The odyssey

Review by New York Times Review

Viva's debut, "Along a Long Road," was a New York Times Best Illustrated Book of 2011, and he brings that same visual audacity and forward momentum to his first early reader. Told in full spreads and comic-book-style panels, the story of a boy in a bat T-shirt and his mouse takes readers aboard a small boat headed to Antarctica. The mouse is initially reluctant, but the boy eventually wins him over with a swim in a wondrous volcanic lagoon. What child wouldn't be on board for that? MOUSETRONAUT Based on a (Partially) True Story. By Mark Kelly. Illustrated by C.F. Payne. 40 pp. A Paula Wiseman Book/Simon & Schuster. $16.99. (Picture book; ages 4 to 8) Here the mouse is headed in the opposite direction. This first children's book by Kelly, a retired astronaut and husband of former Representative Gabrielle Giffords, builds on his experience with real mice aboard the space shuttle Endeavour. Eighteen of them. In this winning story there are she, and as the smallest one, Meteor gets to perform his own special mission. After helping the astronauts out of a potential Apollo 13 calamity, Meteor is declared a hero - sure to please many fellow pipsqueaks back on Earth. THE ODYSSEY By Gillian Cross. Illustrated by Neil Packer. 170 pp. Candlewick Press. $19.99. (Middle grade; ages 8 to 18) Cross, winner of the prestigious Carnegie Medal for children's books, dives right into Odysseus' tale with a brief description of how the "cleverest of all the kings of ancient Greece" was called to war but was desperate to get home by Chapter 2. Cross makes the story lively and accessible, though children who haven't brushed up on their Rick Riordan may need guidance. Packer's drawings, looking alternately like decorated urns, Greek friezes, Byzantine icons and 19th-century caricature, hit an occasional off note. But nobody said the Cyclops was pretty. THE IMPOSSIBLE RESCUE The True Story of an Amazing Arctic Adventure. By Martin W. Sandler. Illustrated. 163 pp. Candlewick Press. $22.99. (Middle grade; ages 10 to 14) Believe it or not, the Arctic was once really, really cold. But that's far from the only hard-to-fathom aspect of this outstanding book. An excellent story to match, if not one-up, Shackleton's misadventures on the opposite pole, Sandler's latest is the gripping, true account of a mission to rescue eight whaling ships off the coast of Alaska in 1897. Containing everything from presidential hubris to treacherous storms, ice packs, herds of reindeer and miserable sled dogs worked in brutal, dead-of-winter conditions - much of it photographed by participants - "The Impossible Rescue" is top-notch history. Smart, well written, meticulously researched and a lot of fun. THE ADVENTURES OF ACHILLES Retold by Hugh Lupton and Daniel Morden. Illustrated by Carole Hénaff. 96 pp. Barefoot Books. $23.99. (Middle grade; ages 10 to 18) Another hero in another far-flung epic. This richly detailed and lavishly illustrated edition, by the accomplished British storytellers Lupton and Morden, is well suited to mythology newbies, beginning with a helpful introduction to the gods of Olympus and the origins of the Trojan War. Unlike many accounts, this telling takes its time with Achilles' childhood, including his mother's repeated kidnappings of the young boy, and his five years spent in drag. But there is also plenty of adventure and the inevitable bloodshed on hand. The book includes two CDs narrated by the authors. PAMELA PAUL ONLINE A slide show of this week's illustrated books at nytimes.com/books.

Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [October 14, 2012]

---

Review by Booklist Review

While several graphic novels based on Homer's Odyssey have appeared in recent years, this substantial volume retells the tale in a more traditional narrative, illustrated with idiosyncratic artwork. The book's handsome design features broad pages, heavy paper, and generous use of space to set off the type and illustrations. While Cross' text is more plainspoken than earlier versions for young people, such as Geraldine McCaughrean's The Odyssey (1995) or Rosemary Sutcliff's The Wanderings of Odysseus (1996), the power of the story lives on in her retelling. An appended note offers the writer's perspective on what Homer accomplished and why the tale still moves readers today. Created using gouache, pen, and wash, Packer's highly individual illustrations range from richly colored, intricately detailed paintings to silhouettes and monochromatic drawings. With elements that are often stylized, sometimes ornate, and occasionally grotesque, the artwork may not have broad appeal, but many will be drawn to its intensity and originality. A welcome new retelling of the epic poem.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2010 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

