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The Minotaur of Knossos by Roberta Angeletti — book cover

The Minotaur of Knossos

by Roberta Angeletti
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Overview

Luca is in his room with his dog Pip, finishing his homework on the ancient civilization of the island of Crete. Tired of the strenuous report writing, the little boy falls asleep, only to wake up perched on a curious alabaster seat in a hall surrounded by pillars and wall paintings of griffins. A friendly voice explains that he is in the palace of the great King Minos, ruler of the Cretans, and tells him some fascinating facts about this ancient people. It turns out that the voice belongs to Sir Arthur Evans, the famous archaeologist who discovered the remains of the palace.
Luca wanders around the building in search of his dog, and finds something that looks like Pip's leash. Pulling on it, he brings out the terrifying, angry Minotaur—a monster with a bull's head and a human body. Shocked, Luca falls to the ground, but a second later finds himself back in his room with Pip by his side. A three-page appendix at the end of the book goes back through the ages to tell us more about the ancient inhabitants of Crete, the hero Theseus, Ariadne's thread, and the Minotaur.

Tired out after working on a report about ancient Crete, Robbie falls asleep and finds himself in the palace of King Minos, where he encounters the hideous bull-headed monster known as the Minotaur.

About the Author, Roberta Angeletti

Roberta Angeletti lives and works in Italy. She is a well-known illustrator, sculptor, and engraver, and has recently achieved popularity as a children's writer. She has won numerous prestigious prizes for her illustrations.

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Editorials

Children's Literature - Joyce Rice

Robbie's report on the minotaurs of ancient Crete takes the reader into the palace of the great King Minos. As Robbie explores the palace in an attempt to find his lost puppy Pip, the reader learns what the ancient civilization was like. When his sighting of Pip's leash brings him face to face with a minotaur, history comes alive. This is an excellent use of the picture book format to entice young readers into informational books. The story told in limited text with beautiful, rich illustrations makes this story appropriate for reading to a group. The author has included further information about Crete at the end of the story. Part of the series "A Journey Through Time."

Book Details

Published
December 9, 1999
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Pages
32
Format
Hardcover
ISBN
9780195215571

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