Alexandra, Pavlos and the mystery of Lake Stymphalia

Alexandra, Pavlos and the mystery of Lake Stymphalia

Alexandra, Pavlos and the mystery of Lake Stymphalia (in Greek)
Sophia Kalantzakou
Illustrated by: Spiros Goussis
Athens 2015, 48 p.
ISBN 978-960-244-168-8
€ 14.50

 

Sophia Kalantzakou's inspiration for the new adventure of Alexandra, Pavlos and their friends comes from the well-known myth relating to the region of Lake Stymphalia, in the Corinthian highlands. The trigger for this new story was Alexandra's recurring nightmare featuring the Stymphalian Birds; in order to rid herself of this dream, she had to rectify the injustice against the Birds, searching for the truth behind the myth. The children's journey around the lake and the villages of Stymphalia, as well as to the Environment Museum of Stymphalia, where the region's environmental and historical/archaeological significance is recorded, leads them to unveil the deeper reason of the mystery and how reality has been incorporated into the myth. The children's adventures, as well as the charm and the varied landscape of the broader Stymphalia region, are vividly depicted by Spiros Goussis' illustrations.

This children's book highlights the link between the environment and culture and initiates young readers to the concept and meaning of a cultural landscape. Furthermore, it proposes actions and initiatives that school classes could adopt in relation not only to the specific lake, but also to other cultural landscapes of similar interest.