---

Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

In this stunning, heavily illustrated retelling, Cross (Where I Belong) gives shivery life to Homer's saga, keeping the suspense taut and recounting the story's most disturbing events without flinching. When giant, loutish Laestrygonians slaughter boatloads of Odysseus's men, the survivors are horrorstruck ("Sobbing with grief and shock, the sailors pulled away from that hateful shore").When Odysseus travels to the Land of the Dead, ghosts crowd around the visitors: "Old men with gray hair brushed against newly married brides." Not until the final pages do the gods allow Odysseus a measure of triumph. While Cross's prose makes Odysseus's journey not just accessible but thrilling, the book really belongs to Packer. Some of his images look like the friezes on the sides of Greek kraters; others are full-color portraits of gaunt warriors with haunted gazes or caricatures of their Bosch-like adversaries. Humor and horror coexist; sirens like patrician socialites lounge disdainfully above the buried skeletons of those they've lured to their deaths. Every image seems to have been created with unhurried care; it's a quiet but monumental piece of work. Ages 8-up. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

---

Review by School Library Journal Review

Gr 8 Up-This handsome book blends a well-paced rendition of Homer's ancient tale with fine-art-style illustrations. The narrative is divided into chapters ("The Giant in the Cave" or "Stranded on Calypso's Island"), clearly conveying the sequence of Odysseus's twist-turning journey. Succinct sentences, vivid descriptions, and dynamic language keep the action unfolding rapidly while also emphasizing fateful moments of hubris (for example, the hero's getaway from the Cyclops's cave and subsequent taunting of the creature is summed up: "It would have been the perfect escape-if only Odysseus had kept his mouth shut"). Ranging from small insets to double-page renderings, Packer's gouache, pen, and wash illustrations appear on almost every spread. While many details hark back to this epic work's origins (costumes, textiles, outlines reminiscent of classical urns, etc.), the art has a contemporary aura, showcasing unusual perspectives and distorted size relationships, exaggerated physical characteristics, and modern references (Hermes wears a track suit). Flowing cutaways reveal faces of the souls nestled in the underworld, or gracefully posed Sirens surrounded by the skeletons of those who were attracted to their songs. The men transformed into animals by Circe are shown as pigs with the shapes of profiled faces incorporated into the mottled colors of their coats. Though interesting and imaginative, the visual interpretations are sophisticated and stylized, perhaps making the book best suited to readers with a more mature taste in artwork or an adult audience.-Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

---

Review by Horn Book Review

Homer's epic adventure tale gets another retelling. The language lacks some of the verbiage of the original but is clear and easy to read. The mostly attractive illustrations trade-off between rich colors and stark black and white; some are reminiscent of the black figure illustrations on ancient Attic pottery, while others are comprised of odd-looking figures with strange proportions. (c) Copyright 2013. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

---

Review by Kirkus Book Review

An anemic retelling of the epic is paired to crabbed, ugly illustrations. Breaking for occasional glimpses back to Penelope's plight in Ithaca, Cross relates Odysseus' travels in a linear narrative that begins with his departure for Troy but skips quickly over the war's events to get to the sack of the city of the Cicones and events following. Along with being careless about continuity (Odysseus' men are "mad with thirst" on one page and a few pages later swilling wine that they had all the time, for instance), the reteller's language is inconsistent in tone. It is sprinkled with the requisite Homeric references to the "wine-dark sea" and Dawn's rosy fingers but also breaks occasionally into a modern-sounding idiom: " What's going on?' Athene said, looking around at the rowdy suitors." Packer decorates nearly every spread with either lacy figures silhouetted in black or gold or coarsely brushed paintings depicting crouching, contorted humans, gods and monsters with, generally, chalky skin, snaggled teeth, beer bellies or other disfigurements. The overall effect is grim, mannered and remote. Next to the exhilarating renditions of Rosemary Sutcliff (The Wanderings of Odysseus, 1996) and Geraldine McCaughrean (Odysseus, 2004), this version makes bland reading, and the contorted art is, at best a poor match. (afterword, maps) (Illustrated classic. 11-13)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

