2018 School Spending Survey Report
Gr 5-9 Five myths featuring the Greek goddess are included in this volume. Dialogue is modern ("What's gotten into you, Zeus?" "I wanna bite him!"), while narration, provided by the Fates, retains a more formal tone. A good balance is struck between exposition and action: readers familiar with these stories will enjoy seeing them brought to life with such vigor, while sufficient background is provided so that children reading about the Greek gods for the first time will not find themselves lost at sea. The family tree of the immortals is a useful tool even for the most experienced readers. O'Connor's drawings, full of energetic diagonals and expressive faces, are nicely balanced by spare settings and minimalistic backgrounds. A sophisticated color palette, full of midtones and subtle contrasts, and panel layouts that vary from page to page further distinguish the art. The author's affection for his subject is evident in a chatty note. Profiles of major characters, notes, and discussion questions appear in addition to the usual back matter. An exceptional graphic novel."Paula Willey, Baltimore County Public Library, Towson, MD" Copyright 2010 Media Source Inc.
O'Connor's graphic novel series about the Olympians includes this one on total asskicker Athena; others deal with Zeus (her dad), Hera (her mom), and the only man who could possibly tame her (Lance Armstrong). In this, Okie lusciously retells and illustrates five Athena sagas (Athenagas?), including the one where she defeats the biggest, baddest giganite ever (he says "Graarrr!" a lot), the one where she walks into a bar with a platypus, the one where she's born fully formed out of Zeus's head, how she smacked down Arachne at the Baddest Quilting Bee Ever, and the one about Improper Use of the Official Hellenic Copy Machine. Although this is technically classed as young adult, and I am technically classed as grown-up, I thoroughly enjoyed Athena. I'm not strong on classical theology (yet another reason why my dad, Hades, is constantly annoyed with me); O'Connor's ability to turn the myths into, essentially, action comics, simplifies them without dumbing them down. Powerful, dramatic panels exhibit our heroine as alternately ferocious and comely. The art's clean lines and full range of colors effectively guide readers. — Douglas Lord, "Books for Dudes", Booksmack! 5/5//11
In this graphic novel, the Fates narrate a collection of myths featuring the Greek goddess, including the story of her birth from Zeus's skull, the Olympians' battle with the Gigantes, and Medusa's betrayal of Athena. The lively format brings a modern sensibility to the ancient myths and makes them accessible to a wide audience. Reading list. Bib.
The different stories show the many facets of this important goddess, and they feature some of Greek mythology’s most fascinating characters, including Perseus and Medusa. George O’Connor’s vibrant artwork does an excellent job of presenting the characters and of visualizing some of the more abstract elements in the stories. The three Fates narrate all the stories, providing a sense of continuity to Athena’s various adventures. An author’s note and endnotes provide helpful background information about the characters, the etymology of their names, and the role of women in Greek society.
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