This book is part of Grupo Editorial Luis Vives’ series Colección Mitos Clasicos. Unlike the previous books in the series, it doesn’t tell a single narrative. Instead, La Sabiduría de Atenea introduces the reader to the many accomplishments of Athena, the goddess of wisdom. The connecting thread is Athena's role as defined against the activities of the other gods and goddesses. She is Zeus’s daughter and trusted counselor, Ares’ ethical counterpart, Poseidon’s successful rival, and Artemis’ industrious colleague. Through that lens, the book details Athena’s many mythical accomplishments, sketching myths quickly through her role in them. She rights the wrongs committed by the other gods, but she also defends their status when mortals wrong them. It’s a fascinating character study that draws new connections that I hadn’t seen before.

Once again, the illustrations shine. Ayesha L. Rubio’s clean lines and muted color palette are innately satisfying. Her composition is static, yet beautifully expressive. The placement of the figures in profile and the simplified backgrounds show the influence of ancient Greek vase paintings. I also appreciated the wide variety of skin tones and complementary hair colors on her characters.  

The book is published in Spain, which makes it a little hard to find in the United States. Still, persistent searches on various online booksellers’ websites will turn up copies for sale, and you can order the book through the website of the publisher, Edelvives (Grupo Editorial Luis Vives).   – Krishni Burns