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Do Not Open!: The Story of Pandora's Box
Learn the story of Pandora’s Box in this beautifully illustrated Level 2 Ready-to-Read retelling of the myth, from Goddess Girls author Joan Holub!
When Pandora receives a shiny, gold box that says “Do Not Open!” she is so curious that she ignores the warning and opens it! Hundreds of bugs are let loose to fill the world with trouble. Pandora feels horrible until she finds something else in the box that can a fairy called Hope.
This Ready-to-Read retelling of the story of Pandora’s Box is an ideal introduction to mythology for beginning readers.
When Pandora receives a shiny, gold box that says “Do Not Open!” she is so curious that she ignores the warning and opens it! Hundreds of bugs are let loose to fill the world with trouble. Pandora feels horrible until she finds something else in the box that can a fairy called Hope.
This Ready-to-Read retelling of the story of Pandora’s Box is an ideal introduction to mythology for beginning readers.
32 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2014
520 people want to read
About the author
Joan Holub
347 books1,236 followersNY Times bestselling children's book author:
GODDESS GIRLS series + HEROES IN TRAINING series (w Suzanne Williams); THIS LITTLE TRAILBLAZER a Girl Power Primer; ZERO THE HERO; I AM THE SHARK. Lucky to be doing what I love!
GODDESS GIRLS series + HEROES IN TRAINING series (w Suzanne Williams); THIS LITTLE TRAILBLAZER a Girl Power Primer; ZERO THE HERO; I AM THE SHARK. Lucky to be doing what I love!
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 17, 2018
Could you resist opening a mysterious and shiny golden box? Do Not Open! The Story of Pandora's Box, written by Joan Holub and illustrated by Dani Jones, is the retelling of the greek classic. The gods decide to teach the people a lesson because they were not thankful. Knowing that Pandora is a curious woman, the gods send a box to her doorstep, with directions to never open it. Pandora's curiosity gets the best of her and she opens the box, unleashing "trouble bugs" into the world, causing trouble all across the land. But, with trouble comes "Hope", the fairy included in the box to help people in need. The illustrations are what really tell the story, as Pandora's curiosity and imagination come to life, with vivid golds and hues that actually look like they are shining on the page. The cartoonish illustrations do a wonderful job of showing Pandora's emotions and thoughts. Although this book is self categorized as a "level 2 reader" I found many of the spelling patterns to be advanced, and wondered what a "level 2" referred to. The phonetic examples given in the text to sound out the greek names is something that most children are not familiar with. They are also only presented in the first appearance of each name, so children could easily stumble and not remember the pronunciation. This book was advertised when searching for "greek heroes", along with other stories including Pandora. After reading the story, I am not sure Pandora should be considered a "hero", since she released trouble into the world, went through no quests, and was not related to any greek gods in this retelling. Recommended for ages 4-8, since the moral of curiosity getting the better of someone and difficulty in following undesirable directions are very relatable to young children.
December 27, 2023
The myth of Pandora's box is satisfying to read at any age. Surely, though, it must be especially comforting to read if one can still remember the Terrible Two's.
Every couple of years, growing up, a kid starts rebelling anew against the word "No" and other annoyances. So this is one relatable myth fro new readers.
Seems to me, author Joan Holub succeeds beautifully at telling this story in simple words, appropriate for a new reader. I never pictured Hope the way she's presented in these illustrations, but maybe the choice works really well for young readers.
FIVE STARS for an ambitious project done well.
Every couple of years, growing up, a kid starts rebelling anew against the word "No" and other annoyances. So this is one relatable myth fro new readers.
Seems to me, author Joan Holub succeeds beautifully at telling this story in simple words, appropriate for a new reader. I never pictured Hope the way she's presented in these illustrations, but maybe the choice works really well for young readers.
FIVE STARS for an ambitious project done well.
June 21, 2023
This Ready to Read level two is easier than the Hamster Holmes books that are also a level two. However, Joanne Holub has written other easy readers, including Step Into Reading. If this was a Step Into Reading book, it would probably be a level three. It’s important when working with children that parents know that just because a book says it’s a level two does not mean that level two is it the same across everyone publisher. This is the standard story of Pandora from Greek myth. The story is nothing new and it’s decently well done for the age.
