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The Beautiful Stories of Life: Six Greek Myths, Retold
Newbery Medal-winner Cynthia Rylant retells her favorite stories from Greek mythology, breathing fresh life into the tales of Pandora, Persephone, Orpheus, Pygmalion, Narcissus, and Psyche. The writing is lyrical and understated, a perfect tone for stories that introduce young readers to themes of love and loss, pride and forgiveness. Carson Ellis's elegant black-and-white illustrations lend an aura of beauty and mystery.
80 pages, Hardcover
First published May 4, 2008
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About the author
Cynthia Rylant
506 books867 followersAn author of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for children and young adults as well as an author and author/illustrator of picture books for children, Cynthia Rylant is recognized as a gifted writer who has contributed memorably to several genres of juvenile literature. A prolific author who often bases her works on her own background, especially on her childhood in the West Virginia mountains, she is the creator of contemporary novels and historical fiction for young adults, middle-grade fiction and fantasy, lyrical prose poems, beginning readers, collections of short stories, volumes of poetry and verse, books of prayers and blessings, two autobiographies, and a biography of three well-known children's writers; several volumes of the author's fiction and picture books are published in series, including the popular "Henry and Mudge" easy readers about a small boy and his very large dog.
Rylant is perhaps most well known as a novelist. Characteristically, she portrays introspective, compassionate young people who live in rural settings or in small towns and who tend to be set apart from their peers.
from bookrags.com
Rylant is perhaps most well known as a novelist. Characteristically, she portrays introspective, compassionate young people who live in rural settings or in small towns and who tend to be set apart from their peers.
from bookrags.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
July 16, 2016
If the goodreads' translation of 2 stars is 'this is OK' then I cannot give this collection any higher a rating. It is worth pointing out this is a children's book where the author puts in her own words 6 Ancient Greek myths - these are not retellings or adaptations. I am entirely on board with this concept, I love mythology and it was children's books that got me into it in the first place (I am now a PhD student conducting research in this field). I think accessibility and enjoyability is really important and I cannot complain that Rylant's writing itself is particularly poor. The addition of illustrations is also a nice touch, they are pleasant drawings although number relatively few. This collection, however, is riddled with silly mistakes and absent of important facts (nothing that would offend children). If all the author has to offer in these cases is her writing, no original stories, then the least they could do is proper research. The mistakes could have been so simply corrected as they are well established facts that not including them/getting them wrong can only read to me as lazy research. It felt like the author just remembered the myths off the top of her head and wrote them down with no further effort exerted. I don't think reading this for an introduction to Greek mythology will be a displeasurable experience in itself, for readers unfamiliar with the originals, but I cannot see why on earth you would want to read what is a pretty average collection when there are better, more accurate, versions out there. If you are familiar with Greek mythology this book will probably just irritate you as it did me.
March 14, 2024
pretty illustrations, simplistic writing style, short cute stories about greek mythology that have a moral that relates to irl life now
ps. idk how accurate these retellings are compared to the og myths
ps. idk how accurate these retellings are compared to the og myths
December 2, 2022
A small but nice collection of six Greek myths retold, apt for introducing the little ones to the legends of Pandora, Hades & Persephone, Orpheus, Pygmalion, Narcissus, and Eros & Psyche. The stories are summed up and retold in understandable language, and have ink illustrations for each story. They're very simple and child-friendly, so don't expect much from them besides this neat simplicity.
February 17, 2010
Reviewed for THC Reviews
Because of an adult fiction series I've been reading that is based on Greek mythology, I've recently rediscovered an interest in these myths, so when I saw The Beautiful Stories of Life on the featured shelf at the library, I decided to pick it up. It turned out to be a nice way to refresh my memory on the stories of Pandora, Persephone, Narcissus and Psyche, and I believe, get my first introduction to Orpheus and Pygmalion, as I recognized their names but don't recall reading their tales before. I'm far from being any kind of expert on Greek mythology, so I can't really address the accuracy of the re-tellings, but they seemed to mesh well with my vague childhood memories of the myths I was familiar with. All of the stories are about life and love, and all contain some type of romantic element which was another part of what drew me to the book. As such, they would probably be of interest to children who enjoy fairy tales and fables. There are some good life lessons to be learned from the stories, but they are probably a bit too sophisticated for younger children to fully appreciate. I have my doubts that this book would hold the interest of the average youngster, which is why I would recommend it for the 9-12 age range. By that age, children should have developed the ability to think in more complex terms and understand stories that contain deeper meaning. For them, The Beautiful Stories of Life could become a nice little introduction to these Greek myths.
