Here are the immortals of Olympus—the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece—as freshly described in words and pictures as if they were alive today.

Mighty Zeus with his fistful of thunderbolts; mischievous little Hermes; gray-eyed Athena, goddess of wisdom; Asclepius, the first physician; Orpheus and his beloved Euridice; Helios the sun, crossing the heavens in his fiery chariot... these and other equally fabulous figures parade across the pages, their heroic deeds and petty squabbles illuminated in full dimension.

Ingri and Edgar Parin d'Aulaire, winners of the Caldecott medal for Abraham Lincoln, are author-artists of rare distinction. The folktale quality of their text—relaxed, humorous, earthy—is reflected in the handsome design and glowing color of their illustrations. During an extended trip to Greece, they studied and sketched the countryside, the people, and the architecture and artifacts of long ago. These elements appear with unmistakable authenticity, transformed by the d'Aulaires' own artistic concepts. From the full-page portrait of Helen of Troy to the tiniest background detail of animal or flower, they have surpassed their earlier efforts in the scope and sensitivity of their pictures.

No child is too young to appreciate the myths that have been the basis of great literature and art through the ages, and both adults and children alike will find this a book to treasure for years to come.

From the dust jacket