Title of the work
Country of the First Edition
Country/countries of popularity
Original Language
First Edition Date
First Edition Details
Rakefet Zohar, Greek Mythology for Kids. Or Yehuda: Kinneret, Zmora-Bitan, 2007, 135 pp.
Genre
Illustrated works
Myths
Short stories
Target Audience
Children
Cover
Courtesy of Kinneret, Zmora-Bitan publishing.
Author of the Entry:
Ayelet Peer, Bar-Ilan University, ayelet.peer@gmail.com
Peer-reviewer of the Entry:
Lisa Maurice, Bar-Ilan University, mauril68@gmail.com
Elżbieta Olechowska, University of Warsaw, elzbieta.olechowska@gmail.com
Avner Katz
, b. 1939
(Illustrator)
Avner is an Israeli illustrator and an emeritus professor from the Department of Fine Arts, Haifa University. Avner was born in Kibbutz Ramat Rachel in central Israel. He studied art at Bezalel academy of art and design, Jerusalem and in London at the Central School of Art and Design. He also designed costumes and sets for the theatre. He won numerous awards during his carrer.
Sources:
Bazalel.secured.co.il (accessed: June 28, 2018)
Dafdaf.co.il (accessed: June 28, 2018).
Museum.imj.org.il (accessed: June 28, 2018).
Bio prepared by Ayelet Peer, Bar-Ilan University, ayelet.peer@gmail.com
Rakefet Zohar
, b. 1960
(Author)
Rakefet Zohar is an Israeli author, journalist and educator. She holds a B.A. in History from Tel Aviv University and a teaching diploma from the Kibbutzim College. She currently teaches literature and gender studies in Kibbutz Ein Shemer in northern Israel. Rakefet was brought up in kibbutz Baram in the Galilee. Her mother, Aliza Amir-Zohar, is also an author.
Sources:
Profile on Library.osu.edu (accessed: December 29, 2016).
Bio prepared by Ayelet Peer, Bar-Ilan University, ayelet.peer@gmail.com
Summary
This book is an illustrated collected edition of former individual four books previously published separately: Great Stories from the Olympus (1999); Pandora’s Box (1996); Hercules and Other Heroes (1997) and Famous Lovers (1998). The book offers various stories from the Greek mythology about gods and heroes in an accessible language for children. The stories included in this volume are:
- Great Stories from the Olympus
- When the World Was Created
- The Love Goddesses' Shell
- The Revenge of the Blacksmith God
- The Goddesses Who Was Born from the Forehead
- The Twelve Gods
- Pandora's Box
- How Man Was Created
- Who Stole the Fire?
- You Must Not Open Pandora's Box
- Hercules and Other Heroes
- Heroic Hercules Beats Death
- Heroic Perseus Fights Medusa
- Heroic Theseus and the Crimson Wool String
- Heroic Atalanta and Her War Against Men
- Famous Lovers
- Apollo and Daphne
- Eros and Psyche
- Pygmalion and Galatea
- Orpheus Descends to Hades
Analysis
Maurice notes on the book: "According to Zohar herself, the original idea for the series came from the editor of the publishing house, Saray Guttman. Zohar, however, felt very comfortable with the project, having read and loved stories of Greek mythology as a child (in particular Jane Werner Watson’s book), and having studied ancient Greece as part of her history degree. She used a wide range of sources in both Hebrew and English in writing her versions, mention-ing particularly Robert Graves, but adapted these sources freely, particularly with regard to dialogue and the heroes’ and gods’ thoughts and motivations. These changes were also intended to make the myths suitable for a juvenile audience, and this is reflected in the selection of specific stories as well."* Maurice also adds that "Rakefet Zohar’s series was wide-ranging, comprising retellings of both the Olympians and the great heroes, as well as tales with moral messages."**
* Maurice, Lisa, “Greek Mythology in Israeli Children’s Literature” in Katarzyna Marciniak, ed., Our Mythical Childhood... The Classics and Literature for Children and Young Adults, Leiden: Brill, 2016, 324–325.
** Maurice, “Greek Mythology in Israeli Children’s Literature”, 326.
Further Reading
Maurice, Lisa, “Greek Mythology in Israeli Children’s Literature” in Katarzyna Marciniak, ed., Our Mythical Childhood... The Classics and Literature for Children and Young Adults, Leiden: Brill, 2016, 307–332.
