek myths, I'd recommend D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths and The Greek Myths: Complete Edition. As for compilations for children, I also liked Greek Myths for Young Children (Stories for Young Children).

This book is favorite on our home library shelf.
The myths are honored by the authors treatment.
Understandable heros and villians.
McElderry's finest yet.
Great for the 5-10 year old crowd, definitely!
A fine book.