July 24, 2019
7/23/19 Read with Naomi and Julia
September 3, 2021
...an interesting elongation and interpretation of the story of Pandora....
December 7, 2021
This book is a great example of teaching children complicated stories in a comprehendible and age-appropriate way. As a kid, I loved Greek mythology and I would have been so excited to read this!
Read
June 29, 2025it think it was a good book
October 14, 2015
Title: Do Not Open! The story of Pandora’s Box
Author: Joan Holub
Illustrator: Dani Jones
Genre: Myth
Theme(s): There’s always a light at the end of the tunnel (Hope in the box)
Opening line/sentence: “Long ago Greeks wondered why their gods sometimes let bad things happen to them. They wrote this story to answer that question. There once was a woman named Pandora (Pan-DOOR-uh).”
Brief Book Summary: This is a Greek mythical book that children love. It is about Pandora who receives a box with a note on it telling her not to open it. She becomes so curious and can’t contain herself so she opens the box and vast amounts of bugs and other trouble is released to fill the city. There is also a little fairy in the box that is called Hope, for self-explanatory reasons.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1: Lisa Czirr (Children’s Literature)- The myth of Pandora’s Box is retold in a format that is very accessible to early readers in this “Ready-to-Read” book. A paragraph before the story introduces the concept of myths, and then the opening page sets the scene in ancient Greece. Pandora is introduced as a woman happily married to her husband, Epimetheus. (Fortunately, there are helpful pronunciation guides for the Greek names). Although the people of Greece are happy, the gods feel unappreciated. The gods’ solution is to send down the infamous box, complete with a humorous “no” tag attached, warning against opening it. Pandora, of course, cannot stop envisioning what could be in the box, leading to a series of entertaining illustrations of the possibilities that she imagines. When she opens the box, “trouble bugs” fly out and make everyone miserable. Attempting to shut the box is futile, but there is something still left inside: Hope, in the form of a fairy. Since this story is an adaptation of the classic myth, there are some significant differences that make the content age appropriate. The bugs and fairy, for instance, both concretely depict the otherwise abstract manifestations that come from the original box. In the end, a question is posed to the reader to consider his or her own hopes. The illustrations in this book back up the text, guiding readers along the way. This book is a great way to introduce students to mythology by reading it themselves.
Professional Recommendation/Review #2: Joan Holub- (4) K-3 Illustrated by Dani Jones. Ready-to-Read series. These beginning readers provide simple adaptations of famous Greek myths, with slight alterations making the stories age-appropriate (e.g., the Cyclops gets poked in the eye, not blinded). Although the books are easy to read, much of the drama is lost in the texts' simplicity. The cartoony color illustrations are quite charming and keep the mood lighthearted. Pronunciation guides assist readers with Greek names.
Response to Two Professional Reviews: These two reviews have a few different outlooks on this book. Holub believes that since the text is so easy to read, the drama of the story is lost, but I disagree with this. I agree with Czirr and believe that the simple text is what makes it easier for the students to be able to understand this Greek myth. I think it is the perfect book to use when introducing mythology to students.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: This book is perfect for third grade children because of it’s literary elements. The author used this Greek myth to create a children's book and did a very good job of explaining the myth in a way children would understand it. The book still discussed and introduced this myth, but with the simple concise text children are able to understand it. The author also describes the setting and provides a short blurb about Greek mythology to give some background information.
Consideration of Instructional Application: I think this is a great book to use in a third grade classroom. The reading level is perfect for students at this age and it also would be a good book to use to introduce children to this genre- myths. This could be used as an introduction to a lesson about Greek myths during this time. I think it would be a very beneficial book to have and use in my classroom.
Author: Joan Holub
Illustrator: Dani Jones
Genre: Myth
Theme(s): There’s always a light at the end of the tunnel (Hope in the box)
Opening line/sentence: “Long ago Greeks wondered why their gods sometimes let bad things happen to them. They wrote this story to answer that question. There once was a woman named Pandora (Pan-DOOR-uh).”
