I Am Pan!

Starred review from March 7, 2016
In roughly a dozen stories told through comics-style sequences, Gerstein (The Night World) delivers a wonderfully mischievous and joyful account of the life of the Greek god Pan, as narrated by the cloven-hooved deity himself. Gerstein draws from Ovid, Graves, and other familiar sources as he describes Pan's romantic misadventures, his music contest with Apollo, and his role in the battle of Marathon, among other myths, while also adding playful, modern touches throughout (when Zeus battles Typhon, the monster stuns the god with a screech that sounds like "one thousand fingernails on a blackboard"). Gerstein's jittery illustrations are perfectly suited to Pan's scruffy, goaty body and inexhaustible energy, and the lurid, zigzagging lettering he uses for Pan's panic-inducing screams is especially effective. Laughs come fast and frequently, whether it's Pan haplessly trying to court various nymphs ("But I glub you! Glub glub glub," he shouts as a waterfall nymph sends him tumbling) or the gods retiring to "Greeceâor is it Canada" as the book comes to a close. It's every bit the wild and woolly "autobiography" that a chaotic spirit like Pan deserves. Ages 5â9.

The goat-footed god of "noise and confusion" (also herds and herders) offers up giddy versions of his best known pranks and exploits. Starting from ancient sources but embellishing them considerably, Gerstein sends his irrepressible narrator bounding through cartoon scenes of his own birth to Hermes and an unnamed mother--both golden-haired--and early stay atop Mount Olympus. Quickly wearing out his welcome there, Pan settles in rustic Arcadia, where, in a rare moment of irritation sparked by an ant's sneeze, he invents "panic" with a bellow that extends in electric colors over three full pages. He then goes on to marry Echo after several false starts, help Zeus settle the monster Typhon, lose a music battle to Apollo, help the Greeks win at Marathon, and fake everyone by announcing his own death. Along with making Typhon female, lining up the retired gods in modern dress for a family photo "somewhere in Greece--or is it Canada?" and other tweaks, the author tucks in the story of how Apollo changed King Midas' ears to those of a jackass ("a mean trick, but it sure was funny") and closes with a final frazzling "YEEEAAAHOOOO!" from the hairy trickster in an unidentified city park. If ever there was a god of fun, here he is...no mythtake. (afterword, bibliography). (Picture book/mythology. 7-11) COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from March 1, 2016

Gr 1-4-Pan is a loud, energetic, and mischievous little god. Born to Hermes, he is the apple of his parents' eye, as well as a joy to all in Olympus...for a while. The other gods begin to tire of his wild antics and silly ways, so they suggest he head off to Arcadia, where there are pigs, goats, hills, streams, waterfalls, bees, beekeepers, fountains, and more to keep him entertained. Pan thinks this is a fabulous idea, and the people are thrilled with his arrival. Pan promises to protect the animals and people of the kingdom but makes one small requirement: that they are quiet when he takes his nap. This delightful retelling of the origins of the Greek god Pan is told in graphic picture book format. The story is very easy to understand and is a terrific introduction into Greek mythology. The text is humorous, fast-paced, and exciting; kids are sure to wish that the story would go on. The illustrations are fun and blend seamlessly with the text, making the story engaging. The format is perfect for packing tons of humor, whimsy, and action on every page. VERDICT An irresistible introduction to the god and to Greek mythology in general.-Amy Shepherd, St. Anne's Episcopal School, Middleton, DE

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