I was surprised to discover that the illustrations are all done in black and white in a more classical style. The style suited the subject matter of the book well, but I was hoping for something more colorful, perhaps like the pale pastels of the cover illustration. As is, they just didn't really stand out to me. Instead, they just blended in with the text, and there were too few in my opinion. Each story had only one or two pictures with several pages of solid text in between, which is another reason that I think this book would be more suitable for older children. Overall, I enjoyed reading The Beautiful Stories of Life and found it to be a fun way to reconnect with a few romantic Greek myths, but for a children's picture book, I felt that the illustrations left a little something to be desired.
Note: One illustration depicts a statue of a nude woman, which some parents may find inappropriate.
Because of an adult fiction series I've been reading that is based on Greek mythology, I've recently rediscovered an interest in these myths, so when I saw The Beautiful Stories of Life on the featured shelf at the library, I decided to pick it up. It turned out to be a nice way to refresh my memory on the stories of Pandora, Persephone, Narcissus and Psyche, and I believe, get my first introduction to Orpheus and Pygmalion, as I recognized their names but don't recall reading their tales before. I'm far from being any kind of expert on Greek mythology, so I can't really address the accuracy of the re-tellings, but they seemed to mesh well with my vague childhood memories of the myths I was familiar with. All of the stories are about life and love, and all contain some type of romantic element which was another part of what drew me to the book. As such, they would probably be of interest to children who enjoy fairy tales and fables. There are some good life lessons to be learned from the stories, but they are probably a bit too sophisticated for younger children to fully appreciate. I have my doubts that this book would hold the interest of the average youngster, which is why I would recommend it for the 9-12 age range. By that age, children should have developed the ability to think in more complex terms and understand stories that contain deeper meaning. For them, The Beautiful Stories of Life could become a nice little introduction to these Greek myths.
I was surprised to discover that the illustrations are all done in black and white in a more classical style. The style suited the subject matter of the book well, but I was hoping for something more colorful, perhaps like the pale pastels of the cover illustration. As is, they just didn't really stand out to me. Instead, they just blended in with the text, and there were too few in my opinion. Each story had only one or two pictures with several pages of solid text in between, which is another reason that I think this book would be more suitable for older children. Overall, I enjoyed reading The Beautiful Stories of Life and found it to be a fun way to reconnect with a few romantic Greek myths, but for a children's picture book, I felt that the illustrations left a little something to be desired.
Note: One illustration depicts a statue of a nude woman, which some parents may find inappropriate.
February 20, 2017
This is a visually pretty and literally straightforward interpretation of 6 Greek Myths. I appreciated those two features the most. IMO, these stories are better without too many rambling details attached. The author craftily lays out the modern day meaning of the stories without being obvious. I would recommend as a palate cleanser for time in between books.
March 5, 2010
The Beautiful Stories of Life: Six Greek Myths Retold by Cynthia Rylant. Illus. by Carson Ellis. Harcourt, 2009. 71 pp. ISBN:978-0-15-206184-5 $16.00 5th-8th grade
Rylant, a prolific, award winning writer, has succeeded once again in creating a work of art. In this collection she retells six Greek myths: Pandora, Persephone, Orpheus, Pygmalion, Narcissus and Psyche. Although they could be read separately, reading the stories in order feels like a gentle, flowing river. No prior knowledge of Greek myths is necessary to enjoy this classical retelling. Rylant writes poetically utilizing numerous literary devices such as similes, metaphors and personification. Never didactic, each story gently gives a life lesson—about hope, patience, love, trust, pride, and greed. Her poetic prose brings the Greek characters to life. The cover art, in soft colored pencil tones of green, mauves, peach and brown, illustrates symbols from each of the stories, for example, a box, a pomegranate, a chisel and a lyre. Complementing the prose, are occasional, gentle, two-tone, penciled illustrations of period, Greco style figures. The Beautiful Stories could be read aloud or read by those looking for some introspective stories. Some adults might feel offended by the masculine pronouns: “Zeus found man’s greatest weakness by first finding man’s greatest strength: It was love.” However, I personally think this fits the context and setting of the Greek myths. Upon completion of the final story about love, one finds a beautifully, sketched rose. For a collection with background information, a glossary and other explanatory material on Greek myths, try Mary Pope Osborne’s Favorite Greek Myths. Rylant’s The Beautiful Stories of Life has a different purpose—it is truly a gem for the soul.
