Goatherd and the Shepherdess: A Tale from Ancient Greece - Hardcover

The Goatherd and the Shepherdess is the retelling of a Greek legend that begins with the birth and discovery of a baby girl found abandoned in a cave, then adopted by loving parents who name her Cloe. The story progresses through her friendship with a goatherd boy named Daphnis, also an orphan foundling. The girl, now a shepherdess, is nearly inseparable from her friend the goatherd. As the seasons change and the countryside blossoms, so does their friendship grow into a lifelong love. The lush greens and blues in the paintings evoke a magical, mystical island. Excitement comes in the way of vicious pirates wreaking havoc on the community of herdspeople, and a young cowherd (also vying for the attention of Cloe) who gives his life for the sake of his friends' survival.

Grade 2-4?Strange but lovely paintings grace this strange but lovely tale based on a Greek legend. The goatherd is Daphnis, who as a child was abandoned, suckled by a goat, and then adopted by a human couple. Chloe, the shepherdess, was also a foundling nursed by animals and adopted by people. The third character is Dorcon, a cowherd. The rivalry between Daphnis and Dorcon for Chloe's love grows until a band of pirates comes, mortally wounds Dorcon, and abducts Daphnis and about a dozen cows. With his dying breath, Dorcon tells Chloe to "Take the pipes and blow the cattle call." The stolen bovines hear it, leap overboard, capsize the ship, and bring Daphnis safely to shore. The story ends with the marriage of Daphnis and Chloe, who go on to lead a long and happy life. This rather complicated plot is elegantly told, although it's unfortunate that no source notes are included. Bloom's full-page acrylic paintings, with their cool, vivid colors and dramatic, dynamic compositions, have never been better. The characters' faces look like those on Greek coins; their skin is like the marble of statues; and their limbs have a look of substance that recalls some of Picasso's neoclassical paintings. The artist creates an elemental world of rocks, trees, water, and sky, a place where creatures exist together in harmony. In all, an unusual addition.?Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL
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