Hera: The Goddess and Her Glory (Olympians #3)

by George O'Connor (Author) George O'Connor (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade
Series: Olympians

The story of Hera, Queen of the Gods, and the heroes who won her favor.

Volume 3 of Olympians, Hera: The Goddess and Her Glory, introduces readers to the Queen of the Gods and Goddesses in the Pantheon. This volume tells the tales of the many heroes who sought and won Hera's patronage, most notably Hercules.

In Olympians, O'Connor draws from primary documents to reconstruct and retell classic Greek myths. But these stories aren't sedate, scholarly works. They're action-packed, fast-paced, high-drama adventures with monsters, romance, and not a few huge explosions.

O'Connor's vibrant, kinetic art brings ancient tales to undeniable life, in a perfect fusion of super-hero aesthetics and ancient Greek mythology. This title has Common Core connections.

Select format:
Paperback
$12.99

More books in the series - See All

School Library Journal

Gr 7 Up--O'Connor does not give in to the typical representation of Hera as just a nagging wife; instead, he shows how the goddess of marriage struggles with Zeus's infidelity time and again. Through the story of Heracles, readers see not only how the hero made a name for himself, but also how the Greek gods viewed the lives of mortals and heroes, who play out competitions among the gods with their lives. Though some of the dialogue is a bit shallow and does not reflect the well-rounded picture readers have of Hera by the end of the story, the retelling of the myth accurately reflects several of the original source texts and gives Hera a somewhat vindictive sense of humor. While skipping some darker elements, such as the reason for Heracles's 12 labors and Hera's causing him to go mad and kill his wife and children, the stories are fairly represented, and several instances of Hera's wrath against her husband's lovers are depicted in a few short panels. This is an excellent addition to mythology sections, with action sequences that will appeal to readers of superhero comics. The art also leaves out darker elements. While violence is depicted, the action sequences brilliantly capture the quick movements and tense tone of combat without showing a gorier side. A family tree on the front cover and notes at the end make this useful for classrooms as well.--Alana Joli Abbott, formerly at James Blackstone Memorial Library, Branford, CT

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"Definitely worth a visit for any young demigod." —Rick Riordan

"Readers . . . will be delighted with this debut title in the Olympians series of graphic novels." —BCCB, starred review

George O'Connor
George O'Connor is the New York Times-bestselling author of Olympians, the series of graphic novels featuring the tragic, dramatic, and epic lives of the Greek Gods. His first graphic novel, Journey into Mohawk Country, pushed the boundaries of the genre, using as its sole text the actual historical journal of the seventeenth-century Dutch trader Harmen Meyndertsz van den Bogaert. He also illustrated acclaimed playwright Adam Rapp's Ball Peen Hammer. He teamed up with writer Daniel G. Newman on Unrig: How to Fix Our Broken Democracy, the first volume in the World Citizen Comics series. George is also the creator of popular picture books such as the New York Times-bestselling Kapow! and If I Had a Triceratops. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Classification
-
ISBN-13
9781596434332
Lexile Measure
650
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
First Second
Publication date
July 19, 2011
Series
Olympians
BISAC categories
JUV008000 - Juvenile Fiction | Comics & Graphic Novels | General
Library of Congress categories
Mythology, Greek
Cartoons and comics
Gods, Greek
Goddesses, Greek
Zeus (Greek deity)

Subscribe to our delicious e-newsletter!