Hera: The Goddess and her Glory (Olympians Series #3)

by George O'Connor, George O'Connor (Illustrator)

Overview

George O’Connor’s vibrant, kinetic art brings ancient tales to life in the New York Times Bestselling series The Olympians. This fusion of super-hero aesthetics and ancient Greek mythology is perfect for fans of Percy Jackson!

There’s only one thing Zeus, the King of the Gods, is afraid of. It isn’t the many-headed Hydra, or the towering Gigantes. It isn’t his powerful, jealous brother Poseidon, the god of the seas. Monsters, gods, Titans–none of them make the mighty Zeus blink an eye.

The only thing Zeus fears is his wife: Hera, Goddess of the air, the sky, and the heavens, patroness of the cunning Jason, and scourge of the mighty Heracles. Hera rivals Zeus in power–and surpasses him in wrath.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781596434332
Publisher:	First Second
Publication date:	07/19/2011
Series:	Olympians , #3
Pages:	80
Sales rank:	152,764
Product dimensions:	7.30(w) x 9.90(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	9 - 14 Years

About the Author

George O'Connor is the New York Times–bestselling author of Olympians, the series of graphic novels featuring the tragic, dramatic, and epic lives of the Greek Pantheon and its counterpart featuring the Norse Gods, the series Asgardians. His first graphic novel, Journey into Mohawk Country, pushed the boundaries of the genre, using as its sole text the actual historical journal of the seventeenth-century Dutch trader Harmen Meyndertsz van den Bogaert. He also illustrated acclaimed playwright Adam Rapp’s Ball Peen Hammer. He teamed up with writer Daniel G. Newman on Unrig: How to Fix Our Broken Democracy, the first volume in the World Citizen Comics series. George is also the creator of popular picture books such as the New York Times–bestselling Kapow! and If I Had a Triceratops. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Reading Group Guide

Discussion Questions

1. Hera is the goddess of marriage, yet her own marriage to Zeus is full of fights. Who do you think is to blame for that, Zeus or Hera? (Watch out for lightning bolts and giant snakes when answering this question.)

2. When Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster created Superman in the 1930's, they consciously modeled him on Heracles. What are some aspects that Superman and Heracles have in common?

3. Heracles and Jason are two of the greatest heroes of Ancient Greece, and are both closely connected to Hera. But their respective relationships with her are quite different. Why do you think that is?

4. Many of the names in this book will be very familiar to modern readers, like Atlas and Heracles. What are some modern things that have names taken from Green mythology?

5. Do you think it's fair that Hera punishes the children and girlfriends of Zeus? Is it fair that Zeus keeps cheating on Hera?

6. The number twelve comes up often in the Greek myths. Heracles performs twelve labors; there are twelve Olympians, and twelve Titans before them. Why is the number twelve so important? What other numbers come up a lot in the Greek myths?

7. Heracles is given a choice between a hard life, in which he would have to work for everything but would be remembered forever, and an easy life, in which where everything would be given to him. Did he make the right choice? What would you choose?

8. Very few people believe in the Greek gods today. Why do you think it is important that we still learn about them?

Editorial Reviews

Gr 7 Up—O'Connor does not give in to the typical representation of Hera as just a nagging wife; instead, he shows how the goddess of marriage struggles with Zeus's infidelity time and again. Through the story of Heracles, readers see not only how the hero made a name for himself, but also how the Greek gods viewed the lives of mortals and heroes, who play out competitions among the gods with their lives. Though some of the dialogue is a bit shallow and does not reflect the well-rounded picture readers have of Hera by the end of the story, the retelling of the myth accurately reflects several of the original source texts and gives Hera a somewhat vindictive sense of humor. While skipping some darker elements, such as the reason for Heracles's 12 labors and Hera's causing him to go mad and kill his wife and children, the stories are fairly represented, and several instances of Hera's wrath against her husband's lovers are depicted in a few short panels. This is an excellent addition to mythology sections, with action sequences that will appeal to readers of superhero comics. The art also leaves out darker elements. While violence is depicted, the action sequences brilliantly capture the quick movements and tense tone of combat without showing a gorier side. A family tree on the front cover and notes at the end make this useful for classrooms as well.—Alana Joli Abbott, formerly at James Blackstone Memorial Library, Branford, CT

School Library Journal

Definitely worth a visit for any young demigod.” —Rick Riordan

“Readers . . . will be delighted with this debut title in the Olympians series of graphic novels.” —BCCB, starred review

From the Publisher