Persephone [Hardcover]

Warwick Hutton (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1994 | Age Level: 7 and up

Because Hades, god of the dark underworld, cannot find a nymph or goddess to marry him, he kidnaps Persephone, daughter of the goddess Demeter. In despair Persephone will not eat or drink, but when Hades shows her a pomegrante grove, she eats six pomegranate seeds without thinking. A noted artist interprets the Greek myth about the seasons in lovely translucent watercolors.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Hutton's lyrical watercolors are an ideal vehicle for the story of the maiden whose ancient abduction to the underworld set in motion the changing seasons: having eaten six pomegranate seeds in Hades's domain, Persephone is consigned to spend half of each year there, during which months the earth darkens and withers as the earth goddess, Persephone's mother, grieves. The potent qualities of sorrow and loss take on special poignancy in Hutton's hand, for the delicacy of his lines and washes itself suggests the transience of earthly beauty and fecundity. Yet his paintings are forceful enough to capture the terrible majesty of the underworld, a cavernous place where only a sinuous underground river and a few forlorn pomegranate trees relieve the harsh austerity: it is no wonder that Persephone pines for the earth. Hutton's compositions expertly play off light against shadow (in the initial view of Hades's world, for example, a lone shaft of light penetrates a deep, gray chasm and, through its contrast, emphasizes the gloom). Forms change with consummate subtlety, as when the heads of the river's spirits emerge as little more than suggestions in the crest of a wave. An exquisitely wrought work of striking beauty and lingering depth. Ages 7-up.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-4-Another of Hutton's illustrated retellings of classic tales, Persephone is executed in his now-characteristic delicate, watercolor style and simple direct language. However, for a story as powerful as this one, much more is needed-more vigor in both the words and in the illustrations. The depiction of the dramatic events here is still and static. The figures appear flat and somewhat disproportionate, and the narrative, although advancing the story, is not compelling. To announce first that this is "the story of summer and winter, and how they came about," ignores the strong psychological dynamics and sense of story that should more naturally unfold. It almost reduces the text that follows to a kind of newspaper account of the events that ensue. There are moments of promise-"With a flourish of his hand [Hades] turned and struck open the earth as if it were made of soft cheese." And the full-page illustration of Persephone remembering that she ate six pomegranate seeds shows clearly her awareness that she has sealed her fate. For sheer power and beauty, choose Kris Waldherr's Persephone and the Pomegranate (Dial, 1993). It and several older titles, unfortunately now out of print, deliver the strength and majesty this myth deserves.
Harriett Fargnoli, Great Neck Library, NY
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry (March 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689506007
• ISBN-13: 978-0689506000
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,447,851 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Good story, lacking graphics, July 31, 2009

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M "CultOfStrawberry" (I wait behind the wall, gnawing away at your reality) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Persephone (Hardcover)

The story itself was decently written, and suitable for the age level, and was a fairly faithful retelling of the Hades/Persephone myth (though a couple of points were missing) and makes for a good children's book, but I absolutely hated the illustrations. A few of them were okay, but overall they were very simplistic, and didn't feel as if much effort went into them. A different illustrator would have suited this story considerably better.