Brief Book Summary: This is a Greek mythical book that children love. It is about Pandora who receives a box with a note on it telling her not to open it. She becomes so curious and can’t contain herself so she opens the box and vast amounts of bugs and other trouble is released to fill the city. There is also a little fairy in the box that is called Hope, for self-explanatory reasons.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1: Lisa Czirr (Children’s Literature)- The myth of Pandora’s Box is retold in a format that is very accessible to early readers in this “Ready-to-Read” book. A paragraph before the story introduces the concept of myths, and then the opening page sets the scene in ancient Greece. Pandora is introduced as a woman happily married to her husband, Epimetheus. (Fortunately, there are helpful pronunciation guides for the Greek names). Although the people of Greece are happy, the gods feel unappreciated. The gods’ solution is to send down the infamous box, complete with a humorous “no” tag attached, warning against opening it. Pandora, of course, cannot stop envisioning what could be in the box, leading to a series of entertaining illustrations of the possibilities that she imagines. When she opens the box, “trouble bugs” fly out and make everyone miserable. Attempting to shut the box is futile, but there is something still left inside: Hope, in the form of a fairy. Since this story is an adaptation of the classic myth, there are some significant differences that make the content age appropriate. The bugs and fairy, for instance, both concretely depict the otherwise abstract manifestations that come from the original box. In the end, a question is posed to the reader to consider his or her own hopes. The illustrations in this book back up the text, guiding readers along the way. This book is a great way to introduce students to mythology by reading it themselves.
Professional Recommendation/Review #2: Joan Holub- (4) K-3 Illustrated by Dani Jones. Ready-to-Read series. These beginning readers provide simple adaptations of famous Greek myths, with slight alterations making the stories age-appropriate (e.g., the Cyclops gets poked in the eye, not blinded). Although the books are easy to read, much of the drama is lost in the texts' simplicity. The cartoony color illustrations are quite charming and keep the mood lighthearted. Pronunciation guides assist readers with Greek names.
Response to Two Professional Reviews: These two reviews have a few different outlooks on this book. Holub believes that since the text is so easy to read, the drama of the story is lost, but I disagree with this. I agree with Czirr and believe that the simple text is what makes it easier for the students to be able to understand this Greek myth. I think it is the perfect book to use when introducing mythology to students.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: This book is perfect for third grade children because of it’s literary elements. The author used this Greek myth to create a children's book and did a very good job of explaining the myth in a way children would understand it. The book still discussed and introduced this myth, but with the simple concise text children are able to understand it. The author also describes the setting and provides a short blurb about Greek mythology to give some background information.
Consideration of Instructional Application: I think this is a great book to use in a third grade classroom. The reading level is perfect for students at this age and it also would be a good book to use to introduce children to this genre- myths. This could be used as an introduction to a lesson about Greek myths during this time. I think it would be a very beneficial book to have and use in my classroom.
March 6, 2016
Title: Do Not Open! The story of Pandora's Box
Author: Joan Holub
Illustrator: Leighanne Dees
Genre:Myth
Theme(s): having hope
Opening line/sentence: Long ago the greeks wondered why their gods sometimes let bad things happened to them.
Brief Book Summary:This is a story of one of the Greek goddesses named Pandora. She is given a box and instructed not to open it. When she opens it it reeks havoc on all of the land and bad things happen everywhere.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1:The myth of Pandora s Box is retold in a format that is very accessible to early readers in this Ready-to-Read book. A paragraph before the story introduces the concept of myths, and then the opening page sets the scene in ancient Greece. Pandora is introduced as a woman happily married to her husband, Epimetheus. (Fortunately, there are helpful pronunciation guides for the Greek names). Although the people of Greece are happy, the gods feel unappreciated. The gods solution is to send down the infamous box, complete with a humorous no tag attached, warning against opening it. Pandora, of course, cannot stop envisioning what could be in the box, leading to a series of entertaining illustrations of the possibilities that she imagines. When she opens the box, trouble bugs fly out and make everyone miserable. Attempting to shut the box is futile, but there is something still left inside: Hope, in the form of a fairy. Since this story is an adaptation of the classic myth, there are some significant differences that make the content age appropriate. The bugs and fairy, for instance, both concretely depict the otherwise abstract manifestations that come from the original box. In the end, a question is posed to the reader to consider his or her own hopes. The illustrations in this book back up the text, guiding readers along the way. This book is a great way to introduce students to mythology by reading it themselves.