Rylant, a prolific, award winning writer, has succeeded once again in creating a work of art. In this collection she retells six Greek myths: Pandora, Persephone, Orpheus, Pygmalion, Narcissus and Psyche. Although they could be read separately, reading the stories in order feels like a gentle, flowing river. No prior knowledge of Greek myths is necessary to enjoy this classical retelling. Rylant writes poetically utilizing numerous literary devices such as similes, metaphors and personification. Never didactic, each story gently gives a life lesson—about hope, patience, love, trust, pride, and greed. Her poetic prose brings the Greek characters to life. The cover art, in soft colored pencil tones of green, mauves, peach and brown, illustrates symbols from each of the stories, for example, a box, a pomegranate, a chisel and a lyre. Complementing the prose, are occasional, gentle, two-tone, penciled illustrations of period, Greco style figures. The Beautiful Stories could be read aloud or read by those looking for some introspective stories. Some adults might feel offended by the masculine pronouns: “Zeus found man’s greatest weakness by first finding man’s greatest strength: It was love.” However, I personally think this fits the context and setting of the Greek myths. Upon completion of the final story about love, one finds a beautifully, sketched rose. For a collection with background information, a glossary and other explanatory material on Greek myths, try Mary Pope Osborne’s Favorite Greek Myths. Rylant’s The Beautiful Stories of Life has a different purpose—it is truly a gem for the soul.
May 6, 2009
Nice stories, pretty pictures (but I wish they'd been in color)
August 19, 2009
Beautifully and simply told. A delightful quick read and nice review of those classic tales on a PG scale.
May 31, 2021
This book seems like it should be for children but it’s definitely not.
April 2, 2016
CSULB 545 Class 3: Myth - Pandora
Rylant, Cynthia. “Pandora.” The Beautiful Stories of Life: Six Greek Myths, Retold. Illus. Carson Ellis. New York: Harcourt, 2009.
[May contain spoilers]
Target Audience: grades 1 - 9 [This is a vast age range; but merited. I read this to my seven-year-old and four-year-old neices, and is is used in our freshman mythology units]
Curriculum ties: Mythology units; transgressor units (i.e. Frankenstein)
The story of Pandora is the story of a transgressor, one who goes against the gods. This is not a new story, nor is Pandora a new character, but Rylant seamlessly breathes new life into the myth, skillfully weaving it into a universal, and thus contemporary context. The narrative resounds with reflections such as: "And as always happens in the stories of life, action creates consequences." In Rylant's telling, "Pandora" is a story of revenge as much as it is a creation story (both of women and of suffering and anguish) and a tale of transgression. In this telling Zeus cunningly calculates revenge: man's greatest weakness played against man's greatest strength. Woman is made in the form of Pandora and, refreshingly, it is not a depiction of the weakness or evilness of womankind that leads to the opening of the box, it is the absence of patience, never bestowed on her by the gods as it is so uniquely human neither they, nor she, could conceive of it. Unwittingly she releases the pestilence, but manages in the end to recapture Hope, and "because she did so ... Hope is alive today. It lives in darkness. And in darkness man finds it."
The stories in this small, 71 paged, beautifully drawn collection of six myths are unlike most tellings of Greek myths, because unlike Edith Hamilton or Bullfinch, these stories are brought heart achingly to life, and in them, motivation, and consequences of actions, and their implications are as important as anything. The gorgeous prose compels reflection on real life and invites multiple readings. Rylant’s narrative perspective, and Ellis’ trademark haunting pencil sketches elevate this small collection of myths above their peers. At once adult and accessible, the text and the beautiful illustrations approach a wide age range of readers with respect and equal access. Because of this, this story of Pandora (and the book as a whole) can be read to young readers as well as well-utilized in high school classrooms. This vast age range of readership is appropriate to the source and to the telling of the story -- myths have long been enjoyed by all age of audiences, and the richness of this telling leaves room for growth in its appreciation as audiences mature and develop.
[Note: The story classifies Prometheus as a man rather than a Titan, but as it's only serving as contextual background, it is an appropriate editorial choice to simplify this element of the storytelling, especially for younger readers.)
Rylant, Cynthia. “Pandora.” The Beautiful Stories of Life: Six Greek Myths, Retold. Illus. Carson Ellis. New York: Harcourt, 2009.
[May contain spoilers]
Target Audience: grades 1 - 9 [This is a vast age range; but merited. I read this to my seven-year-old and four-year-old neices, and is is used in our freshman mythology units]
Curriculum ties: Mythology units; transgressor units (i.e. Frankenstein)
The story of Pandora is the story of a transgressor, one who goes against the gods. This is not a new story, nor is Pandora a new character, but Rylant seamlessly breathes new life into the myth, skillfully weaving it into a universal, and thus contemporary context. The narrative resounds with reflections such as: "And as always happens in the stories of life, action creates consequences." In Rylant's telling, "Pandora" is a story of revenge as much as it is a creation story (both of women and of suffering and anguish) and a tale of transgression. In this telling Zeus cunningly calculates revenge: man's greatest weakness played against man's greatest strength. Woman is made in the form of Pandora and, refreshingly, it is not a depiction of the weakness or evilness of womankind that leads to the opening of the box, it is the absence of patience, never bestowed on her by the gods as it is so uniquely human neither they, nor she, could conceive of it. Unwittingly she releases the pestilence, but manages in the end to recapture Hope, and "because she did so ... Hope is alive today. It lives in darkness. And in darkness man finds it."
