Jason and the Golden Fleece

Cognizant of the increasing popularity of single-volume versions of ancient myths, Fisher ( The Olympians ; Theseus and the Minotaur ) again mines Greek mythology for inspiration, as he recounts the tale of Jason and the Argonauts' quest for the golden fleece. Drawing on acknowledged sources, the retelling would have benefited from more elaboration. Readers may have some difficulty in following this character-rich tale, since not all of its subjects are depicted in the illustrations. Nevertheless, the book is well-paced, all of the story's major elements are included and readers will certainly be carried along by the episodic flow. Fisher's vivid art makes masterful use of each spread to advance the narative and expand the text. Ages 6-9. (Apr.)