Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

PANTHEON

Home
Pagan
Forgotten Goddesses: A Coloring Book Review

Forgotten Goddesses: A Coloring Book Review

Last updated on: July 31, 2011 at 8:56 am by Star Foster

Forgotten Goddesses: A Coloring Book Review 2011-07-31T08:56:59-04:00 Star Foster

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I get a lot of things to review, and I don’t have time to review all of them. Sometimes I know someone else who can review a book, but more often it goes onto the pile of books awaiting my fantasy beach vacation. You know, the kind of vacation where you sit in a chair under an umbrella on a beach all day reading while good-looking people keep your margarita topped off.

Sometimes something catches me just right. I’ve got to sit in an airport, wait on my car to be fixed or I’ve reached a point where I simply can’t look at a computer screen anymore. It somehow seems to work out that a really interesting book, tarot deck or other product will happen along to fill that time. Right before PSG I got an unusual book in the mail, and in the hustle and bustle it got pushed to one side. Yesterday I desperately needed a break from work and packing for a move, and I reached for this book.

The ABCs of Lesser-Known Goddesses by W. Lyon Martin is really charming. There is an art noveau style “forgotten” Goddess for every letter of the alphabet. One of my favorites is Tatsuta-Hime with her kimono and hair caught up in the wind blowing autumn leaves. Flidais also looks rather commanding in her deer-pulled chariot.

I chose to color Aestas because she seemed appropriate to the season:

I chose to color Jerah not only because the image is lovely, but also because I never knew Jericho was named for a Goddess:

The images are a bit too detailed for younger children, but they are a lot of fun for anyone 10 and older. I had fun coloring the pages. It was a stress-reducing moving meditation, and it felt a bit whimsical to be coloring at my age.

This is a really inexpensive easy Pagan art activity for children. I’d think Pagan homeschoolers would love this educational coloring book, as would Pagan children’s groups (like Spiral Scouts) and children’s centers at festivals. Several of the pictures are nice enough to frame and I’m considering buying another copy to color, cut out and frame.

The only downside to this book I can find is that the pictures are sometimes so detailed that it makes it difficult to stay inside the lines in places, and that the pages are printed on both sides, so if you want to create an ABC border of pictures in your child’s room you’d need to buy two books.

I really liked this coloring book. It’s detailed enough that it kept my interest and made me wish I had better quality colored pencils. I like that this is Pagan art I can put my own energy into, pop into a dollar-store frame and hang on my wall. I’ve always loved Pagan coloring pages wherever I can find them, and really wish there were more Pagan coloring books out there. Not all of us can draw, but most of us can wield a burnt sienna or cornflower blue pencil with flair.

Previous Post

July 30, 2011

You Can't Appropriate Your Own Culture

Next Post

August 1, 2011 Things We Own: A Lammas Reflection

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category alexandrian asatru astrology ATW Audio books btw ceremonial magick chaos classics community conversion cosmology dianic discordian druid dvd eclectic equinox ethics family feri festivals film Fully Inclusive Events gardnerian gender issues glbt heathen hellenismos history humor initiation interfaith magick meditation Military movies music mysticism myth networking news Open Thread Pagan Pagan 101 Paganism passings polytheism Polytheistic Religion polytheology praxis Reading List religio romana review ritual sabbats santeria service solstice symbols tools values wicca witchcraft

Select a Month July 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Zacchaeus Nicodemus Bartimaeus Simon