The stories in this small, 71 paged, beautifully drawn collection of six myths are unlike most tellings of Greek myths, because unlike Edith Hamilton or Bullfinch, these stories are brought heart achingly to life, and in them, motivation, and consequences of actions, and their implications are as important as anything. The gorgeous prose compels reflection on real life and invites multiple readings. Rylant’s narrative perspective, and Ellis’ trademark haunting pencil sketches elevate this small collection of myths above their peers. At once adult and accessible, the text and the beautiful illustrations approach a wide age range of readers with respect and equal access. Because of this, this story of Pandora (and the book as a whole) can be read to young readers as well as well-utilized in high school classrooms. This vast age range of readership is appropriate to the source and to the telling of the story -- myths have long been enjoyed by all age of audiences, and the richness of this telling leaves room for growth in its appreciation as audiences mature and develop.
[Note: The story classifies Prometheus as a man rather than a Titan, but as it's only serving as contextual background, it is an appropriate editorial choice to simplify this element of the storytelling, especially for younger readers.)
February 19, 2019
i listened to this book on tape. Alyssa Bresnahan read the Greek myths- her voice is
excellent- and the stories are engaging. i thought the stories did a variety of things-
they introduced stories that my wee ones don't normally read, they were entertaining to
hear, they also offered a moral or lesson that wasn't overwhelming- they were simple and
sincere. a good read.
excellent- and the stories are engaging. i thought the stories did a variety of things-
they introduced stories that my wee ones don't normally read, they were entertaining to
hear, they also offered a moral or lesson that wasn't overwhelming- they were simple and
sincere. a good read.
September 5, 2009
The thing is, this is the kind of book I usually really get into. The illustrations add very little, being scattered through the book )one per story), but they are nice and detailed pencil drawings. The short 9-20 page retellings of six carefully chosen stories is a great way to introduce people to the myths. They are told in a way that (I think) acknowledges both the history behind the story AND the person of the new storyteller. Rylant has her own very Rylant-y angle to these myths (although she doesn't tell the reader that it's her angle, not an ancient Greek one), and I don't think that's a bad thing.
Here's what I DO think is a bad thing:
1) the essence of femininity is, apparently, joy in submission in heterosexual relationships. I wish it were just the Pandora story that had that, but it's also Persephone. And Pygmalion. And Narcissus. And, to a lesser degree (thank godddess) Psyche. And even though the ancient Greeks WERE patriarchal, what Rylant presents is much more in line with conservative American gender roles.
2) She gets the "details" wrong. (Like Prometheus is a "man" not a god, and "Persephone was a mortal, but her mother, Demeter, was a goddess." Oh really? I doubt the huge chunk of the population that followed the Mysteries at various times would have been happy to hear that.)
Of course, not everyone cares about that. If you don't, and you want a retelling that uses contemporary language and storytelling style, then maybe you should check this out.
Here's what I DO think is a bad thing:
1) the essence of femininity is, apparently, joy in submission in heterosexual relationships. I wish it were just the Pandora story that had that, but it's also Persephone. And Pygmalion. And Narcissus. And, to a lesser degree (thank godddess) Psyche. And even though the ancient Greeks WERE patriarchal, what Rylant presents is much more in line with conservative American gender roles.
2) She gets the "details" wrong. (Like Prometheus is a "man" not a god, and "Persephone was a mortal, but her mother, Demeter, was a goddess." Oh really? I doubt the huge chunk of the population that followed the Mysteries at various times would have been happy to hear that.)
Of course, not everyone cares about that. If you don't, and you want a retelling that uses contemporary language and storytelling style, then maybe you should check this out.
July 28, 2013
Book 49 Bibliographic Citation:
Rylant, C. (2009). The beautiful stories of life: Six Greek myths, retold. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Age/Grade Level: (Ages 10–14, Grades 5—8)
Summary:
What happens when Pandora opens the mysterious box? When Persephone is kidnapped? And when Pygmalion falls in love with a statue? Six class myths offering life stories of love, pride, courage, and hope are shared in this retelling by award-winning author Cynthia Rylant.
Awards/Reviewing Sources:
Horn Book starred (July, 2009)
Kirkus Reviews (April 1, 2009)
Publishers Weekly (May 11, 2009)
School Library Journal (November 1, 2011)
Christian Library Journal 02/01/11
Curriculum Content/Standard for 21st Century Learner:
This text would be a great introduction for a 5th-8th grade class studying mythology as it offers six classic tales written in easy-to-understand language.
AASL Standards
1.1.6 Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format (e.g., textual, visual, media, digital) in order to make inferences and gather meaning.
Recommendation for student’s personal literature selection:
Middle grades students who enjoy reading mythological stories would appreciate the recommendation for this book as it offers six of the most famous stories from early Greek times.
