Perseus

Gr 5 Up—The life of Perseus is filled with intrigue, interplayed with destiny. Locked in a chest, dropped into the middle of the sea and left to die, he survives and tries to live a simple, quiet life. When given an unexpected audience and tested by the king, he carelessly pledges his loyalty and boasts that he will bring the monarch the head of Medusa. Believing himself deserted and alone, Perseus curses Zeus. His angry roar brings the aid of Hermes, messenger of the gods, and Athena, goddess of wisdom. They reveal to him that he is their brother and that they intend to help him on his mighty quest, and he ultimately establishes the great kingdom of Mycenae. Kumar's illustrations give life to these mythical legends but misspellings and improper verb tenses ruin an otherwise exciting story. Whitehead opens his story as Jason is called upon to reclaim the land of Iolcus, his birthright. Broken and forlorn, he has lived his life far from the reach of his treacherous Uncle Pelias, who imprisoned his parents and stole the throne. Pelias tricks Jason and sets him on an impossible quest, to capture the Golden Fleece. The pace, dialogue, and action create the right amount of tension. Dramatic illustrations lend a cinematic effect. Readers will especially like Jason's battle with enchanted bulls with the breath of Hades and the fight with Talos, the bronze man.—Lisa Gieskes, Richland County Public Library, Columbia, SC