Jason and the Argonauts: The First Great Quest in Greek Mythology

Byrd (Brave Chicken Little) capably guides readers through the episodic adventures of Jason and the Argonauts as they seek the Golden Fleece, a journey that puts them in the path of harpies, the Symplegades (“Clashing Rocks”), Circe, and the bronze giant Talos. Hermes, Apollo, Athena, and other important mythological figures are discussed in sidebars, and a page dedicated to “Notable Argonauts” offers capsule descriptions of 12 sailors, including Orpheus, Atalanta, and Theseus. Through tense, direct storytelling and larger-than-life portraits of warriors and monsters alike—rendered in his customarily precise and intricately detailed ink-and-watercolor art—Byrd offers a gripping account of the Argonauts’ heroic and tragic quest. Ages 6–9. (Oct.)