Atalanta's Race: A Greek Myth

From BooklistGr. 3^-5, younger for reading aloud. Furious that the gods have sent him a daughter rather than a son, King Iasus of Arcadia orders the infant Atalanta abandoned in the forest. The baby, protected by a bear and raised by a hunter, grows into a beautiful young woman who can outrace any man in Greece. The time comes for her to choose a husband, but Atalanta refuses to marry any man who cannot outrun her. Through the intervention of Aphrodite, she finally meets her match. This dramatic picture book for older readers will find a ready audience in middle-graders studying Greek mythology, but younger children would also enjoy hearing it read aloud. Rich colors lend warmth to the stylized paintings that illustrate the myth. Note that the CIP places the book with folklore rather than mythology. Carolyn PhelanProduct DescriptionIn ancient Greece, the gods control every life, from peasant to King. When newborn Princess Atalanta is left to die on a mountainside because her father wanted a son, the gods send a bear to care for her. Adopted by a woodsman, she grows into a great hunter and athlete, and is eventually reunited with her father, the King. But as she gets older, Atalanta has no use for the gods and gives them no credit. When she must run the most important race of her life, on which her future happiness rides, the gods intercede once more--and Atalanta learns they will not be ignored forever.From Publishers WeeklyClimo and Koshkin, previously paired for Stolen Thunder: A Norse Myth reconfirm their compatibility with this stately picture book. Delving beyond the surface of the Greek myth of the fleet-footed princess, Climo's well-told tale raises issues of female worth and inclusion in male-dominated activities. She tempers the harshness of the ending (in which Atalanta and her true love are punished for failing to acknowledge divine help) in a thoughtful author's note that links the heroine to the modern Olympics, open to women athletes since 1900. Koshkin's striking, deep-toned, classically inspired paintings amplify the drama; framing each painting with architectural motifs, he matches Climo in her sensitivity to detail and ambience. Ages 6-10.Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.From School Library JournalGrade 3-7 By starting Atalanta's story with her rejection by her father (who wanted a boy), and carrying it past her race and marriage to her transformation into a lioness (because she failed to honor the gods), Climo hints at the rich psychological interest in her tale. A she-bear suckles Atalanta; a hunter raises her as a boy. Her athletic prowess first wins her notice, then acceptance, from her father; but what he really wants from her is a grandson. Melanion (Hippomenes in other versions) seems, at least, to love her for her own strong self. Atalanta, too, admires Melanion, and perhaps wishes him victory; although, as a true competitor, she tries her best to win. The apparent triumph of love is called into question by Aphrodite's revenge on the couple, both of whom are ungrateful to her for her gift. Koshkin's delicate but vibrant paintings, done in a style evoking the antique, set the raven-haired heroine and blond hero into an archaic Greek world of dress and decor. A slender architrave, pediment, and columns frame each picture. Aphrodite appears with her trademark swan and dolphins, while gorgeous double-spread endpapers depict the whole world of an ancient city-state. There are many retellings of Atalanta's story, but none surpasses this one. Patricia (Dooley) Lothrop Green, St. George's School, Newport, RICopyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.ReviewThe classic Greek myth of a girl abandoned by a royal father and rescued by a bear to become a great hunter and athlete is retold by Climo, who adds fine embellishments and joins with Alexander Koshkin's excellent paintings to create the dramatic finale. Reading skills are required here, but the result's well done. -- Midw
Author: Shirley Climo

Publisher: Clarion Books

Binding: Hardcover

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0395673224

ISBN-13: 9780395673225