Genre:
Mythology (Greek)
September 24, 2013
I picked this picture book up from the library because it was one of the only books on Greek myth. I really enjoyed Rylant's writing-style. Instead of focusing on the plot of each myth, she also reflects on the message in each tale; each story begins with a reflection about human nature which will be exemplified in the following pages. This continued throughout the story. I think it added a "story-teller" tone which many young readers (and this older reader!) can enjoy.
The selection of myths for this book was interesting. They were not about a specific grouping of Gods, or a specific aspect of a God/Goddesses' powers. Instead, we learned about Pandora, Persephone, Orpheus, Pygmalion, Narcissus and Psyche. The myths did feel a little random, but the themes of marriage/love united them all.
I disliked the retelling of Pandora's story, I felt some of the details were off. I have also never heard of Persephone referred to as a mortal, and I believe that's incorrect (and pretty insulting,) as well.
I was not a fan of the illustrations. This picture book was heavy on the text, so when you reached a picture, you wanted it to be good! Instead, I found grim black and white sketches which were often anatomically bad. I liked the illustration on the cover, and of simple things throughout, like flowers or animals, but overall, the art was not impressive.
The selection of myths for this book was interesting. They were not about a specific grouping of Gods, or a specific aspect of a God/Goddesses' powers. Instead, we learned about Pandora, Persephone, Orpheus, Pygmalion, Narcissus and Psyche. The myths did feel a little random, but the themes of marriage/love united them all.
I disliked the retelling of Pandora's story, I felt some of the details were off. I have also never heard of Persephone referred to as a mortal, and I believe that's incorrect (and pretty insulting,) as well.
I was not a fan of the illustrations. This picture book was heavy on the text, so when you reached a picture, you wanted it to be good! Instead, I found grim black and white sketches which were often anatomically bad. I liked the illustration on the cover, and of simple things throughout, like flowers or animals, but overall, the art was not impressive.
May 26, 2009
Newbery Medalist author Cynthia Rylant brings the great Greek Mythology tales to life once more in //The Beautiful Stories of Life//. Readers will be enthralled and charmed with the brief yet in-depth narrative of the lives of Pandora, Persephone, Orpheus, Pygmalion, Narcissus and Psyche. A great introductory read for children if you’d like to give them a start in embracing classic world literature, mythology and fiction. I am certain that they will crave to learn more about Greek and Roman Mythology after reading this book. Cynthia Rylant successfully engages her readers with the manner she retells these classic tales, and her writing makes more complex words seem less threatening to younger readers. The author’s style goes beyond helping kids learn new words and widen their vocabularies; I think what makes it special is how it can make kids eager to learn. The chronicles of these famous Greek personalities definitely inculcates and teaches its readers about the wonderful emotions and consequences of living, loving, hurting, grieving, sacrifice and being passionate. My all time favorite lovers, Eros and Psyche’s romantic tale illustrates brilliantly that people will find their true love even if it’s against all odds.
April 2, 2011
This is a short collection of six Greek myths by Cynthia Rylant. We have been enchanted by Greek mythology recently, reading everything we can get our hands on. Our girls are particularly fascinated by the Goddess Girls and the Myth-O-Mania series right now and we are reading through these books quickly.
We were fascinated with these tales, which are more traditional (though not entirely accurate) renditions of the classic stories. What never ceases to amaze me are the coincidences in my reading choices. We also read East O' the Sun and West O' the Moon recently, which is a retelling of the tale of Psyche and Eros, a tale which is contained within this book. It was fun to compare them and to see how stories are changed throughout time and vary by location.
We were fascinated with these tales, which are more traditional (though not entirely accurate) renditions of the classic stories. What never ceases to amaze me are the coincidences in my reading choices. We also read East O' the Sun and West O' the Moon recently, which is a retelling of the tale of Psyche and Eros, a tale which is contained within this book. It was fun to compare them and to see how stories are changed throughout time and vary by location.
December 12, 2014
This retelling of six Greek myths is a mixed bag. On the one hand, you have quotes that outright offended me, such as, "And beautiful Pandora loved Epimetheus in return. Of course she would. She was the essence of femininity, and she instinctively gave her heart and soul to her husband. With her beauty, she pleased him. With her intelligence, she understood him. With her cleverness, she delighted him." On the other hand, some of the writing is gorgeous in its simplicity: "Life loves the truth. Important things that are kept in the darkness will not remain there comfortably." I would recommend this to members of cultures who don’t have a problem with the idea that women basically exist for the benefit of their husbands.
