Atalanta's Race: A Greek Myth

We really enjoyed this book. It is a good read.

As far as I know, Atalanta is the only female hero in Greek mythology. Thus, she holds a special place as I read Greek mythology to my six year old daughter. It is a shame that Atalanta is tricked by a few golden apples. But it is their human frailities that make Greek heroes so appealing. "Atalanta's Race" is everything you could hope. The book is well written and the illustrations are engaging. Both my daughter and myself enjoyed the book. Recommended.

These illustrations accurately portray many details of ancient Greek times and the text is clear and interesting. The drawings are a little stiff, but they actually match some of the stiffness I'm used to seeing in Greek vase painting so I don't think it's a problem. This is a wonderful and less well known myth. I think the only other time I've come across it is in "Free to Be You and Me," which I heard as a child. (That was what passed for a classical education in the 1970s...) Anyway, Atalanta is one of the few female characters from ancient times with gumption.