The widely unknown myth of Apple & Dorothy

Haydu (One Jar of Magic) ponders on heartfelt insights surrounding loss in this modern fantastical retelling of classic Greek myths. To remain immortal, the inhabitants of Our Hill--all descendants of Greek gods--must climb a silver ladder to Olympus each winter solstice and take a bite of a golden apple. When Dorothy Hardy's mother refuses, she becomes human and dies soon after. Because of her lineage as a descendent of Pandora, community members blame the goddess's curious nature for Dorothy's mother's actions, shunning Dorothy as a result. The gods soon send an ultimatum: upon the next winter solstice, everyone in Our Hill must choose between returning to Olympus as gods forever or remaining on Earth as humans. As the solstice nears, Dorothy's "nearly perfect" best friend Apple Montgomery, a descendent of Zeus and Hera, grows concerned over Dorothy's burgeoning understanding of her mother's choice, worried that she might lose her friend. Haydu's worldbuilding is suffused with playful details and rich juxtaposition between the strict demands of Olympus and Earth. Through Dorothy and Apple's alternating perspectives, the author explores grief's impact to deliver a spirited, invigorating take on familiar legends. Ages 8--12. (Sept.)

A dual-perspective story of friendship, grief, and the pressure of familial expectations. Dorothy is a modern-day descendant of Pandora of Greek myth. "Nearly perfect" Apple's illustrious forebears are the famed gods Zeus and Hera. Growing up, the two sixth graders' mothers were very different people yet still best friends: "kind of wrong but still somehow right." In their community of near-gods, everyone must climb a silver ladder to Olympus each winter solstice to take a bite of a golden apple and guarantee their immortality for another year. However, when Dorothy's mother decides to stay below, renouncing her immortality and dying just a month later, the tradition is upended. In retaliation, the gods decide that everyone must choose on the next winter solstice: either join them on Olympus or remain mortals on Earth. While Apple and Dorothy are complete opposites, they find comfort and solace in each other after Dorothy's unexpected loss. But as the deadline approaches, Apple makes a hasty decision that affects everything. This story is tender, complex, and full of hope--emotionally messy in the best ways. Apple and Dorothy are intricately written characters who express relatable feelings of fear, love, and loss. Apple has curly dark hair, and Dorothy's hair is red-blond and wavy; the near-gods are diverse in appearance. A refreshingly character-driven take on Greek mythology retellings. (Fiction. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.