Pandora's Box: A Greek Myth About the Constellations (Hardcover)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-4–In every sense, this is a truly modern retelling of a traditional tale. Its basic themes of curiosity, appreciation, hope, and hardship are successfully broken down for young readers, but the dialogue frequently wanders into the realm of silliness. Lyricism is often sacrificed for simplicity and humor. A Greek chorus of squawking chickens runs along the bottom edge of the page, providing a sometimes-confusing commentary about the action in the tale. The ills that Pandora releases into the world are dubbed trouble that would now 'bug' people on Earth, and they are literally depicted as bugs. Epimetheus is thrilled at Prometheus's theft of fire simply because he could eat hot oatmeal for breakfast. The watercolor and Chinese ink illustrations are colorful but have the look of comic-book art. The characters are stiff and fail to convey the emotions of the story. Lisl Weil's Pandora's Box (S & S, 1986) also uses modern, accessible language, without wandering into the realm of the ridiculous.–Jill Heritage Maza, Greenwich High School, CT
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Product Description

In the time when only the Greek gods had fire, Prometheus stole a torch of fire from Mount Olympus. In revenge, Zeus sent Prometheus's brother a beautiful and curious wife, Pandora. Zeus also gave them a box, never to be opened. But curious Pandora couldn't resist opening the box. A flurry of trouble bugs were released: lazy bug, teasy bug, worry bug, and more. Luckily, Pandora managed to keep HOPE inside the box. Bestselling author Jean Marzollo's lively storytelling and lush illustrations provide a wonderful introduction to this classical Greek myth.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (September 6, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316741337
• ISBN-13: 978-0316741330
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #686,056 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What's inside the box? Wouldn't anyone want to know?, October 7, 2006

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

It's unusual to see Greek myths in picturebook format, but Jean Marzollo's retelling of PANDORA'S BOX works surprisingly well - perhaps because it has more of a moral message and less scary figures than say Medusa would have. What's inside the box? Wouldn't anyone want to know? Parental assistance for the picturebook beginner is required; grades 2-3 will find it involving on their own.