Perseus: The Hunt for Medusa's Head: A Greek Myth

by Paul D. Storrie

Overview

Could a monster whose very look turns men to stone be a challenge too perilous even for the son of Zeus? King Polydectes has designs on Perseus' mother, Danaë. But first the king must get rid of young Perseus once and for all. So Polydectes hatches a plan to trick the young hero into performing an impossible task—slay the snake-haired Gorgon monster Medusa, whose very look turns men to stone. Yet, as the son of Zeus, king of the gods, Perseus has many powerful allies. Will Perseus' strength and courage—and the favor of the gods—allow him to do the impossible?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781580138888
Publisher:	Graphic Universe
Publication date:	02/01/2009
Series:	Graphic Myths and Legends Series
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	183,077
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	GN680L (what's this?)
Age Range:	9 - 13 Years

About the Author

Paul D. Storrie was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and despite time spent in Grand Rapids, Chicago, and Los Angeles, has returned to Metro-Detroit time and again. He attended Grand Valley State University and received a B.A. in English Language and Literature, knowing that he wanted to tell stories for a living. His first published work was the comic book series Robyn of Sherwood in 1998. Since then he has written for numerous publishers, including a story for Marvel’s Captain America: Red, White & Blue anthology, the mini-series Gotham Girls for DC Comics, Star Trek Alien Spotlight: Andorians for IDW, and several tales for Graphic Universe, including Junior Library Guild selection Hercules: The Twelve Labors with artist Steve Kurth and Children’s Choice Book Awards finalist Beowulf: Monster Slayer with artist Ron Randall.

Thomas Yeates grew up in Sacramento, northern California. He attended college in Utah, Sacramento, the Joe Kubert School in New Jersey. Since then he has been working as an illustrator, focusing on high adventure in the comic book/graphic novel field. He has worked for most of the major companies in that field, DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Dark Horse Comics, Eclipse, etc. He has illustrated Swamp Thing, Timespirits, Tarzan, Conan, Zorro, myths and legends for Lerner Publishing, and many short stories. Most recently he has illustrated Edgar Rice Burroughs’ John Carter of Mars for Barnes & Noble Publishing and is currently illustrating a series of books by the popular writer Anthony Horowitz.

Editorial Reviews

"This spring, the movie heroes of true mythic proportions are those that find their roots in the legends and traditions of ancient Greece. Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (PG) debuted last month and Clash of the Titans (not yet rated), another live-action thriller, premieres in theaters on April 2, 2010. Loosely based on the tale of Perseus, this Warner Bros. remake of a 1981 film stars Sam Worthington as the monster-vanquishing champion along with Ralph Fiennes as Hades and Liam Neeson as Zeus. Visit the film’s official Web site for a punch-packing preview of the stunning special effects and epic-scale battle action.

Grab the eye and interest of teen moviegoers with a tantalizing selection of Greek mythology titles guaranteed to appeal to YA sensibilities. Encompassing a variety of tastes and reading levels, this round-up includes guidebook-style browsers, traditional retellings, flashy graphic novels, imaginatively fleshed-out novelizations, and more. There’s something for everyone here, whether they’re already experienced in the whys and wherefores of the Greek pantheon or newcomers to Zeus’s realm, fans of superhero tales, or romance devotees.

. . .

Dazzling Graphic Novels

With kinetic covers featuring gods in battle-ready postures, George O’Connor’s new “Olympians” series (First Second; Gr 6 Up) does a fantastic job of persuading readers to explore the Greek pantheon. The first volume introduces Zeus: King of the Gods, (2010) from his sheltered boyhood to his Titanic-toppling mêlées to his ascendance to the throne. The second installment (April, 2010) presents five thrilling tales about Athena: Grey-Eyed Goddess, beginning with her dramatic emergence—“fully clothed, fully armored, already a young woman”—from Zeus’s skull. These stylish graphic novels unfold with cinematic scope and full-scale drama, balancing carefully researched retellings with superhero kapow. The artwork is stunning, presenting fully revved-up action scenes as well as lighter moments. Back matter includes character profiles, notes from the author, discussable points, and reading lists. Kids will await the debut of the rest of the “Olympians” with baited breath.

From Hercules: The Twelve Labors (2007) to Perseus: The Hunt for Medusa’s Head (2008) to The Trojan Horse: The Fall of Troy (2007), Lerner’s Graphic Universe offers a series of graphic novel retellings of well-known adventures that will captivate comic-book fans (Gr 6-9). The tales feature clearly conveyed storylines, concise dialogue, suspense-filled action, and bright-colored visual fireworks. A glossary and further reading list end each volume, and the reinforced bindings will stand up to rigorous circulation. Check out the impressive range of available titles at the publisher’s Web site."
--School Library Journal

From the Publisher