---

Out of the mysterious past comes this tale of human endurance, full of unknown dangers and terrifying monsters. It tells the adventures of a man who spent ten years fighting the anger of the raging sea as he struggled to sail home. This is the story of Odysseus of Ithaca, cleverest of all the kings of ancient Greece. The War It was war that forced Odysseus to leave his home. When Paris of Troy ran off with the king of Sparta's wife, her husband gathered an army to fetch her back. And he called on all his fellow kings to join him -- including Odysseus. There was no escape. Odysseus wanted to stay on Ithaca with his own wife, Penelope, and their baby son, Telemachus. But the other kings needed his quick wits and his cunning. When he didn't come, they went to Ithaca to find him. "Sparta is your ally," they said. "You swore to fight side by side with the Spartans. And that means helping to fetch Helen back from Troy." It was true. All the Greek kings had promised to help one another. With a heavy heart, Odysseus called his soldiers together and prepared a fleet of ships. The night before they left, he talked to Penelope, his wife. "This will be a fierce and bitter war," he said. "If I die, you are in charge of Ithaca. But only while Telemachus grows up. When he's a man, he'll take over, and you must get out of his way. Choose another husband for yourself and go to live with him." "I don't want any husband except you," Penelope said with tears in her eyes. "That's how it must be," Odysseus insisted. "Promise to do what I ask." Still with tears in her eyes, Penelope promised. "But you will come back," she said fiercely. "I know you will." "That depends on the gods," Odysseus said. He kissed her good-bye and hugged Telemachus. Then he went down to the long ships in the harbor, and he and his men set sail over the wine-dark sea. For nine long, bloodstained years, the Greek army besieged the golden city of Troy, battering at its walls in vain, while the gods watched from their home on high Olympus. For nine lonely years, Penelope stayed in Ithaca, taking care of the kingdom and waiting for the war to finish. As Telemachus grew tall and strong, she told him about his father, Odysseus, the cleverest king in Greece. "When the war ends," she said, "he will come back to us." In the tenth year of fighting, the Greeks tricked their way into Troy. The war ended in a storm of blood and fire, and the golden city of Troy was burned to ruins. One by one, the kings of Greece trailed home across the sea. Except Odysseus. Where was he? No one knew, except the gods, gazing down from high Olympus: Zeus, the father of gods and men; Athene the goddess of wisdom; Hermes, the giant killer and messenger of the gods; and Poseidon, the dark earth-shaker god who controlled the ocean. Only they saw the whole, long story as it unfolded. Traveling Into Disaster Odysseus left Troy with twelve ships full of weary, homesick men. The wind was in their favor, but they weren't carrying enough food and water for the journey. When they came to the city of the Cicones, they went ashore, killing all the men and taking what they needed. It was a stupid, greedy attack, and the sailors made it worse. When Odysseus ordered them back to their ships, they refused to obey him. They'd just finished fighting a long, fierce war, and they wanted to rest and feast. Ignoring Odysseus, they butchered the sheep and cattle they'd captured and barbecued them on the beach. As they worked, they broke open barrels of wine and started drinking steadily. By the time night came, they were all incapable. They slumped down onto the sand and fell asleep beside their dying fires. It was disastrously stupid. While they slept, the Cicones were creeping around in the hills, gathering reinforcements. At dawn, a wild army came sweeping down from the hills, looking for revenge. Odysseus's men were woken by the clash of spears and the rattle of chariot wheels. Leaping up in a panic, they snatched at their weapons, but it was too late to form a battle line. They had to defend themselves as best they could, fighting hand to hand all over the beach. They held out until evening. Then the Cicones overwhelmed them, slaughtering more than seventy men. The others ran for their ships, exhausted and terrified. They scrambled aboard frantically, hoisting the sails and hauling on their oars. It was impossible to recover the bodies of their comrades. All they could do was call out a sad good-bye as they left them behind on the beach. And there was no chance to rest once they were out at sea. As soon as the land disappeared, a great storm hit them, blackening the sky and ripping their sails to pieces. Raging winds blew them off course, driving them out, past Cythera into the River of Ocean beyond. For nine days, the storm howled around them without stopping. There was nowhere to land. Dense cloud hid the sun in the daytime and the stars at night, and even Odysseus couldn't figure out where they were. On the tenth day, the wind dropped suddenly and the sky cleared. They found themselves sailing beside a strange and beautiful shore covered in thick vegetation. It looked completely uninhabited. "Drop anchor here!" Odysseus called across the water. The twelve ships anchored side by side, and the sailors lowered little boats to take them ashore. This