Persephone and the Pomegranate: A Myth from Greece [Hardcover]

Kris Waldherr (Author)

Book Description

Demeter refuses to allow spring to appear until she has been reunited with her daughter Persephone, who has been abducted to the Underworld by Pluto.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Waldherr, illustrator of Amy Ehrlich's Rapunzel and Robert San Souci's The Firebird , here transplants a Greek myth to a dreamy, Botticelli-like setting. Evoking a time "when gods and goddesses still lived among humans," her romantic prose describes Persephone's abduction by Pluto, "lord of the underworld," and the heroic attempts of Persephone's mother, the harvest goddess Demeter, to rescue her. Lush oil paintings, some full-page, others in miniature, conjure up tranquil, moonlit landscapes; an ethereal netherworld; blossoming forests. Persephone and Demeter, both gauzily gowned and given flowing, pre-Raphaelite tresses, and an ardent, black-haired Pluto stand out against a supporting cast of courtly specters. Haunting. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Dial; 1St Edition edition (September 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803711913
• ISBN-13: 978-0803711914
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #316,642 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Kris Waldherr is an author, illustrator, and designer whose art has been exhibited in the National Museum of Women in the Arts. She is the author of Doomed Queens, The Lover's Path and The Book of Goddesses, and creator of The Goddess Tarot. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lovely art and a clever Persephone, February 15, 2003

By 

Kelly (Fantasy Literature) (Columbia, MO United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Persephone and the Pomegranate: A Myth from Greece (Hardcover)

Kris Waldherr, famous for her beautiful artwork as seen in _The Book of Goddesses_ and _The Goddess Tarot_ sets her pen and paintbrush to the legend of Demeter and Persephone, with predictably lovely results. This is a G-rated and relatively gentle retelling of the story in which the young Persephone is taken away to the underworld to be the bride of Hades, god of death, causing her mother's mourning and bringing on winter until a compromise can be reached. I especially liked the fact that Waldherr made Persephone smart rather than passive, thinking up the solution by which she could please both mother and husband. And, like I said, it's relatively gently told. The scene where Hades's chariot bursts up from the earth is a little scary-looking, but Hades turns out to not be a bad guy in the end. A beautiful book for kids who like mythology.

4.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous book, August 21, 2009

By 

M "CultOfStrawberry" (I wait behind the wall, gnawing away at your reality) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Persephone and the Pomegranate: A Myth from Greece (Hardcover)

There are a couple of elements missing from the retelling of this myth, but the illustrations are beautiful and breathtaking, filled with color and boldness. I also like the fact that Persephone came up with an solution, instead of having Zeus step in and decide her fate. Overall a great book for a Greek myth or H and P collection.

5.0 out of 5 stars Mythology in a Children's Book., January 1, 2009

By 

M. Lee - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Persephone and the Pomegranate: A Myth from Greece (Hardcover)

Kris Waldherr's picture book retelling of the Persephone and Hades myth is beautiful, both in language and illustration. Waldherr is able to take what is essentially a story of kidnap and turn it into a lovely story that deals with both the relationship between husband and wife and mother and daughter. Her language is flowery and appeals to both adults and children and the illustrations are just beautiful. I will be keeping this book for my own children.