January 6, 2015
Put cultural stories high on my list--I love them! I also love the stories of myths and fables in particular, because of their timelessness and for their insight and even more for the honor they give to oral storytelling. These retellings gave more than other retellings I have read--felt the characters were more vivid, along with the connections between each other. Great for any ancient civilization class or language arts class...I can already see the modern times lesson being formed in my mind. :-)
March 11, 2017
I think if you are someone who fondly leafed through D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths as a child, this sweet little volume will make for nostalgic bedtime reading. Or sunning yourself in the backyard reading, as I did this afternoon. The illustrations are lovely.
February 25, 2018
I thought this book was good because I like myth stories. The reading age would probably be 4th grade and up. The stories are Pandora, Persephone, Orpheus, Pygmalion, Narcissus, and Psyche. All of those story names are actually names of people. What will the people do in these stories? Read the book to find out!!!!!
September 24, 2017
Very nice retelling of familiar Greek myths.
November 27, 2017
These stories never get old.
November 21, 2018
Six Greek myths retold in a simple and straightforward manner. Perfect for upper elementary students.
March 13, 2020
This lovely book featured 6 Greek Myths. The following review is on the Myth of Pandora.
The target audience for this myth is readers ages 9-12. The myth is written in simple language and has a simply message, in such a way that that young readers will learn an important lesson in patience. The myth starts by explaining that Zeus, the father of the gods, controlled fire, and limited the power of man without it. A mortal man named Prometheus tricked Zeus, and stole fire from him. This made Zeus so angry his anger could have destroyed the Earth. He yearned for revenge, but decided to have patience to set up a master plan. He analyzed man, and found that man hungered for love. Yet Zeus had never created a woman, as that would stir up men on earth. Upon this context, Zeus hatched a plan. Zeus created the first mortal woman, and allowed the female gods to add attributes to her. She became a beautiful, intelligent, clever woman, named Pandora. Zeus gave Pandora as a gift to Prometheus' brother, Epimetheus. But Pandora also came with another gift; a box. This box Zeus said, was not to be opened. From that point forward, Pandora and Epimetheus loved each other. Pandora loved Epimetheus unconditionally, but she began to wonder what was inside the box. As time went on, this wonder and curiosity became an obsession. Pandora was given everything by the gods, except one thing: Patience. Finally one day, Pandora could not wait anymore, and opens the box. Out comes all the worst things in the world: disease, war, starvation, and more. As the last thing comes out of the box, Pandora instinctively grabs it, and throws it back in the box. That last thing, was hope. Yet by keeping it in the box, Pandora saved hope for mankind.
Personally, I enjoyed this myth a lot. A story of revenge between a god and a man. A simple story, but a plot that drove me to continue reading. However, I will say a weakness of this story is the way it portrays women. Pandora is portrayed as the perfect women because she was beautiful and she gave her husband everything he wanted. For example: The myth says that Pandora "loved being a woman and wanted nothing more than to give her husband anything that would make him happy". I would recommend this title, but I give a warning to teachers who are assigning it or reading it to children to discuss the limitations the narrative has on the "perfection" of Pandora. Illustrations throughout this story add to the mystique of the story. Illustrations portray a magical world and allow the reader to engage further with the story.
The target audience for this myth is readers ages 9-12. The myth is written in simple language and has a simply message, in such a way that that young readers will learn an important lesson in patience. The myth starts by explaining that Zeus, the father of the gods, controlled fire, and limited the power of man without it. A mortal man named Prometheus tricked Zeus, and stole fire from him. This made Zeus so angry his anger could have destroyed the Earth. He yearned for revenge, but decided to have patience to set up a master plan. He analyzed man, and found that man hungered for love. Yet Zeus had never created a woman, as that would stir up men on earth. Upon this context, Zeus hatched a plan. Zeus created the first mortal woman, and allowed the female gods to add attributes to her. She became a beautiful, intelligent, clever woman, named Pandora. Zeus gave Pandora as a gift to Prometheus' brother, Epimetheus. But Pandora also came with another gift; a box. This box Zeus said, was not to be opened. From that point forward, Pandora and Epimetheus loved each other. Pandora loved Epimetheus unconditionally, but she began to wonder what was inside the box. As time went on, this wonder and curiosity became an obsession. Pandora was given everything by the gods, except one thing: Patience. Finally one day, Pandora could not wait anymore, and opens the box. Out comes all the worst things in the world: disease, war, starvation, and more. As the last thing comes out of the box, Pandora instinctively grabs it, and throws it back in the box. That last thing, was hope. Yet by keeping it in the box, Pandora saved hope for mankind.
Personally, I enjoyed this myth a lot. A story of revenge between a god and a man. A simple story, but a plot that drove me to continue reading. However, I will say a weakness of this story is the way it portrays women. Pandora is portrayed as the perfect women because she was beautiful and she gave her husband everything he wanted. For example: The myth says that Pandora "loved being a woman and wanted nothing more than to give her husband anything that would make him happy". I would recommend this title, but I give a warning to teachers who are assigning it or reading it to children to discuss the limitations the narrative has on the "perfection" of Pandora. Illustrations throughout this story add to the mystique of the story. Illustrations portray a magical world and allow the reader to engage further with the story.
