Atalanta: The Fastest Runner in the World

Lisa Arsenault is an elementary-school teacher in Ajax, Ontario.

In this retelling of the ancient Greek myth, the baby Atalanta, rejected
by her father the king, is exposed to the elements and left to die. She
is saved by the goddess Artemis whose protection and guidance enable her
to develop into a famous hunter and the fleetest runner in Greece. Years
later, Atalanta is reunited with her father, who forces her to choose a
husband. She agrees to marry only on condition that her future husband
beat her in a footrace.

Parents and teachers are advised that there is a great deal of violence
in this version of the myth. In one particularly gruesome scene, an
enraged Atalanta snaps a squirrel’s neck; in another a fellow hunter
kills his two uncles in a dispute over the outcome of a boar hunt.
Atalanta herself sacrifices the men who lose to her in the race.

This caveat aside, the Greek myths are eternal in their appeal, and the
legend of Atalanta has particular relevance today given its embodiment
of such issues as the role of women, conflict with parents, individual
expression, and freedom of choice. Galloway expresses her themes in
concise, forceful, and often colloquial prose. The primitive style of
the pen-and-gouache illustrations echoes the story’s strong passions,
and the rich, earthy colors glow with life. Adults unfamiliar with
classical Greek customs will appreciate the detailed prologue, which
elucidates difficult concepts (such as infanticide) in terms young
readers will understand. Recommended.