Penny Proddow (–2009)

Adapted from the seventh Homeric Hymn, this picture book tells the story of the god Dionysus, his capture by foolish Tyrsenian pirates, and the terrible fate the son of Semele inflicted upon his would-be captors.

Dionysus and the Pirates, like Proddow's two other books inspired by the Homeric Hymns (Demeter and Persephone and Hermes), is unique in that it presents its mythological story in a form that closely approximates the original ancient literature. The author is to be commended for the respect she shows both her material and the intelligence of her young readers. Barbara Cooney's illustrations have a colorful immediacy that lends itself well to the story.

As noted in my reviews of Demeter and Persephone and Hermes, Lord of Robbers, these books are adaptations of poems written more than 2000 years ago in dactylic hexameter. The text is in non-rhyming poetic form, and does not "read" in the same way as a more narrative retelling might. While not the best introduction to the world of Greek mythology, these books are an excellent choice for young readers who already know something about the topic, and want to start exploring issues of source and text.… (mais)

Based upon the fourth Homeric Hymn, this picture book relates the tale of the the birth of Hermes, and the incredible adventures of his first day of life. Born at dawn, inventing the lyre at noon, and stealing Apollo's cattle at evening, Hermes starts off with a bang, and never slows down...

As those who follow my reviews will know, I am always greatly offended by unattributed folktales, fairy-tales, and myths. The omission of any reference to source, is in my estimation, an indication of contempt for the material. It divorces a tale from its cultural context, and sometimes prevents the reader from investigating further. This last makes it especially obnoxious in a children's book.

That said, Penelope Proddow's three adaptations from the Homeric Hymns (other titles are devoted to Demeter and Persephone and to Dionysos), not only include an explanation of the source material at the back, they also present these tales in something approximating their original literary form. As far as I know, they are the only versions of the Homeric Hymns specifically meant for children that have ever been published. The illustrations by Barbara Cooney, two-time winner of the Caldecott Medal, have a "vintage" feel to them - charming, and a little different from a lot of the work you will encounter these days.

As I mentioned in my review of Demeter and Persephone, these books are based on poems written more than 2000 years ago in dactylic hexameter. Though they have been abbreviated and simplified, the reader should be aware that they are in non-rhyming poetic form, and use vocabulary with which young children might not be familiar. Though they would make a poor introduction to the topic, these are excellent books for the child who already has an interest in Greek mythology...… (mais)

One of a series of three titles adapted by Proddow from the Homeric Hymns, this picture-book presents the story of the abduction of Persephone, and the consequent grief and self-imposed exile of her mother, Demeter. Unlike many of the more simplified versions of this myth available for children, this retelling includes Demeter's stay at Eleusis before her (partial) reunion with Persephone.

While there are many children's books devoted to the subject of Greek mythology, these titles by Penelope Proddow are the only ones, with which I am familiar, that take the Hymns as their acknowledged source, and attempt to present these stories in their original (if somewhat abbreviated) literary form. For that alone, they are worth examining. The color illustrations by Barbara Cooney, a two-time Caldecott winner, have a distinct charm to them, a sort-of "retro-groovy" folk style. Hardly surprising given that these books were produced in the early 1970s.

While I wholeheartedly endorse this book, and the companion ones devoted to Dionysos and Hermes, readers should be aware that this is not the usual fare available in mythology books for children. The text is based on a poem written more than 2000 years ago in dactylic hexameter. It is in non-rhyming poetic form, and uses vocabulary with which a young child might be unfamiliar. While not the best book to introduce children to Greek mythology, I do think it is fabulous for the older child who has shown an interest. They already know the stories, now start introducing them to the actual literature.… (mais)