by Demi (Author)
King Midas is a proud and foolish king who loves gold above all else. In return for helping him one day, a satyr grants the king his dearest wish -- all that he touches will turn to gold. For a time, the king enjoys his gift. But then the food he puts to his mouth turns to gold so he cannot eat. And the horse he mounts turns to gold so he cannot ride. And everyone he touches turns to gold so he no longer has any family or friends. He has all the gold he could ever want, but he's not at all happy.
How King Midas learns his lesson and finds happiness is the heart of this classic Greek myth, brought to new life by award-winning artist Demi's own golden touch. Sparkling with the colors of the Aegean Sea and with the splendor of gold, this elegant and humorous retelling of an ancient myth will be cherished by readers of all ages.
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Gr 2-4-Demi's terse, choppy retelling will not appeal to those who like classic tales left intact, because nearly all that remains of the original story is the king's name and the golden touch itself. The reteller portrays King Midas as "weak and ignorant, miserly and greedy," a man who, when asked to judge a music contest between Apollo and Pan, chooses the less talented Pan as the victor, causing the angry Apollo to curse him with furry donkey's ears. Midas is granted the golden touch by the god Dionysus as a reward for returning Silenus the Satyr to him. The golden spell is broken when he visits an oracle, who tells him to bathe in the River Pactolus. Illustrations feature detailed gilded borders top and bottom-a different pattern on each spread. Gold highlights the clothing of the cartoon-faced, stylized characters, as well. Charlotte Craft's King Midas and the Golden Touch (Morrow, 1999), with its classic medieval-style oil-and-watercolor paintings by K. Y. Craft, and John Warren Stewig's King Midas (Holiday, 1999), populated by Omar Rayyan's whimsical creatures and caricature-faced Midas, are both skillful retellings of the myth in which the king realizes the folly of his wish after he turns his beloved daughter into gold.-Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH
Copyright 2002 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Demi is the author and illustrator of more than one hundred fifty books for children. She is known for her perceptive texts and elegant illustrations with golden accents, and for her biographies of major historical figures from around the world, including religious figures like Buddha, Muhammad, Jesus, and Mary. Her books have been named New York Times Best Illustrated Books, recognized with ALA Notable Children's Books and Notable Books for a Global Society citations, and won the Christopher Award, which recognizes individuals whose work makes a positive difference in the world. Demi has traveled extensively and studied art in Mexico, India, and China. She lives in Yarrow Point, Washington.
Demi is the author and illustrator of more than one hundred fifty books for children. She is known for her perceptive texts and elegant illustrations with golden accents, and for her biographies of major historical figures from around the world, including religious figures like Buddha, Muhammad, Jesus, and Mary. Her books have been named New York Times Best Illustrated Books, recognized with ALA Notable Children's Books and Notable Books for a Global Society citations, and won the Christopher Award, which recognizes individuals whose work makes a positive difference in the world. Demi has traveled extensively and studied art in Mexico, India, and China. She lives in Yarrow Point, Washington.