Persephone

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Hutton's lyrical watercolors are an ideal vehicle for the story of the maiden whose ancient abduction to the underworld set in motion the changing seasons: having eaten six pomegranate seeds in Hades's domain, Persephone is consigned to spend half of each year there, during which months the earth darkens and withers as the earth goddess, Persephone's mother, grieves. The potent qualities of sorrow and loss take on special poignancy in Hutton's hand, for the delicacy of his lines and washes itself suggests the transience of earthly beauty and fecundity. Yet his paintings are forceful enough to capture the terrible majesty of the underworld, a cavernous place where only a sinuous underground river and a few forlorn pomegranate trees relieve the harsh austerity: it is no wonder that Persephone pines for the earth. Hutton's compositions expertly play off light against shadow (in the initial view of Hades's world, for example, a lone shaft of light penetrates a deep, gray chasm and, through its contrast, emphasizes the gloom). Forms change with consummate subtlety, as when the heads of the river's spirits emerge as little more than suggestions in the crest of a wave. An exquisitely wrought work of striking beauty and lingering depth. Ages 7-up. (Mar.)

Children's Literature - Deborah Zink Roffino

Consider this as an introduction to the Greek myth genre; it is a simple picture book retelling the fascinating story of how the seasons came to be. Shadowed watercolors express mystery and the sadness of Demeter as her beloved daughter, Persephone, is kidnapped by the underworld god, Hades.

Children's Literature - Marilyn Courtot

Several of the better-known myths have been retold and illustrated by Warwick Hutton. Persephone is the beautifully illustrated story of Hade's abduction of Demeter's beloved daughter. The resulting compromise-Persephone spends six month above ground in sunshine and six months in the darkness of the underworld-serves to explain the changing seasons.

School Library Journal

Gr 2-4-Another of Hutton's illustrated retellings of classic tales, Persephone is executed in his now-characteristic delicate, watercolor style and simple direct language. However, for a story as powerful as this one, much more is needed-more vigor in both the words and in the illustrations. The depiction of the dramatic events here is still and static. The figures appear flat and somewhat disproportionate, and the narrative, although advancing the story, is not compelling. To announce first that this is ``the story of summer and winter, and how they came about,'' ignores the strong psychological dynamics and sense of story that should more naturally unfold. It almost reduces the text that follows to a kind of newspaper account of the events that ensue. There are moments of promise-``With a flourish of his hand [Hades] turned and struck open the earth as if it were made of soft cheese.'' And the full-page illustration of Persephone remembering that she ate six pomegranate seeds shows clearly her awareness that she has sealed her fate. For sheer power and beauty, choose Kris Waldherr's Persephone and the Pomegranate (Dial, 1993). It and several older titles, unfortunately now out of print, deliver the strength and majesty this myth deserves.-Harriett Fargnoli, Great Neck Library, NY

Hazel Rochman

With classical simplicity, Hutton's picture book captures both the human drama and the nature myth of the old Greek story about the seasons. Unlike his version of "The Trojan Horse" (1992), this story keeps to the traditional point of view, focusing on Persephone's bond with her mother, Demeter, the goddess of all growing things. And unlike Kris Waldherr's "Persephone and the Pomegranate" , this version shows little conflict in Persephone herself. Hutton begins the story with the god Hades, lonely in the endless winter of his home. When he captures Persephone for his bride and takes her to his underground kingdom, her grieving mother neglects her duties, and the earth becomes parched and empty. For the six months of every year that mother and daughter are allowed to be together on earth, the land blooms in spring and summer; for the six months that Persephone must spend underground, Demeter grieves, and winter comes. Hutton's watercolor landscapes express a strong connection between people and the natural world. The reunion scenes are filled with light and space and greenery. In contrast, the most memorable illustrations are those that show Persephone trapped and alone on her underground throne, "waiting and weeping in the darkness," and the picture of her picking the six red pomegranate seeds in the shadowy palace-garden is dark with drama.