Response to the Professional Review: I agree with the reviewer , it was amazing for the book to have little areas where you could see how to pronounce the word. That was always one of the biggest things I didn't like as a young reader, not knowing how to pronounce funny looking words. Not only are the children reading and familiarizing themselves with greek mythology but they are getting a Greek lesson as well.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: The illustrations in the book are very neat and use colors that are pleasing on the eyes. ANother literary element that worked well with this story was the Greek that was written so that the readers would know how to pronounce it.
Consideration of Instructional Application: I would use this book to teach about even when things are going wrong, if you have a little hope they can get better. It would also be a good segway into talking about Greek Mythology and Culture.
Author: Joan Holub
Illustrator: Leighanne Dees
Genre:Myth
Theme(s): having hope
Opening line/sentence: Long ago the greeks wondered why their gods sometimes let bad things happened to them.
Brief Book Summary:This is a story of one of the Greek goddesses named Pandora. She is given a box and instructed not to open it. When she opens it it reeks havoc on all of the land and bad things happen everywhere.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1:The myth of Pandora s Box is retold in a format that is very accessible to early readers in this Ready-to-Read book. A paragraph before the story introduces the concept of myths, and then the opening page sets the scene in ancient Greece. Pandora is introduced as a woman happily married to her husband, Epimetheus. (Fortunately, there are helpful pronunciation guides for the Greek names). Although the people of Greece are happy, the gods feel unappreciated. The gods solution is to send down the infamous box, complete with a humorous no tag attached, warning against opening it. Pandora, of course, cannot stop envisioning what could be in the box, leading to a series of entertaining illustrations of the possibilities that she imagines. When she opens the box, trouble bugs fly out and make everyone miserable. Attempting to shut the box is futile, but there is something still left inside: Hope, in the form of a fairy. Since this story is an adaptation of the classic myth, there are some significant differences that make the content age appropriate. The bugs and fairy, for instance, both concretely depict the otherwise abstract manifestations that come from the original box. In the end, a question is posed to the reader to consider his or her own hopes. The illustrations in this book back up the text, guiding readers along the way. This book is a great way to introduce students to mythology by reading it themselves.
Response to the Professional Review: I agree with the reviewer , it was amazing for the book to have little areas where you could see how to pronounce the word. That was always one of the biggest things I didn't like as a young reader, not knowing how to pronounce funny looking words. Not only are the children reading and familiarizing themselves with greek mythology but they are getting a Greek lesson as well.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: The illustrations in the book are very neat and use colors that are pleasing on the eyes. ANother literary element that worked well with this story was the Greek that was written so that the readers would know how to pronounce it.
Consideration of Instructional Application: I would use this book to teach about even when things are going wrong, if you have a little hope they can get better. It would also be a good segway into talking about Greek Mythology and Culture.
April 29, 2014
When Pandora receives a box with the note "Do not open!" on it, she can barely contain her curiosity. Although her husband warns her to follow the directive on the box, she finally gives in to temptation. The world is immediately flooded with trouble. Good thing the box also contains something essential to humankind: hope.
Using short, simple sentences and large fonts, this easy reader introduces children to the story of Pandora's Box in language they can understand. Would be a good introduction to stories about Greek history or religions of the world.
Using short, simple sentences and large fonts, this easy reader introduces children to the story of Pandora's Box in language they can understand. Would be a good introduction to stories about Greek history or religions of the world.
March 9, 2014
Simple explanation of Pandora's Box but done well for a level 2 reader.
September 8, 2016
This is a great Early Reader book for second and third grade independent readers describing the Greek myth of Pandora and her famous box; also a fun read aloud for elementary students.
August 21, 2015
reading level 2.2; Benchmark level 21
Read
March 22, 2016AR Reading Level
2.2
AR Interest Level
LG
AR Points
0.5
2.2
AR Interest Level
LG
AR Points
0.5
November 4, 2016
When you can't find just plain old Pandora's box....
May 3, 2016
Virtue: obedience/ hope
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews