Overview

An award-winning chapter book inspired by an ancient Greek comedy (The Birds, Ornithes) by Aristophanes. When two young friends purchase a pair of talking birds, an adventure set in ancient Greece begins! The two friends -Hope and Trusty- embark on a journey to the Land of the Birds, accompanied by two caged crows and a couple of stray dogs. There they meet a colorful king and address a hostile assembly of birds. With skill, eloquence and courage, the two friends end up uniting the birds in a common goal: to erect a huge city high up in the clouds. The founding of this city shakes up humankind and humbles Zeus and the Olympian gods. It triggers a series of events that benefit the birds and improves their status in the world. Written by a Greek archaeologist, this fun retelling of a popular ancient Greek play is an ode to friendship and to promises kept. It highlights the benefits of brotherhood, unity, democracy and peace. The story sends out a very positive message to young readers: never hesitate to dream big. Seemingly impossible goals CAN be reached with hard work and collaboration. The skillful artwork by accomplished Greek artist, Natalia Kapatsoulia, brings the story to life, rendering the book appealing to kids and parents alike. Sky Cloud City is a short chapter book for ages 7+, grades 2-4 and for the young at heart... An absolute must-have for the kids who LOVE Greek mythology. 2021 Moonbeam Children's Book Awards, Early Reader-First Chapter Books: Bronze Medal.

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9781732475885

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Reviews

I found the story to be utterly engrossing and magical. Well written with colorful descriptions of life as the children experienced it. ... The illustrations are gorgeous. Appropriate without being childish. I loved every page. - The International Review of Books

Author Information

"Maria Kamoulakou-Marangoudakis is a US-based Greek archaeologist and an award-winning children's author. Ever since her childhood in Athens, Maria has loved escaping to the imaginary world of books. A longing to visualize and re-live the past led her to an eighteen-year career in archaeology in Greece (Hellenic Ministry of Culture). In 2013, a similar urge prompted Maria to test her writing abilities, and she created LITTLE CENTAUR PRESS in 2018. Her books bridge the gap between picture books and juvenile chapter books. For her themes, she searches through Greece's rich literary tradition and folklore. When not busy writing, Maria enjoys interacting with her readers at book signing events and literary festivals. She is a wildlife lover and adores traveling, meeting people, and learning about new cultures. She lives in New England with her husband, Carl, and their elderly cat, Kit-Kit. Natalia Kapatsoulia was born and raised in Athens, Greece. Natalia studied French Literature at the University of Athens and Illustration at the Ornerakis School of Applied Arts. She attended illustration seminars in Italy and has participated in exhibitions in Greece, Italy, France, Japan, and Slovakia. Her career as a freelance children's book illustrator spans more than twenty years. Her favorite medium is acrylics and collage, but she also enjoys creating digital images and combining techniques. She loves drawing cute little animals in a humorous way, and her work has been shortlisted several times for the Greek state illustration awards. The book she wrote and illustrated -""Η μαμά πετάει"" by Diaplasi Editions and ""Mama quiere volar"" by Apila Ediciones- was shortlisted for the Greek IBBY awards. Natalia currently lives and works on the island of Kefalonia with her family and her cat. She loves the sea, music, cycling, traveling, going to the movies, reading comics, and, of course, books."

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