Overview
This graphic novel tells the story of Amaterasu, the Japanese Shinto goddess of the sun. Amaterasu's parents create the first eight islands of Japan. Amaterasu's father later puts his children in charge of parts of the natural world. Beautiful and kindly Amaterasu is made the goddess of the sun. But her brother, Susano, god of the sea and storms, is jealous of his sister's position. In fear of Susano's temper, Amaterasu hides in a cave, plunging the world into darkness. The other gods and goddesses must come up with a clever plan to lure Amaterasu from her hiding place and restore order to the world.Synopsis
This graphic novel tells the story of Amaterasu, the Japanese Shinto goddess of the sun. Amaterasu's parents create the first eight islands of Japan. Amaterasu's father later puts his children in charge of parts of the natural world. Beautiful and kindly Amaterasu is made the goddess of the sun. But her brother, Susano, god of the sea and storms, is jealous of his sister's position. In fear of Susano's temper, Amaterasu hides in a cave, plunging the world into darkness. The other gods and goddesses must come up with a clever plan to lure Amaterasu from her hiding place and restore order to the world.
VOYA
For anyone not familiar with the story of Persephone, this series provides a fine rendering of the Greek myth that tells how the seasons came to be. A number of experienced comic book writers and illustrators have been commissioned to create graphic novelizations of myths and legends from around the world. The sixteen titles are written for a target audience of fourth to eighth graders, and include King Arthur (British), Thor and Loki (Norse), Beowulf (British), and Odysseus (Greek). In Amaterasu, a goddess of the sun seals herself inside a cave for fear of being harmed by her jealous and destructive brother, Susano, lord of storms and restless seas. The result of her absence is a dark and infertile earth, and the other gods must trick her out of her exile to restore daylight to the world. Demeter and Persephone has a similar theme. When Persephone—the only daughter of Demeter, the greek goddess of the harvest—is kidnapped by Hades and taken to the underworld, her mother goes into mourning and the whole world becomes icy and barren. Persephone is rescued by her mother, but only after she has fallen in love with Hades and committed herself to him. She strikes a deal to return to the underworld to be with Hades for one third of the year-thus the season of cold and darkness, when her mother is missing her. Every series volume is created by a different team of authors and illustrators, giving each book a unique look and vernacular. Reluctant readers have much to appreciate in the dynamic and colorful format of these comic books, while being exposed to complex themes such as sibling rivalry and family obligations. Because they include end material such as glossaries,pronunciation guides, and further reading, these books are ideal resources for a younger reader interested in an introduction to world myths.