Grade 5-9?Written in a flowing, easy-to-read style, this version of the classic tale is detailed and lively. Here, the fates of Daedalus and Icarus are left open ended; the narrative concludes as father and son launch themselves into the air. Galloway pays attention to the original myth, carefully crafting an engaging narrative while omitting some of the lustier aspects of the story. An informative afterword examines both its mythical and legendary elements and the tale's literary and scientific sources. Strong, dramatic ink and gouache illustrations take wing on full-page spreads as each chapter begins; they combine Greek designs and elements of the story with the textured, almost gritty, earth tones of Crete. A list for further reading, sources, and Web sites are also included. Though this book may not fly off the shelves by itself, students interested in mythology will not want to miss it.?Angela J. Reynolds, West Slope Community Library, Portland, OR
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Gr. 4^-6. Part of Galloway's Tales of Ancient Lands series, this is no strict retelling of the classic Daedalus myth but, rather, a tale that humanizes the heroes and makes us question who is the monster. The great inventor Daedalus and his infant son, Icarus, find refuge in Crete, where over many years Daedalus builds a huge, elaborate labyrinth to hold the king's monstrous son, Minotaur. Gradually, it becomes clear that the Minotaur is not a monster but a severely disabled child who is hated by his father. The boy Icarus comes to love Minotaur and helps care for the outcast, even as Icarus himself is desperate to please his own demanding dad. Meanwhile, in secret, Daedalus is constructing the wings that he and his son must use to escape the treacherous king. A subplot about Daedalus despising women and then coming to respect them is gratuitous: this is a story about fathers and sons. Middle-graders will relate to Icarus' conflict, caught between his Minotaur friend, who needs him desperately, and his inventor father, who does not--or so Icarus thinks. The end, when Icarus and Daedalus embrace before they fly off together, may not be central to the myth, but it makes for a powerful 1990s climax. Normand Cousineau's dramatic ink and gouache pictures are like the bold, bright frescoes that Daedalus carves and paints on the labyrinth walls. Galloway includes an annotated bibliography, a list of Web sites, and notes on how she has changed the original versions. Hazel Rochman --This text refers to the Library Binding edition.
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