January 16, 2023
This was a book with a beautiful cover in which all the details point to the individual stories within it. And after a few flips of the pages to showcase pencil drawings to help illustrate this book I was ready to love it.
Instead the book makes me wonder if Cynthia Rylant really doesn't remember her myths or if in her desire to make these family-friendly and ready for the messages she wanted to share of her own beliefs she was ready to sacrifice these stories. The first big flag for me was the fact that she mentioned Prometheus was a man when he wasn't a man but a Titan, which is the predecessors of the Olympians. At the same time this lack of parentage repeats in the story of Persephone where she is mentioned to be a mortal girl although basically in the next breath the author mentions her mother is a goddess and of course there is no condemning message of Zeus being her father/uncle while allowing Uncle Hades to snatch the lass (and on that note what is this that Demeter only had one child?) for his bride. Or that Echo was no mortal girl but a nymph whose voice was taken since she was trying to hide Zeus' affair from his wife.
The author also continues to make some giants gaffs such as stating that Zeus is god of gods (a takeaway from Christian theology), that he can overturn Fate when Zeus is just as much a captive to their choices as any other being and that fire was withheld due to it was the source from which all creation came from. Checking the source material I am very much assured that the item from which all creation was taken was from Khaos the void.
There was also the usual gaff that Apollo was the sun god, that Hades is dark when he was just an average god in charge of the Underworld and the strange usage of "female goddesses" when it should have just been one or the other.
Otherwise the text was nicely done and had a bit of a flow to it at times which made it more tragic that the author chose to re-twist these stories so far from their original sources. And instead of being done for entertainment purpose this book was made more to be a vehicle for these lessons and points she wanted to get across thus making these stories morality stories.
For those who are looking for clean and straightforward tales this may be a great stepping stone but for those who are wanting to share the actual stories this is most definitely the book to steer away from alongside with Edith Hamilton's version of mythoi.
Instead the book makes me wonder if Cynthia Rylant really doesn't remember her myths or if in her desire to make these family-friendly and ready for the messages she wanted to share of her own beliefs she was ready to sacrifice these stories. The first big flag for me was the fact that she mentioned Prometheus was a man when he wasn't a man but a Titan, which is the predecessors of the Olympians. At the same time this lack of parentage repeats in the story of Persephone where she is mentioned to be a mortal girl although basically in the next breath the author mentions her mother is a goddess and of course there is no condemning message of Zeus being her father/uncle while allowing Uncle Hades to snatch the lass (and on that note what is this that Demeter only had one child?) for his bride. Or that Echo was no mortal girl but a nymph whose voice was taken since she was trying to hide Zeus' affair from his wife.
The author also continues to make some giants gaffs such as stating that Zeus is god of gods (a takeaway from Christian theology), that he can overturn Fate when Zeus is just as much a captive to their choices as any other being and that fire was withheld due to it was the source from which all creation came from. Checking the source material I am very much assured that the item from which all creation was taken was from Khaos the void.
There was also the usual gaff that Apollo was the sun god, that Hades is dark when he was just an average god in charge of the Underworld and the strange usage of "female goddesses" when it should have just been one or the other.
Otherwise the text was nicely done and had a bit of a flow to it at times which made it more tragic that the author chose to re-twist these stories so far from their original sources. And instead of being done for entertainment purpose this book was made more to be a vehicle for these lessons and points she wanted to get across thus making these stories morality stories.
For those who are looking for clean and straightforward tales this may be a great stepping stone but for those who are wanting to share the actual stories this is most definitely the book to steer away from alongside with Edith Hamilton's version of mythoi.
