The Hero and the Minotaur
Starred Review. Grade 3-6–From the birth of Greece, wrought by Poseidon's shaking his trident, to Theseus's rule over the mountainous land of the Ancients, this retelling of the hero's mythical adventures is a joy to read. Byrd masterfully interweaves the legends of Aegeus, Heracles, the Minotaur, Ariadne, and Icarus with the story of Theseus. Myths that are normally quite complicated become easy to decipher in this outstanding version, for Byrd tells the tales simply and clearly, including important details and tying up all loose ends so that everything blends together seamlessly. The pen-and-watercolor illustrations are painstakingly drawn and include numerous small period details that heighten the sense of history. The paintings abound in rich Mediterranean colors, and there is a sense of movement on every page. While the heads and feet of the characters may seem disproportionately large, it seems a simple but suitable way to suggest that these characters are larger than life. The influences of ancient Greek art are everywhere, from the key designs on the title page to the carved prow of Theseus's ship; in fact, many of the designs were copied from actual ancient artifacts. The endpaper maps trace the hero's route from Athens to Crete and back and provide a quick visual retelling of the story, using miniature versions of the characters featured in the regular illustrations. Keeping with the tradition ofD'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths(Random, 1992), Byrd's book is sure to take its rightful place among classic retellings of timeless tales.–Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, LaSalle Academy, Providence, RICopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.