Athena: Goddess of Wisdom and War (Tales of Great Goddesses #1)

Highlighting young Athena as a girl striving to be taken seriously by male relatives and other goddesses, sisters Imogen and Isabel Greenberg (The Aztec Empire) adapt and connect several major tales of the goddess in this volume, creating a linear narrative. From the moment she emerges from the head of Zeus, armored and ready for battle, Athena involves herself in the lives of mortals. Whether becoming the patron of Athens, raising Erichthonius to one day become king, or advising and protecting heroes such as Perseus and Odysseus, Imogen Greenberg details Athena's adventures as guide to humankind and "the goddess behind all the stories." But even the goddess of wisdom makes missteps, and must learn when to give her assistance as well as the idea that others' strengths do not diminish her own. Isabel Greenberg's bold, angular art is well matched to the intended audience and conveys a positive, peppy tone, with light comedic elements (in a kind of comic visual epithet, for example, Poseidon is nearly always holding a fish). While an Odysseus section de-centers Athena to its detriment, outlines of each character and a relatively bloodless telling of mythology that skews slightly younger than the intended audience make this a good place for young myth-interested readers to begin. Ages 8-12. (June)

Gr 3-5--Skipping the parts that may be less appropriate for younger audiences, the Greenberg sisters retell seven myths in which Athena played a significant role--beginning with Hephaestus smashing Zeus's head with a hammer to let her out, ending with select adventures from the Odyssey. In between, readers see her taking time off to raise foundling demigod Erichthonius, raging after losing a weaving competition with Arachne, helpfully counseling Perseus against Medusa, and serving as a clever advocate for Odysseus. The all-caps narrative is written in informal language ("Oh wow. What an honor!" stammers "cowardly" Paris when tasked with awarding the golden apple) and inserted between or within large, stylized single scenes or grouped panels depicting modishly posed, sharp-featured figures in tunics or ankle-length shifts. Athena is tan-skinned, and the other gods and goddesses are portrayed with various hues. Though George O'Connor's Athena: Grey-Eyed Goddess presents her more forcefully and offers a more complete tally of her exploits, younger readers may find this uncomplicated version more consistently appealing, as she comes off as a strong-minded sort who makes mistakes but learns from them and stands forthrightly at the end in a goddess power trio with sister Aphrodite and proud stepmother Hera. VERDICT A lighthearted, if sanitized, character portrait that will draw elementary grade fans of Marcia Williams's ventures into classical history and mythology.--John Peters, Children's Literature Consultant, New York