Atlantis

Stylized, intensely colored and highly detailed illustrations dominate this interpretation of Plato's myth of the lost city of Atlantis. Balit (Zoo in the Sky: A Book of Animal Constellations) gracefully retells the story, beginning with Poseidon's love for the island girl Cleito, and lingering on his transformation of the island into a paradise. Over time, the people change: ""the godlike part of their souls faded and their mortal, human natures took over."" When their ambition and lust for power lead to strife, Poseidon plunges the city deep under the sea. Balit's three-quarter-spread illustrations nod at ancient Greek figure painting with their severe profiles and geometric motifs. Her sumptuous palette and her busy, almost psychedelically patterned compositions, meanwhile, reflect a contemporary sensibility. Elaborately scaled mermaids' tails undulate against curving waves, the ripples of the sea delineated in curls of white dots; fantastically colored birds dart over a fecund jungle. Gold-ink embellishments heighten the decorative element, drawing readers into the seemingly endless detail. Children intrigued by the story will like the endnote by Geoffrey Ashe, who describes various theories about a historical Atlantis. Ages 4-8. (May)