(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Blair Drawson. In Hovey's hands, Arachne's weaving contest with Athena isn't simple hubris but a more complex rebellion. Contending that the gods are "parasites" living off human worship, Arachne provokes the wrath of Athena, who yet finds the girl's spirit compelling. The tale's varying rhyme scheme and loose meter evoke the measured phrases of a storyteller. The illustrations elongate the forms of Arachne and Athena to reveal their strength and larger-than-life status.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2001