The Beautiful Stories of Life: Six Greeks Myths, Retold

by Cynthia Rylant Narrated by Alyssa Bresnahan

Overview

Winner of the Newbery Medal, Cynthia Rylant has also received the Caldecott Award and numerous other honors. In The Beautiful Stories of Life, Rylant vividly retells the Greek myths of Pandora, Pygmalion, Narcissus, Perse-phone, Orpheus, and Psyche. Exploring classic themes of love, destruction, vanity, and redemption, these tales will introduce young readers to the exciting world of Greek mythology.

Editorial Reviews

Kirkus Reviews

With elegant simplicity, Rylant retells the stories of Pandora, Persephone, Orpheus, Pygmalion, Narcissus and Psyche, six popular Greek myths involving powerful and poignant emotions. Pandora's curiosity unleashes suffering on the world, but she salvages hope. When Hades abducts her daughter Persephone, Demeter's grief causes the seasons to change. Orpheus's inability to accept his bride's untimely death leads to his own demise. Pygmalion's passion for the beautiful woman he carves from marble brings her to life. Narcissus's fixation on his own perfect image destroys him as well as the adoring Echo. Psyche's selfless devotion to Eros survives Aphrodite's jealous testing. The choices are appropriate for kids, who often fail to grasp complex mythical themes. Rylant's clear explanations of relationships between gods and mortals as well as the underlying motivations and significance of each myth avoid condescension without sacrificing the details, richness and conventions of the original stories. Ellis's formal black-and-white drawings are reminiscent of stylized classical Greek art and illustrate a dramatic moment from each myth. The small, square format completes this accessible and classy introduction to Greek mythology. (Mythology. 10 & up)

From the Publisher

"Rylant’s clear explanations of relationships between gods and mortals as well as the underlying motivations and significance of each myth avoid condescension without sacrificing the details, richness and conventions of the original stories. Ellis’s formal black-and-white drawings are reminiscent of stylized classical Greek art and illustrate a dramatic moment from each myth. The small, square format completes this accessible and classy introduction to Greek mythology."—Kirkus Reviews

"Rylant offers simplified, accessible versions of the myths and curtails their more troubled meanings. Ellis’s soft pencil drawings bedeck this elegant-looking little book with visions of flowers, garlands, and comely maidens."—Horn Book

". . . hones six myths into clear, accessible stories for younger readers. Plainspoken and captivating, they draw readers into the sagas . . . The stories grab attention with intriguing introductions . . . Ellis, illustrator of the Mysterious Benedict Society books, employs delicate pencil drawings to render the characters amid the organic: flowers, fruit, leaves and twisting vines. The small format reflects the book's purpose: to be a pleasurable sampling of some well-known Greek myths, their ideas and morals distilled to their core."—Publishers Weekly

"The collection is fashioned to relate tales of love, pride, struggle, and triumph; Rylant has chosen a good complement of myths to retell, sticking to the standard versions of each one. Accompanied by full-page black-and-white illustrations and sprinkled with decorations, the whole package is nicely done. Readers who enjoy a good romance or just a well-told tale will be satisfied with this small book, and those looking for material for reports will find the necessary elements within. Collections needing fresh additions to their mythology section should consider this one."—School Library Journal

“There is fluidity in the telling . . . a useful contrast to more irreverent or raucous retellings, especially in a setting where the focus is on the message more than the cultural significance.”—The Bulletin






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Product Details

BN ID:	2940170905898
Publisher:	Recorded Books, LLC
Publication date:	05/08/2009
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

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