Two Queens of Heaven: Aphrodite and Demeter

Greek Myths

by Doris Gates, Leo Dillon (Illustrator), Diane Dillon (Illustrator)

Retells the Greek myths in which Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, and Demeter, goddess of grain and agriculture, play major roles.

Genres: Mythology, Fiction

96 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

About the author

Doris Gates, 1901-1987

A lifelong resident of California, Doris Gates was for many years, she was a librarian for the Fresno County Free Library. However, she is remembered for her many beloved children's books. Of these, the best known and most influential was Blue Willow (1940), selected as a Newbery Honor Book in 1941. Many consider Blue Willow to have been the first realistic, problem novel for children, and it was recognized both for its lasting literary merit and for its expansion of the range of subjects which could be explored in books for children. She died in 1987.

Reviews

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Renowned children's author Doris Gates presents Greek myths about Aphrodite and Demeter along with a few other tales in this collection suitable for children. The illustrations are sketched, demonstrating what can be done with pencil (or pen). Gates' stories should captivate early readers.

[Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Queens of Heaven" is one of Doris Gates' better contributions to the body of Greek Mythology through an American lens, and offers a literate, readable, lightly conservative vision of the tales of Aphrodite, Demeter, and Persephone. For the goddess of love she renders faithful short story adaptations of the romances of Pygmalion, Hero and Leander, Pyramus and Thisbe, Adonis, and of course, classical literature's greatest romance, Eros and Psyche (though she uses the Cupid epitaph for her tale, which is grounded firmly in the charming version brought to us by Apuleius). For Demeter and Persephone she provides one tale, a lengthy and thorough retelling of the Mysteries of Eleusis. Though the adaptations are fine and fairly accurate (if a little clean-ed up and bloodless) and the illustrations are lovely, one can't help but wonder why she paired these two figures- not because they don't belong together (and through Adonis, the cults of Love and the cults of Resurrection certainly have a connection) but because she fails to make much comment on the relationship between these two titanic figures of ancient literature, except one: Demeter's section is notably titled, "The Good Goddess." Leading one to deduce that Aphrodite, while the bulk of the book's focus, is anything but "good."

[Carfig · Rating 3 out of 5]

More than just stories of Aphrodite and Demeter, the two in the title and on the front and back covers. With great illustrations by Trina Schart Hyman.

[Eagle Watcher]

Two Queens of Heaven is a wonderfully written, book of Greek God, and Goddess stories. The stories range from love, to cruel monsters , and bloody deaths.
I learned a lot with this book and had a fun time reading it.