Byrd (Brave Chicken Little) capably guides readers through the episodic adventures of Jason and the Argonauts as they seek the Golden Fleece, a journey that puts them in the path of harpies, the Symplegades ("Clashing Rocks"), Circe, and the bronze giant Talos. Hermes, Apollo, Athena, and other important mythological figures are discussed in sidebars, and a page dedicated to "Notable Argonauts" offers capsule descriptions of 12 sailors, including Orpheus, Atalanta, and Theseus. Through tense, direct storytelling and larger-than-life portraits of warriors and monsters alike-rendered in his customarily precise and intricately detailed ink-and-watercolor art-Byrd offers a gripping account of the Argonauts' heroic and tragic quest. Ages 6-9. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

The author of The Hero and the Minotaur: The Fantastic Adventures of Theseus (2005) returns to Greek mythology to retell the story of Jason, who sets sail on the Argo with a crew of legendary heroes. After enduring hardships and overcoming near-impossible challenges, they complete the quest and Jason returns home to take his rightful place on the throne of Iolcus. Byrd lays out these adventures in a straightforward manner, trusting the inherent drama of this timeless legend to captivate readers. The episodic story uses a series of two-page spreads to present the narrative, illustrations, and small sidebars highlighting gods, heroes, monsters, and other story elements. Apart from the portrayal of Jason on the jacket, the broad, large-scale illustrations usually show scenes from a bit of a distance. Humans appear to be vulnerable characters in landscapes and seascapes full of perils, from the Harpies to the bronze giant, from Circe and the Sirens to Scylla and Charybdis. The endpaper maps and title-page illustration are particularly fine. This handsome book offers a colorfully illustrated retelling of Jason's adventures.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2016 Booklist

Murder, intrigue, betrayal, patricide, regicide, and more constitute Jasons epic quest for the Golden Fleece.Like most Greek myths, Jasons journey to complete a near-impossible task unfolds through an episodic plot in which the gods interfere with the mortals constantlyfor good or ill. When Jasons evil uncle, Pelias, usurps the throne of his father, Aeson, king of Iolcus, Jasons mother wisely sends him to the forest to be raised by Chiron the centaur. Upon Jasons return to Iolcus to defeat Pelias, Hera, wife of Zeus, appears to him and promises her guidance and protection, which she delivers throughout his journey. Pelias refuses to relinquish the throne unless Jason brings him the Golden Fleece (the background story of which Byrd also includes in this volume). Jason then gathers the finest Greek men, commissions the Argo, and embarks upon a journey with colossal challenges. Byrd eases navigation of this text-heavy picture book by illustrating the unimaginable, such as bronze-beaked Stymphalian birds with dart-shooting feathers and Scylla, part hag, part fish, with six fanged dogs heads protruding from her torso. Each double-page spread constitutes a chapter, making for good-sized chunks for episodic read-alouds. Sidebars give brief background on characters, the backmatter introduces the Olympians, and front and back endpapers show maps of Jasons route. A fine first introduction to an age-old tale of travel, adventure, and heroism. (Mythology. 6-9) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Many books for children about the ancient Greek hero Jason boil his adventures down to a few fragments centered on the Golden Fleece, but Byrds large format gives the epic story more room. After an introduction explaining the tales roots, Byrd begins with Jasons childhood (he was raised by a wise centaur) and his meeting with the goddess Hera, disguised as an old woman, who becomes his mentor. Jason gathers a ships crew, including Hercules and Orpheus, to begin a quest, and along the way is beset by beasts, gods, and even magical rocks that try to smash his ship. Once he meets the beautiful sorceress Medea, the story turns darker as Jason becomes complicit in theft and murder. On each page Byrd includes a decorative box containing information related to the text (the definition of centaur; a description of Heras place in the pantheon). Each double-page spread tells a discrete section of the story (Phineas and the Harpies), complete in itself but leading into the next segment. Byrd fills the pages with imposing and energetic illustrations capturing fearsome monsters (such as Charybdis with her giant, repulsive mouth), the great ship Argo, and characters both mortal and immortal -- all set against the sweeping sea, land, and sky. The complexity and richness of both tale and pictures offer a lot to pore over and ponder. Appended with a pantheon of the Greek gods, an authors note, and a bibliography. susan dove lempke (c) Copyright 2016. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Gr 3-6-Byrd takes readers along on this ancient epic quest crisscrossing the Aegean, the Euxine, and the Mediterranean. Helped and challenged by gods, monsters, and dramatic seas, these larger-than-life figures have their mettle tested at every turn. The sumptuously detailed artwork is gloriously lit and action-packed, capturing the inherent drama and colorful backdrops for these thrilling escapades. © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.