Our library has access to the National Film Board of Canada's collection where you can watch her short film, Lord of the Sky, based on the Pacific Northwest First Nations' legend of raven. Make sure you look her up next time you are at the library. The Last Quest of Gilgamesh won the Governor General's Literary Award for illustration in 1995, but each of these books is wonderful on its own, as are Zeman's other folklore-inspired picture books. Adapted for child readers using the picture book format, these books are also remarkable for how simply and effectively they present the ancient epic's thematically complex narrative of power, love, friendship, mortality and humanity. If I could blow her paintings up to wall-size, I would surround myself with them, so golden, intricate and calming they are. Tundra, 1995.Ĭzech-Canadian author-illustrator Ludmila Zeman's adaptations of the Epic of Gilgamesh are gorgeous to look at. Highly recommended.The Gilgamesh books, retold and illustrated by Ludmila Zeman. Great historical value and a great story of friendship. It brings to life a whole time period most people/kids never learn about.

These are some of my favorite books I have read numerous times out loud to my kids. London, Paris, and Philadelphia house remnants of this tale. The story was written on clay tablets that were pieced together when found. Many versions of this oldest written tale exist. A friendship forms and no longer lonely, Gilgamesh stops work on the wall and peace encompasses Uruk.

An epic battle ensues, resulting in Enkidu pulling Gilgamesh up from a wall. Shamhat and Enkidu fall in love and return to Uruk to face Gilgamesh.

Word spread of Enkidu and Gilgamesh sends Shamhat, a beautiful woman, to entice Enkidu to Uruk, the capital city of Mesopotamia. Raised in the forest with animals, he knew no humans and protected his animal friends with his life. The sun god made another man, Enkidu, to challenge Gilgamesh. But as time drags on, they grumble and complain about loss of time with family, work in the fields, and food. He begins building a wall around the city and forces his people to work on it. We meet Gilgamesh, a young, bitter king of Mesopotamia, part god and part man, who is lonely with an extreme desire for wealth and power. Unlike Geraldine McCaughlean’s version, these are picture books with vivid pictures and easy text. Gilgamesh the King retold by Ludmila Zeman is the first in a trilogy retelling the Epic of Gilgamesh.

Gilgamesh the king zeman