Daughter of Earth

by Gerald McDermott

When Pluto wrongly takes Proserpina to be his bride in the Underworld, Ceres, mother of Proserpina and goddess of the Earth, withdraws into a cave to mourn and refuses to permit crops to grow.

Genres: Picture Books, Mythology, Greek Mythology

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Gerald McDermott is an award-winning children’s book illustrator and an expert on mythology. His work often combines bright colors and styles with ancient imagery.

He has created more than 25 books and animated films. His first book, Anansi the Spider, was awarded a Caldecott Honor, and he’s since won the Caldecott Medal for Arrow to the Sun and another Caldecott Honor.

Reviews

[Misbah · Rating 3 out of 5]

The legend of how there came to be different seasons on Earth. Mother nature's daughter gets kidnapped and taken to the underworld. She ends up making a deal with her kidnapper to come down to the underworld a third of the year. During this time mother nature makes it winter on Earth.
A Roman myth. Supposedly a very common story but it's the first time I've read anything like this.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Roman myth that explains the seasons of the year. Prosperina is captured by the god of the underworld, Pluto, and her mother, Ceres, punishes the earth during her absence by refusing to let anything grow. Although Prosperina does eat some pomagrate seeds while in the underworld, sky god Jupiter negotiates her release: he subtracts the number of seeds she ate from the months of the year, so she only has to stay with Pluto for three months - our winter!

[Emily Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know if this is my favorite version of this story, but Gerald McDermott is indeed a master of folklore and maybe I'm just partial to the Greek Names.

Despite my person whatever, McDermott still does a fine job of eloquently telling this classic myth with all sorts of emotions from all of the characters (who doesn't love a bit of perspective?)

[Beverly J. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really horrible rendition of the mythos. Not appropriate for children.