Before Atalanta became a Greek legend, she encountered a beast . . .
Abandoned by her parents and raised by bears until the age of four, Atalanta has led a life of adventure. After her adoptive father is slain by a ferocious beast, the twelve-year-old Atalanta sets off on a journey of revenge, accompanied by the bear she treats as a brother. She discovers that a monster is terrorizing the land of Arcadia and that the king has assembled a party to track it downβled by the legendary huntsman Orion. Atalanta wins a place at Orionβs side, but the hunt for the beast is also a hunt to uncover the secret of her own past. And that may prove to be the greatest danger of all.
This ebook features personal histories by Jane Yolen and Robert J. Harris including rare images from the authorsβ personal collections, as well as a timeline of the Heroic Age and a conversation between the two authors about the making of the series.
From School Library Journal
Grade 4-6-A horrible beast has killed Atalanta's father, and now Atalanta, 12, is completely alone in her woodland home. One day, the bear cub that she was raised with appears, fully grown. They travel together until village hunters catch the animal in a trap. Atalanta's bravery and quick wits as a hunter save both of them, and she joins the village hunters on a search for the beast. When they reach the king's palace, and an official hunt begins, the truth of the creature's origins-and Atalanta's-is made clear. Yolen and Harris have provided another exciting installment in the series with this little-known Greek myth. Atalanta is a strong female hero, and her adventures will thrill readers. The Greek names may be hard for reluctant readers, but the fast-paced story will engage their imaginations. Recommend this book to fans of the series; guide avid readers who want even more of the Atalanta tale to Stephanie Spinner's Quiver (Knopf, 2002), which takes the story to its end.
Angela J. Reynolds, Washington County Cooperative Library Services, Hillsboro, OR
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Gr. 4-6. The third volume in the Young Heroes series sends 12-year-old Atalanta in pursuit of a giant winged lion after it kills the hunter who raised her. Having spent nearly her entire life in the woods, Atalanta is a strong hunter and a nearly feral child; she is far more comfortable with her huge bear companion than with the glory-seeking humans who join her on the trail. The tale sweeps along at a good clip toward a rousing climax, and the authors have buttressed the action with many details and characters from classical mythology--mighty Orion, a vain, but capable, hunter whose rivalry with Atalanta gradually turns into mutual respect; a petulant Artemis; and mischievous, powerful Pan. Although Atalanta turns out to be a child of royal parents, she elects to return to her old, independent life in the end--at least for the present. Children intrigued by the often sketchy tales surrounding Atalanta will enjoy both this fleshed out version of her youthful adventures and the somewhat different take Stephanie Spinner offers in Quiver[BKL Ja 1 & 15 03]; for other books of interest, see the Read-alike, "Grrrls of the Ancient World," also in the January 03 issue. John Peters
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