Shapeshifters

Gr 6—9—This volume renders some of the more familiar of Ovid's tales into a form accessible to today's readers. Many of the stories demonstrate the folly of acting against the gods as the shapeshifting of the title is most often a divine punishment for overly proud mortals. Jove and his philandering also feature prominently as do the story of Dis and Persephone and several tales of Daedalus. Mitchell tells many of these myths in prose, others in various poetic forms, some more successful than others. The occasional lapses into present-day vernacular are surprising but don't ruin the overall mood. Lee, most famous for his depictions of Tolkein's works, does superb work here. His images of gods, demigods, mortals, and the natural world surround the text and, in a few instances, cover entire pages, giving life to the words. True to the stories, he does paint a bare-breasted nymph here and there. Mitchell doesn't hesitate, either, to include some of the more gruesome tales, such as that of Erysichthon, a king cursed by Ceres who eventually ate himself. This gorgeous retelling should satisfy young people looking for tales from classical mythology.—Eric Norton, McMillan Memorial Library, Wisconsin Rapids, WI