Young Zeus

by G. Brian Karas

Karas’s whimsical account of the story of Zeus’s early life provides... read more

Karas’s whimsical account of the story of Zeus’s early life provides young children with an engaging introduction to Greek mythology. The light humorous tone of both the text and the illustrations neutralizes some of the more sinister mythological themes (unwanted children, cannibalistic father) without watering down the original story. Karas chooses to retell the version in which Zeus is raised by the goat Amalthea (though, sadly, he left out the details about how the goat kept baby Zeus hidden from Cronos). He then moves on to tell how Zeus outsmarted Cronos to free his siblings and unleash his uncles from the Underworld, and the resulting battle between them and the Titans. Much of the story is relayed through witty, modern dialogue that somehow manages to stay true to the essential characters, and even include a few in-jokes for those who already know their mythology. (Ages 4–8)

© Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2011

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