Atlantis: The Legend of the Lost City

Using Plato's dialogues, Timaeus and Critias, as sources, British author and illustrator Christina Balit relates the Greek myth of Atlantis in this gorgeous picture-book. Built up from a tiny island by the god Poseidon, after he marries island girl Cleito, Atlantis becomes a marvel of the world - an island city both wealthy and peaceful. Named after Poseidon and Cleito's oldest son, Atlas, it is governed by a wise set of laws. But when Poseidon sleeps beneath the waves, the people of Atlantis gradually abandon the laws, and violence and injustice creep into their civilization. Waking from his long rest, the sea god must fulfill his vow to destroy the island, if its people ever break the law, raining down fire and submerging Atlantis in show more powerful waves. And so the island slips beneath the waters, never to be seen again...

Although there are various different versions of the myth of Atlantis, something outlined by scholar Geoffrey Ashe in his afterword, Atlantis: The Legend of the Lost City retells the traditional Greek tale. The story here is engaging, and the illustrations simply beautiful! Balit uses vibrant colors - deep blues and oranges, and lovely golden highlights - and stylized figures to create paintings that are a pleasure to peruse. Beside the passage discussing the giving and keeping of Atlantis' laws, she depicts a carved half-disk that looks very much like the Phaistos Disk, from the ancient Minoan civilization on the island of Crete. This felt entirely appropriate, as some scholars believe that the story of Atlantis is actually about Crete, and about the destruction of the Minoan civilization after the eruption of a volcano on the island of Thera, in 1450 BC. I'd recommend this one to all folklore and mythology enthusiasts, particularly those interested in the legend of Atlantis, or in the idea of lost civilizations. show less

Throughout my life I have heard of the mythical island of Atlantis, but never read the origin story. Author/Illustrator Christina Balit brings Atlantis to life in this retelling of the traditional tale. I picked this book off the shelf because of the vibrant illustrations of Poseidon, the Island of Atlantis, and it's inhabitants. Bold greens, blues, oranges and golds, in watercolor depict the rising sun on Atlantis' last day, the crashing waves as Atlantis is destroyed, the beauty of the island in it's heyday. Balit's simple retelling is a straightforward and child friendly version of the myth. Her description of the island is amplified by her illustrations. Words and phrases such as '...sacred land' and 'paradise' give the reader an show more image of the utopia that Atlantis once was. Overall a fun book to read but the real pleasure is the artwork. show less

Richly illustrated in bright colors and gold leaf, this retelling of the myth of Atlantis is stunning and reads beautifully. We learn how Poseidon created Atlantis as a tribute to his mortal wife, Cleito, and gave it to his sons to rule over. Its citizens lived in peace and harmony, thankful for the many natural wonders Poseidon provided for them. But over time, the people began to bicker and become ambitious and greedy. Zeus, displeased, demanded Poseidon punish them, and so the entire island was swallowed up and sank to the bottom of the sea where, some say, it still resides. Dramatic and compelling, this makes an excellent read aloud for grades 2 and up - way up!

Critique: this is a myth that has been adapted to better suit the readers: children. It includes the ancient Greek gods.
Point of View: This tale is told from an objective stand-point, which works really well for a story that has been told over and over in so many different ways; it almost makes it more believable because it presents the tale as if it were factual and matter of fact.
Media: watercolor

This myth tells the story of the mysterious underwater city of Atlantis, which started as an idyllic island. Because of the faults of mortals, Poseidon has to banish Atlantis to a place beneath the waves. Another lesson in the inherent flaws of humanity.

Atlantis is created by the Poseidon. THis god sees a village of people who have nothing and yet they are still happy. He wants to know what their secret is so he becomes one of them. In his scheme he falls in love with a maiden. When they marry the sea raises up and is is obvious that he is a god. The village becomes a place of miracles and is the happiest place on earth. All of Poseidon's sons rule over a different section of Atlantis in order to maintain peace. Once the villagers start to fight the peace is broken and the village sinks to the bottom of the sea.

Intermediate
This is a good example of mythology, It is is a story that was passed down within the Greeks. It was first written down by Plato but has been told many times since then. It includes the gods of Greek mythology and teaches a moral of warning against conflict and power seeking.
Media: Acrylics