Orpheus and Eurydice

Greek Myths

by Hugh Lupton, Daniel Morden, Carole Henáff

Retells the classic story of a man who ventures into the Underworld in order to bring back his deceased bride.

Genres: Mythology, Greek Mythology, Childrens

32 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2013

About the author

Hugh Lupton is a prominent figure in the tradition of oral storytelling.

Reviews

[Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I happened to have this newly-acquired book in my on-call teaching kit, and it was National Read Aloud Day. Impressed with the handling of suspense in each chapter, places where the young minds being read to could wonder about character, place and themes. Even a few eyebrows raised when the journey began in Chapter Two and ended in Four, with two more chapters to wrap things up. Gory details were there, but artfully obfuscated with rhythmic language, woven with the silver thread of sorrow Orpheus experiences during this epic. Non sure how the song he plays for Hades and Persephone was mean to be sung, so I recited it straight and still students felt its hypnotic effect!

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Orpheus and Eurydice retells a classical story from Greek mythology. The story has got everything a good story should have: a bad omen, jealousy, everlasting love and powerful forces intervening in the lives of the mortal, where even bringing somebody back to life is possible.
Beautifully written, full of mystery and tragedy, it is a sweet and dark story of love.
Orpheus gets married but loses his wife to the death on the very first day after their reception. What can he do now? After the funeral he decides to look for Eurydice in the Land of the Dead. Orpheus has a very special gift for music, which being a powerful advantage in certain situations can also cost him a life in others..
I love the story because it reminds me of my holidays in Greece. The story is engaging and deals with concepts like eg. love or jealousy, that can be used as a lesson focus. KS2. Great illustrations.

[Catherine Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a classic retelling of the ancient Greek tale of the man who went to the underworld to save his beloved. This story is about a man named Orpheus who loses his wife on their wedding day. In order to get her back he travels to the underworld get her back. He plays his instrument and makes the god of the underworld weep with his beautiful music playing that he allows Eurydice to come back to life, but there is a catch. Overall, this book provided good illustrations that went a long with the story. I think that the strength of this book would be the retelling of it in a way that makes it understandable for little children because it does deal with themes of loss and jealousy. I would recommend this book because of its strengths.

[Vj · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed Demeter and Persephone. Will have to add it to my classroom library for my Greek mythology unit. Will be looking for others in this series. (Note: ISBN, title, and image are not correctly matched., hence image with entry is for Orpheus and Eurydice.)

[Andy Hickman · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Orpheus and Eurydice” Hugh Lupton, Daniel Morden
They attacked Orpheus. They hacked off his head. A subtle new take on the tale. Beautifully illustrated.

[Dinushka J · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful way to teach children Greek myths. Loved the illustrations and the story.

Definitely going to try to get the rest of the series

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Demeter and Persephone is an interesting story. This book is the beginning of a series written for Tweens as a picture book. I enjoy the simple but unique artwork.
The 3rd graders thought it somewhat boring till we discussed it.

[Paul LaFontaine · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you have read any of my reviews of Greek plays I will be consistent here. The form is too far removed from our own context to make sense. Some come through, like Hippolytus, most are like this one. Hard to discern the underlying theme on first reading.

[Chintya Rahmawati · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story with a very nice illustration.