Atlantis: The Legend of the Lost City by Christina Balit

Atlantis: The Legend of the Lost City Reviews

• 
  Dimitris Papastergiou

  A decent enough picture-book story about Atlantis and how it came to be and how it was destroyed, bringing together more than one theories that's been written throughout the ages since Plato till now, and tying them to create a story inspired by many other stories since its origin to tell a new refurbished one.
• 
  Abigail

  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 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.
• 
  Teri

  This tells the story of Poseidon falling in love with Cleito and building the city of Atlantis. My children were mesmerized! The story is truly magical, and the illustrations are beautiful! This IS the book to read FIRST to hook children, before reading them the dry textbooks about Atlantis. Our brains really are wired to remember stories, not strings of facts, and this one is perfectly done. I didn't realize the Atlantic Ocean was named after Atlantis in this story. We used this book learning about ancient Crete and the Minoans because some people think Atlantis was on the island of Crete.
• 
  Jessie Drew

  I’m giving this book 5 stars because it’s illustrations are wide and gorgeous, the story itself is easy to follow, understand and retain and most importantly it’s totally suitable for kids & a great for us grown ups. 💕
• 
  Sasha

  This isn't for children, not because of anything inappropriate, but because it's very heavy and textbook-like in its diction. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed it! The illustrations are gold and blue toned and it moves briskly with a delightful abrupt ending I found charming. The same illustrator did a constellations tome a la Nat Geo, so I'm a fan.
• 
  Kara

  
  Gorgeous illustrations that draw strongly on archeological studies of the ancient Mediterranean, and a text that takes from both Greek myth and Plato, present here a great picture book that encapsulates a high-level story of the myth of the rise and fall Atlantis.
• 
  Nolan Brendel

  I liked it because the wave knocked out Atlantis.
• 
  Willow

  Engagingly written and colored with lovely hues, this picture book was enjoyable to read aloud. It's a great resource for Greek mythology studies with kids. 🌊
• 
  Jade Elias-killeen

  The absolute most beautiful illustrations!
• 
  Geo Hendrick

  Good story! there are many about Atlantis this one is very good. I will save this one for the grandkids. Pictures are good too!
• 
  Sarah

  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!
• 
  Lil

  It was pretty cool about the canals in the castle. The pictures were quite creative, most were drawn using dots.
• 
  Sara

  A delightful re-telling of the Atlantis myth with a nice historical afterward at the end of the book. Story is well told and the illustration is artful.
• 
  Sophia

  I liked this book. I really liked learning about the Gods. I didn't know that Poseidon made Atlantis go under the water. I found that very interesting!
• 
  Julia Levine

  Title (italicize): Atlantis: the Legend of the Lost City
  Author: Christina Bali
  Illustrator (if separate from author):
  Genre: Legend
  Theme(s):
  Opening line/sentence (type directly from text):
  Brief Book Summary (2-3 sentences in your own words): This book tells the mythical story of why Atlantis sank and became the "lost city." In this retelling, Poseiden is angered by the people on the island of Atlantis and, therefore, curses them to sink into the ocean.
  Professional Recommendation/Review #1 (cut & paste): Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature )
  According to legend, the island of Atlantis was set up as a paradise kingdom by the sea god Poseidon for his bride Cleito and their descendants. The god creates a city of beauty with all one could desire, but sets laws prohibiting violence and cruelty, promising disaster if the laws are disobeyed. The evils of human nature persist, however, and Poseidon must sink the island into the sea. Archeologists seek it to this day, as the added note tells us, in many possible places, but whether and where it lies remains a mystery. Such a mystical tale deserves the fanciful visual setting on these double pages. Figures are stylized, hinting at those found on ancient Crete, with multi-patterned clothes and ornate hairstyles. Everything glitters, all surfaces are decorated, almost every square inch is alive with surface embellishments. The pages are redolent with exotic visuals that fill our eyes with the story of human glory destroyed by human folly. 2000 (orig. 1999), Henry Holt and Company, $16.95. Ages 6 to 9.
  (PUBLISHER: Holt (New York:), PUBLISHED: 2000.)
  Professional Recommendation/Review #2 (cut & paste): Kirks (Kirks Reviews, May 15, 2000 (Vol. 68, No. 10))
  Bali ("Twelve Labors of Hercules", 1997) recasts Ancient World accounts into a spare narrative, describing Atlantis's creation as Poseidon's wedding gift to his mortal bride Cleito, its idyllic early history, gradual descent into lawlessness, and final punitive submergence. In page-and-a-half-spread paintings that evoke ancient styles without copying them, figures posing in dignified, majestic profile give way to smaller scenes of urban decay and street violence, culminating in a mighty wave driven by Poseidon's anger, and a final view of broken, coral-decorated buildings. Though the story has often been told at greater length, this is a new format for it. A closing note by Geoffrey Ashe, author of "Atlantis: Lost Lands, Ancient Wisdom "(not reviewed), puts the tale into both historical and cultural perspective. 2000, Henry Holt, $16.95. Category: Picture book/folk tale. Ages 8 to 10. © 2000 Kirks Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.
  (PUBLISHER: Holt (New York:), PUBLISHED: 2000.)
  Response to Two Professional Reviews (3-4 sentences in your own words):
  The first professional review does a great job of summarizing the main points in the book, while also talking about the illustrations in relation to the text. Additionally, this review discusses the real-life implications of the reality of Atlantis versus the children's book. The second professional review similarly does an excellent job of discussing the text and the illustrations together.
  Evaluation of Literary Elements (3-4 sentences in your own words): The pictures in this story are very colorful and resemble an Egyptian-like artwork at some points in the book. This vibrant color adds a sense of fantasy because it is a legend. In addition, this book has strong characters, such as Poseidon and Cleito, who the book is centered around throughout the story.
  Consideration of Instructional Application (3-4 sentences in your own words):
  This book could be used in a 3rd grade classroom during a unit about legends and the mystical stories they portray. I think that this story would capture students' imagination because it is very eventful and breaks off from the norm of non-fiction or realistic fiction that is read often.