Wednesday 27 July 2022 19:00
In July, the Cultural Center’s Children’s Book Club will be meeting at the Mediterranean Garden to discuss Filippos Mandilaras’s Who stole the apple of discord? A fascinating book of mystery set in the world of Greek mythology.
On Wednesday, July 27, young readers will meet with Book Club facilitator Artemis Manou to share impressions, feelings and thoughts, as well as to embark on an imaginary journey, sparked by the book of the month, into the fascinating worlds emerging from its pages.
The book You surely know the Twelve Olympian Gods. What you probably don’t know is the “Twelve Gods” Private Investigations Office that solves mystery cases! And this is its second case: The apple of discord, which Paris must give to the goddess he deems the prettiest, has gone missing! And Paris has nothing to give anymore. At first, suspicions fall on Persephone, Artemis and Hestia, who are bitter for not even being nominated for the title, and who believe that beauty is not based on physical (outer) appearance. And yet, no, they are not the culprits. Some strange yellow traces will eventually lead Hermes to the much-desired apple. But then he will be faced with a big dilemma: Should he take it? Hermes is called upon to make a choice...
With the book of July, we focus on the world of Greek mythology, but in the subversively humorous and suspenseful way of Filippos Mandilaras. Driven by the myth of the apple of discord, we will be delving into the mysteries of existence and be challenged to come up with our own answers: Can the choices someone makes determine their personal story as well as history as a whole? What is beauty? What is it based on? And does it only come in one shape or form?
The writer Filippos Mandilaras was born in Athens in 1965. He has been involved with books for children and teens since 1997, either as a writer or as a translator, editor and editorial advisor. He has published dozens of books over the years, has been awarded several times, and is still enjoying the love of children every time he presents a new book. The books of the series “My first Mythology” and “My first History” have been exceptionally embraced by both children and parents. More than 50 of his books are available from Papadopoulos Publishing.
The facilitator:Artemis Manou holds a BA in Greek Language and Literature (Linguistics major) from the University of Athens and an MA in Teaching Greek as a Foreign/Second Language. In addition, she has graduated from the Drama School of Vassilis Diamantopoulos. After working for a few years in private education and as an actress, since 2009 she has been combining her love of theater and children, working as a motivational speaker and a theater director. She has co-operated with Onassis Stegi at the Youth Theater Festival, where she wrote theatrical plays and directed performances for teenagers, and at the experiential learning program “Contemporary Art: First you live... then you understand” that Onassis Stegi carried out in primary schools, where she organized workshops for creative expression on contemporary art stimuli together with Tzeni Argyriou, Andreas Kasapis and Myrto Tikof. Since 2017, she has been working at the National Theatre, facilitating workshops for children, teenagers and educators. She has authored a total of 15 plays for teens. A special place in her heart belongs to the National Theatre's program “Theater in Greek," with the participation of Greek and refugee teenagers. The theatrical play The Journey, which she co-authored with Vangelis Kyriakou, was included in the repertoire of the National Theatre Young People's Stage in 2018. She was born and lives in Athens. But she dreams of living in many other places too – together with her family.
Activities for children before the Book Club: • Before (yes, that’s right, before) you read the book, find out more about the apple of discord, and what it had to do with the great Trojan War. And after reading the book, think and write down what you would do if you were in Hermes’s shoes when he found the apple: Would you return it or not? (And why?) • Who do you think is the “prettiest” god or goddess of those who appear in the book? (Base your decision on how you understand beauty—outer, inner, different, or anything else at all!) Now draw a picture of this god or goddess in whatever way you want!
Wednesday 27/07 | 19.00 MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN
Up to 22 participants | For children aged 7 to 10 Free participation by online pre-registration
Pre-registration starts on Friday 01/07, at 12.00
Children should always be accompanied by parents or adult attendants who should not be away from the outdoor activity.
To participate in the Reading Club, it is necessary for those who hold a position to have read the book of the month. (It is also useful to have it with them).
The book Who stole the apple of discord? by Filippos Mandilaras is available (in Greek) from Papadopoulos Publishing.
As part of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center's collaboration with the National Library of Greece, the book for the Reading Club has been chosen by NLG staff members.
