Athena
Goddess of Wisdom and War
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
A spunky, feminist take on the myth of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, war, and courage
From the moment she sprung from Zeus’s head, Athena was extraordinary. Even though some doubted her as a young goddess, Athena never backed down from a fight. Poseidon wants to be the patron god of a nearby city? Well, so does Athena! And she’s going to outwit him and found Athens. Perseus doesn’t know how to defeat Medusa? No problem! Athena can give him the knowledge (and shield) he needs to take off her head. Odysseus is lost at sea, seemingly doomed? Not anymore! Athena can get him home. Follow the goddess of wisdom through her adventures with gods and mortals, discover the perils of crossing her, and see how she eventually learned to better understand and aid the human race.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Highlighting young Athena as a girl striving to be taken seriously by male relatives and other goddesses, sisters Imogen and Isabel Greenberg (The Aztec Empire) adapt and connect several major tales of the goddess in this volume, creating a linear narrative. From the moment she emerges from the head of Zeus, armored and ready for battle, Athena involves herself in the lives of mortals. Whether becoming the patron of Athens, raising Erichthonius to one day become king, or advising and protecting heroes such as Perseus and Odysseus, Imogen Greenberg details Athena's adventures as guide to humankind and "the goddess behind all the stories." But even the goddess of wisdom makes missteps, and must learn when to give her assistance as well as the idea that others' strengths do not diminish her own. Isabel Greenberg's bold, angular art is well matched to the intended audience and conveys a positive, peppy tone, with light comedic elements (in a kind of comic visual epithet, for example, Poseidon is nearly always holding a fish). While an Odysseus section de-centers Athena to its detriment, outlines of each character and a relatively bloodless telling of mythology that skews slightly younger than the intended audience make this a good place for young myth-interested readers to begin. Ages 8–12.
