Artemis the Loyal by Joan Holub, Suzanne Williams

Summary: It’s time for the annual Olympic Games, and the four goddessgirls are not happy–especially Artemis. Even though she’s better at sports than most of the godboys, she can’t compete because rules say the Games are boys-only. No fair!

Led by Artemis, Athena, Persphone and Aphrodite, the ladies of Mount Olympus hatch a plan to get Zeus to open up the games to everyone. Will they succeed–or end up watching from the sidelines again?

My Thoughts: I agreed to read and review this book because my 8-year-old daughter LOVES the Goddess Girls. LOVES them. She is in the third grade, and this is the first series – really these books are the first books in general – that she has just gobbled up! She’s been known to read for as long as an hour at a time when engrossed in one of these. I’ve been meaning to give them a read, too. For one, I like to be aware of what my kids are reading, and also I like the idea of being able to discuss the books with her.

Artemis the Loyal is written perfectly for children 8 through 12 years old. So, for us grown-ups, it’s a very fast read. (My daughter was amazed by how quickly I was getting through it! LOL) The story is cute, and it’s packed with important things that its readers can take with them after they close the book. I’m guessing the whole series has this going for it! Anyway, Artemis learns a few things about herself, Apollo (her twin), and those around her. And she grows. Fairness, truthfulness, loyalty, respect for others, and good sportsmanship are some of the many themes touched upon. The biggest two are sportsmanship and respecting others’ choices.

For sportsmanship, we see two giants competing in the Olympics. Like Artemis and Apollo, they are twins – and they aren’t exactly alike. Otus is kind and well-mannered, but his identical twin, Ephisltes, is quite the opposite. It is through his behavior that we learn what good and bad sportsmanship are. (My daughter plays soccer, so I’m happy to see her learning about sportsmanship from places other than my husband and myself!) Respecting others’ choices is actually the central theme – what she perceives as loyalty turns out to sometimes be bossiness. Through conflict with her brother and a chat with a Python, Artemis learns that sometimes she needs to back off. The conflict is the result of her trying to help Apollo, which she later understands as not the act of loyalty she believed it to be, but rather a lack of respect.

The book ends on a happy note, which even made me smile a bit. I’m very much looking forward to my daughter’s turn to read this! (She’s working her way through the series, and is currently Artemis the Brave. She was tickled pink that we both were reading about Artemis at the same time! LOL) Anyway, this is an excellent series for young girls. I highly recommend Artemis the Loyal and the rest of the Goddess Girls series!

Source: Received through The {Teen} Book Scene for review. (Click the button below for more tour stops.)

Read It: Get your own copy HERE. (This is a Book Depository link, and purchase through this link will result in my receiving a small commission at no cost to you. Your support is appreciated!)

Challenges: Counts for the 100 Books in a Year Reading Challenge.

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*****GIVEAWAY*****

I am able to offer 1 swag pack (including an autographed book, bookmark, and a simple beaded Goddess Girls necklace made by the authors) to one lucky reader! (Get a glimpse of the necklace and bookmark on Suzanne Williams’ blog!) I do not require anything in order for you to enter. Simply leave a comment to on this post. ONE ENTRY PER PERSON. Entries will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. (Central) Thursday, December 15, 2011. The winner will be chosen randomly with the help of the WordPress plugin And the Winner Is… I will send the lucky winner an e-mail notification. (It will come from proudbooknerd(at)gmail(dot)com, so make sure to add this address to your safe list or address book to ensure it doesn’t get lost in junk/bulk mail.) If I do not get a response within 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen. Unfortunately, this giveaway is only open to readers in the U.S. No P.O. boxes.
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FTC Disclosure: All items reviewed were either obtained by me for my own enjoyment or sent (from the author, publisher, publicist, via tour sites, etc.) in exchange for an honest review. I receive no monetary compensation for my posts. All opinions expressed are my own.

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