March 3, 2024
3.6
Favourite parts:
- "Zeus found man's greatest weakness by first finding man's greatest strength: It was Love." 2
- "Epimetheus was a man of small mind and not one to care about finding answers to mysteries. But Pandora was made of the gods, and she cared. She cared about why things were as they were and what might be found inside a forbidden box. Being made of the gods, Pandora was perfect in every way, perfect in all ways, except one. She lacked one quality that none of the gods ever needed and so could not have given her. Pandora lacked patience." 7-8
- "Zeus had put hope in the box, along with the pestilence and the cruelty, believing that hope would not survive in a world so filled with suffering. And he knew mankind could not survive without hope. But Pandora reached out and she captured it and did not let it go. Because she did not let it go. Because she did so, and placed it back inside the box, hope is alive today. It lives in darkness. And in darkness man finds it" 10
- "The underworld is neither as dark as some imagine it to be, nor as grotesque. It is, however, a place where that which is beautiful cannot bring pleasure and where anything longed for can never be found" 14
- "But with all those girls surveying him in the marketplace, Pygmalion could most assuredly have had a wife of his own. So why did he turn a cold eye to them? Because he was afraid. There are many kinds of courage among men, and one of the most undervalued is the courage to relinquish control. Pygmalion feared women because he could not control them." 25
- "The hard truth about obsession is that it blinds the heart. Why would a young girl pursue a boy who so clearly held no affection for her? Because she could not stop herself. Like a moth to flame, Echo returned again and again for the burn" 46
Favourite parts:
- "Zeus found man's greatest weakness by first finding man's greatest strength: It was Love." 2
- "Epimetheus was a man of small mind and not one to care about finding answers to mysteries. But Pandora was made of the gods, and she cared. She cared about why things were as they were and what might be found inside a forbidden box. Being made of the gods, Pandora was perfect in every way, perfect in all ways, except one. She lacked one quality that none of the gods ever needed and so could not have given her. Pandora lacked patience." 7-8
- "Zeus had put hope in the box, along with the pestilence and the cruelty, believing that hope would not survive in a world so filled with suffering. And he knew mankind could not survive without hope. But Pandora reached out and she captured it and did not let it go. Because she did not let it go. Because she did so, and placed it back inside the box, hope is alive today. It lives in darkness. And in darkness man finds it" 10
- "The underworld is neither as dark as some imagine it to be, nor as grotesque. It is, however, a place where that which is beautiful cannot bring pleasure and where anything longed for can never be found" 14
- "But with all those girls surveying him in the marketplace, Pygmalion could most assuredly have had a wife of his own. So why did he turn a cold eye to them? Because he was afraid. There are many kinds of courage among men, and one of the most undervalued is the courage to relinquish control. Pygmalion feared women because he could not control them." 25
- "The hard truth about obsession is that it blinds the heart. Why would a young girl pursue a boy who so clearly held no affection for her? Because she could not stop herself. Like a moth to flame, Echo returned again and again for the burn" 46
February 27, 2020
This book is about six retold or interpretations of ancient Greek Myths; the stories of Pandora, Persephone, Narcissus, Orpheus, Pygmalion, and Psyche. Each of the stories introduces concepts of forgiveness, love, etc. I would say this book is for older grades such as, 4th through 6th grade because the concepts are a little more complex, but I would also say that it could also be good stories to tell to children of younger ages.
I probably wouldn't use this in my classroom unless some of my students were interested in myths or stories such as these because I just don't think it would be necessary. Since I would like to teach younger grades I don't think I would have them read this book because it could be too complex. I really did like the book and thought it was engaging, I liked the illustrations because they were very simple but very detailed.
I probably wouldn't use this in my classroom unless some of my students were interested in myths or stories such as these because I just don't think it would be necessary. Since I would like to teach younger grades I don't think I would have them read this book because it could be too complex. I really did like the book and thought it was engaging, I liked the illustrations because they were very simple but very detailed.
March 25, 2018
I really liked this book because I am interesting in things like Greek Gods. This book told six different Greek. Some of them have meanings, for example; why we have different seasons. However, some of them didn't really mean anything and didn't have much value to me. I liked all six of them anyway. This book would be good for anyone In 4th/5th grade and up. I would recommend this to people who are interested in Greek Gods and Myths. This book is a little shorter than most books that I've read but I like it anyway.
December 11, 2021
I used this book for my 5th grade classes during read aloud times. Tenderly told tales for children that respect kids’ need for quality fiction are hard to find but Rylant knows how.
If you’re new to Greek myths and want to get to know the characters, this easy to read format is the perfect start.
It’s a collection of six short stories, Rylant’s favorites, but also the ones who have the most resonance in daily life. Notes on human nature and the natural world are woven into the telling with such a gentle format that we see why these 3,000 year old stories are still fresh today.
If you’re new to Greek myths and want to get to know the characters, this easy to read format is the perfect start.
It’s a collection of six short stories, Rylant’s favorites, but also the ones who have the most resonance in daily life. Notes on human nature and the natural world are woven into the telling with such a gentle format that we see why these 3,000 year old stories are still fresh today.
July 2, 2019
Most lovers of Greek mythology know of Zeus, Apollo, Hermes, Poseidon, Hades, Aphrodite as almost day-to-day well known lore. But the "actors" in this collection of six stories are less known: Persephone, Orpheus, Psyche, Narcissus, Pandora, and Pygmalion.
Nicely written book which brings Greek mythological stories (6) to life in an easier-to-understand format. She sprinkles her own home-spun wisdom throughout each story as well.
A good "read"!
Nicely written book which brings Greek mythological stories (6) to life in an easier-to-understand format. She sprinkles her own home-spun wisdom throughout each story as well.
A good "read"!
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