A-Maze-ing Minotaur

K-Gr 4—A diluted but satisfactory picture-book version of the terrifying tale of Theseus and the Minotaur. King Minos keeps the Minotaur, a half-man, half-bull monster, beneath his castle in a long and complex maze. Every nine years, Athens sends 14 children (seven girls and seven boys) to the king in order to feed the terrible beast as compensation for an unmentioned debt. Theseus, prince of Athens, joins the sacrificial group but swears to kill the Minotaur. Upon arrival, he meets Minos's daughter, Ariadne, who offers her assistance, helping Theseus to kill the Minotaur and escape. The bright watercolor illustrations were inspired by the Minoan paintings found at Knossos on the island of Crete. A glimpse of the terrible maze under the castle provides glimpses of the beast below while the principal action takes place in the palace above. Readers will enjoy following the twists and turns in a spread of the maze, which includes the bones of former occupants, broken pottery, and snakes. A brief account of the archaeological discovery of Knossos and a simple map of Crete and its surrounding geography is appended. Those seeking to round out their mythology collections will find this an acceptable choice.—Carol Connor, Cincinnati Public Schools, OH