time they were much more cautious. Odysseus looked around warily as they landed, and they were all watching out for enemies. But nothing moved except the leaves rustling in the breeze. By now, they were desperately short of food and water, but this time Odysseus didn't send them all inland. He kept most of the men down on the beach to guard the boats. Only three of them were picked to go off and explore. He warned them to be careful. "If you meet any people, treat them politely," he said. "Tell them that this is a peaceful visit -- that all we want is food and water." The three men headed off down a winding path that led into the trees. The others were left behind to keep watch, and they settled down beside the boats, alert for any sign of danger. All they could do was wait. And wait. And wait . . . The sun rose high in the sky, driving them almost mad with thirst, but Odysseus wouldn't let them leave the beach. They had to endure the full heat of the day, and they were still there at sunset, when the light began to grow dim. Where were the three men who had gone exploring? Odysseus was anxious not to spend the night on the beach. That was too dangerous. But he couldn't abandon the men he had sent inland. What had happened to them? Were they dead? He had to know. Dividing the rest of the sailors into two groups, he left one group with the boats. Then he led the other group along the path the three explorers had taken. It was very dark now, and they peered nervously into the undergrowth as they went, but nothing moved except their own shadows. In less than ten minutes, they came to a clearing surrounded by tall trees tangled with vines. The vines were dripping with clusters of golden fruit that brushed against their heads as they passed. The air was heavy with its rich, honeyed scent. Ahead of them, all across the clearing, people were lounging on the grass. Men, women, and children sprawled together, languidly sucking at the golden fruit. And in the very center of the group, their hands full of fruit and their faces distant and entranced, were the three lost men Odysseus had come to find. "What are you doing?" he shouted at them. "Why are you idling here while the rest of us are waiting on the beach? We need to take on food and water and set sail for Ithaca." The three men looked up with stupid, vacant smiles. "Why should we struggle on?" one of them murmured. "What is Ithaca? Only a barren rock in the wide sea." "It's where your wives and families live," Odysseus said fiercely. The empty smiles didn't change. "What do wives and families matter?" said another of the men. "Nothing compares to being here, eating the lotus fruit." The lotus eaters beside him held out handfuls of fruit, calling to Odysseus and his companions. "Come here and lie with us to eat the lotus. The sea is cold and cruel, and the lands beyond have no delights like this. Forget your homes and families. Stay here. Eat, and forget." Odysseus saw the man next to him take a step forward into the clearing. Some of the others were wavering, staring at the lotus fruit. Unless he acted quickly, they would give in to their curiosity and taste it. Then he would lose them all. He lowered his voice and began whispering orders quickly. "We have to get our comrades back to the ship. Rush in and carry them off, without listening to what they say. And don't taste the fruit. Don't even lick the juice from your fingers. This is a terrible place." His sailors obeyed, charging forward to seize their companions. Drugged by the honey-scented lotus, the three on the ground were taken by surprise. As they were hoisted up, they dropped the fruit they were holding. Immediately, they began to wail and scream. "Give us back the lotus!" "How can we live without it?" "Put us down! This is the only home we need. Leave us here!" Their cries were useless. Odysseus had them carried down to the boats and tied up tightly, to stop them from rushing straight back to the lotus eaters. He had no intention of setting them free until the effect of the fruit had worn off. They were taken on board and pushed under the benches, out of the way of the oars. Then the boats headed back to where the ships were anchored. They had failed to take on any extra food or fresh water, but Odysseus dared not stay any longer. If the rest of his men decided to taste the lotus fruit, none of them would ever reach home. So they left the beautiful, treacherous land of the lotus eaters and headed out again into the open sea. As night fell, a thick fog came down over the sea. Within half an hour, the ships were moving in total darkness. There were no stars to guide them. There was no light from the moon. They didn't realize that they were near land -- until they heard the unmistakable scraping noise of their ships running aground. Hastily lowering their sails, they dropped anchor and jumped into the water. Through the fog, a dark mass of land loomed ahead of them, but they were too exhausted to think of exploring it. They had just enough energy to stagger up the beach, out of range of the tide. As soon as they felt dry sand under their feet, they lay down and fell asleep, wrapped in their cloaks. They didn't even wonder what kind of land they had found. Excerpted from The Odyssey by Gillian Cross All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.

---